Carson City Facts and Figures

Until 1968, Carson City was the county seat of Ormsby County, the smallest county in Nevada. In that year, the state legislature merged the city and the county, creating special district status similar to Washington, D.C.'s status as the national capital. Washington, D.C. is in a federal district and is not part of any state. This means that Carson City is no longer part of any county, instead it is by itself. After this merger took place, the city government was given some unusual responsibilities that most municipal governments do not have. For example, there is no longer a city police force. The consolidated city is patrolled by the Carson City Sheriff;s Department. A sheriff's department is a county function. The city government has more authority than most city governments do because they also perform county functions.
Today, the city boundaries are the same as the extinct county's boundaries. Ormsby County, which was one of the first counties to created in Nevada, no longer exists. Carson City covers 146 square miles. This area is slightly larger than the area that Philadelphia, Pennsylvania covers, the nation's sixth largest city and almost exactly the same as the area of Portland, Oregon, a city with over half a million people. Most of the land within the boundaries of Carson City is undeveloped. This area consists of desert in the east and a lush forest of spruce and pine in the west. Most of the area within the city is roadless and another good-sized portion of the city is serviced only by primitive dirt tracks that lead to canyons, old mines or private ranches.
Of the 146 square miles that the city covers, only about 1/4 of it is developed, about 35 to 49 square miles. This area is in the middle of the city and extends between the northern and southern borders. This developed area encompasses the site of two other towns that once existed in the county--Empire City and Lakeview. There is little evidence of either town today since both areas have been overrun with housing developments.