Dayton, Nevada, a small rural town located neat the state’s Carson City capital, is home to more than 15,000 people. Dayton is one of Nevada’s earliest settlements, often a place where settlers chose to live during Nevada’s gold and silver rushes in search of a more prosperous life. The Pony Express Trail also once ran through several areas of Dayton, with remnants of the trail scattered throughout the town, showing a now largely-forgotten piece of American history.
The area was initially called Chinatown, established in the 1850s by workers coming from Asia, mostly from China. They were hired to build a ditch from the Carson River to the entrance of Gold Canyon, but faced severe discrimination and then economic downturn with the Comstock Lode’s eventual decline. After John Day surveyed the town, the town was renamed to Dayton in 1861.
Nearby, Virginia City is full of 1800s history, offering events that include historical reenactors, train rides and several shops where you can have your photo taken in period attire. Although Virginia City is not a part of Dayton, the two towns are often visited by each other’s residents…