Another "Aha" Moment in Historic Dayton
Sometimes you don't have to travel very far to discover something new.
On Sunday, June 28, I joined the Historical Society of Dayton Valley's monthly Guided Walking Tour of Old Town Dayton, led by longtime historian and docent Patrick "Pat" Neylan. Held on the fourth Sunday of each month through October, the tour begins at the Dayton Museum before taking visitors on a 90-minute walk through just a couple of blocks of Old Town Dayton.
You might think two blocks couldn't hold much history—but you'd be wrong.
With perfect summer weather and about a dozen locals in attendance, Pat began by sharing how Dayton became the birthplace of Nevada history. Long before Virginia City was booming, Dayton was an emigrant stop and the site of Nevada's first documented gold discovery in 1849, when Abner Blackburn found gold near Gold Canyon. The town soon became an important milling center for the Comstock, was home to Nevada's first Chinatown, served as a Pony Express stop, and became Lyon County's first seat in 1861.
As we walked through Old Town, Pat brought Dayton's history to life. We visited St. Anne's Chapel, relocated from Yerington and currently undergoing restoration, and learned about the wooden cross outside, built from lumber donated by the Historic Donovan Mill.
One of my favorite stops was the Odeon Saloon. Surrounded by historical photographs and stories of the past, someone from the crowd pointed out the famous diamond dust mirror and talked about how the upstairs theater continues to host lectures, weddings, performances, and community events. It's amazing to think that figures like Adolph Sutro and Mark Twain once walked through those same doors.
What makes Pat such a wonderful guide isn't just his knowledge—it's the way he tells the story. He paints pictures with words, making it easy to imagine the buildings that have disappeared and the people who built this little town into one of Nevada's most important, historic communities.
When I asked him what he would tell someone who has never taken the tour, his answer summed it up perfectly.
"You would come and learn basically where Nevada began. There would be no Comstock, no Virginia City—really nothing—without the pioneers like John Orr, Abner Blackburn, and all the people who laid the foundation for Nevada's mining industry."
I also met Jessica Brinkley, who moved to Dayton from Missouri just a month ago. She saw the tour advertised at Kay Winters Park and thought it would be the perfect way to learn about her new hometown.
"What better way to learn about where you're going to live?" she said.
I couldn't agree more.
In just an hour and a half, I learned more about Dayton than I have from many books I've read over the years. That's what happens when history is shared by someone who truly loves it.
The Historical Society of Dayton Valley continues to preserve Dayton's remarkable past through the Dayton Museum, Firehouse/Jail Museum, St. Anne's Chapel, and its ongoing efforts to rebuild the Carson & Colorado Railroad Depot lost in the 2020 fire.
If you haven't experienced one of these walking tours, put it on your calendar. Whether you've lived here for decades or just arrived, you'll walk away with a new appreciation for the town that helped put Nevada on the map.
Please visit the museum if you get a chance or come on the tour! HSDV.org
Another fun afternoon in my little historic hometown—and another "aha" moment for this old gal.
