Genoa’s museums remain open into November

Genoa’s Courthouse Museum would usually be wrapping up its season around real Nevada Day on Thursday, but the Douglas County Historical Society is extending its season this year.

Typically, the Courthouse Museum closes on Oct. 31, but Office Manager Brenda Hansen said the society wants to try keeping the former Douglas County courthouse open for weekends through November.

The courthouse also served as Genoa’s primary school after the county seat moved to Minden in 1916.

Restored by the historical society in 1969, the museum is celebrating its 55^th year.

Across Main Street, the stockade, the little museum and gift shop at Mormon Station has been open during the winter for a couple of years, now.

It will be open 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Thursday through Monday starting Nov. 1. The museum and stockade will be closed on Tuesday and Wednesdays, and for all major holidays, according to Park Interpreter Robert Reif.

That might include Mormon Station’s Blacksmith Shop, which has been a popular stop during the regular season.

The shop was originally built in 1908 by Nels Morrison using wood from the White House Hotel. The state lists the date of the original hotel’s construction as 1865. But there are R-C articles that place its construction as early as 1858, including a claim that it was originally built by Lucky Bill Thorington, who was lynched that same year.

According to a 2000 story written by Genoa resident Ron Funk, the White House was between 6,000-8,000 square feet in size.

“This large and commodious, old established hotel has been thoroughly renovated and splendidly furnished by the present Proprietor, Kopple Rice, according to a Feb. 4, 1876, advertisement for the hotel in the Carson Valley News. “A new stable has been added to the establishment for the accommodation of teamsters.”

Mrs. Rice put the 26-room hotel up for sale, along with a horse, buggy and two cows, in the summer of 1893.

The hotel closed around the turn of the century and was purchased in 1902. The bar counter was sold to a Gardnerville man where Carson City carpenter Mose Catlin said he sold the first drink of whisky over it in 1864. One minute after his arrival at age 14 in February 1870 Courier Editor George Smith said he inspected the bar along with Peter Van Sickle.

The Morrisons purchased the property for the lumber to build a house and the blacksmith shop, which Nels operated to the end of World War I.

Mormon Station State Historic Park stands on the site of Gelatt’s Livery and Feed Stable that burned in the 1910 fire, which claimed much of the northern part of the town, including the courthouse across the street. The blacksmith shop, however, was spared the flames.