Carson City and Virginia City Carson City's Capitol building is the second oldest west of the Mississippi. Official paintings of the past governors line the halls and a changing gallery of historical memorabilia is on display. With a population of about 63,000, Carson City is small enough that citizens can, on occasion, rub shoulders with even the governor. City roots originated in the 19th century mining, timber and railroad activities that opened the West. Founded in 1858 in the shadow of the Sierra Nevada, Carson City was a commercial center for gold and silver miners who were uncovering the rich ore bodies of Virginia City. Logs flummed from Lake Tahoe to Carson mills were sawed into heavy timbers that became the support lattice in the Comstock mine tunnels. The Virginia Truckee Railroad hauled the lumber, fresh meat, milk and produce up to the hungry miners and returned the rough silver ingots to the Carson City Mint. The Railroad Museum has some of the original rolling stock on display. Carson City was the western terminus of the Pony Express and Samuel Clemens, working as a reporter for the Virginia City Territorial Enterprise, created some of his most entertaining stories of the early west. Virginia City's population today is 1,500 - down from an all-time high of 30,000 back in the 1870's when the town was the acknowledged queen of the gold and silver boom. It was during those good old days that Virginia City had the only elevator between Chicago and San Francisco. Several Virginia City sites are being renovated in response to a growing public interest in preserving the history of the Comstock Lode. Piper's Opera House and the Historic Fourth Ward School are two of them. Virginia City draws tourists year-round who tour a real gold mine, visit "boothill" and enjoy a cold on in the same saloons once frequented by the rough miners. Other attractions include the Nevada Gambling Museum, Mark Twain Museum, Mackay Mansion, Chollar Mine, Virginia & Truckee Railroad Tour and dozens of shops and restaurants.