Douglas County Historical Society

Douglas County Historical Society The Douglas County Historical Society seeks to enrich lives by preserving local history and making it accessible to our communities and visitors.

We operate the Courthouse Museum in Genoa and the Carson Valley Museum & Cultural Center in Gardnerville. The Douglas County Historical Society, Nevada, seeks to enrich lives by preserving local history and making it accessible to our communities and visitors. The DCHS operates two museums, the Courthouse Museum in Genoa, Nevada and the Carson Valley Museum and Cultural Center in Gardnerville. Th

e Courthouse Museum is located in the heart of Genoa, Nevada’s first permanent town, settled by John Reese in 1851. The courthouse was constructed by Rufus Adams and Lawrence Gilman in 1865 when Genoa was the county seat of Douglas County. In 1916, the county seat was moved to Minden, a thriving new town in the center of the valley. The courthouse building was used as a school from 1916 until 1956. In 1969, it was opened as a museum by the Carson Valley Historical Society now operating as the Douglas County (Nevada) Historical Society. The Carson Valley Museum and Cultural Center is located in the former Douglas County High School building, designed by famed architect Frederic J. DeLongchamps in 1915. In 1988, the school board leased the building to the Carson Valley Historical Society. Through grants from Douglas County, the State of Nevada and many private donations, the society renovated the structure to represent and promote the local history and culture of: Lake Tahoe, Genoa, Minden, Gardnerville, Topaz Lake and the Washoe Tribe. The restoration was completed on August 19, 1995

DCHS Heritage Lecture SeriesThursday, July 9Join the Douglas County Historical Society at the Carson Valley Museum & Cul...
06/22/2026

DCHS Heritage Lecture Series
Thursday, July 9

Join the Douglas County Historical Society at the Carson Valley Museum & Cultural Center for an engaging evening with Russell Scossa, who will share the history of the Scossa family and their deep roots in ranching in the Carson Valley.

A fourth-generation Gardnerville rancher, Mr. Scossa was born in 1945 and graduated from Douglas High School in 1963. Throughout his life, he has been dedicated to his family, ranching, and the agricultural industry, with a strong commitment to preserving and conserving the family’s land for future generations

Thursday, July 9, 2026
Doors Open at 6:00 p.m.
Lecture begins at 6:30 p.m.

$5.00 at the door. Alpine County, Dayton Valley, and Douglas County Historical Society Members admitted FREE!

Carson Valley Museum & Cultural Center
1477 US Highway 395 North
Gardenville Nevada

Information at: 775-782-2555
www.HistoricNV.org
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Each time you visit a DCHS Heritage Lecture in 2026 you earn a chance to win a $100 gift certificate from the museum bookstore. The more lectures you attend, the greater your chances of winning! The drawing will be held on Thursday, November 12, 2026. Need not be present to win.

The DCHS Heritage Lecture Series is sponsored in part by:
Dennis R Little Trust
Sponsorship opportunities are available for this event. Contact the DCHS Front Office at 775-782-2555.

Hope everyone is enjoying the rose bushes in front of the museum. Thanks to the wonderful efforts of our Rosarian, Suzan...
06/21/2026

Hope everyone is enjoying the rose bushes in front of the museum. Thanks to the wonderful efforts of our Rosarian, Suzanne Miladin, new vigor has been restored in these gorgeous shrubs. We have such a wonderful teams dedicated to the care and preservation of our museum. Super Thanks to all our volunteers.

We are pleased to be the host venue of the selected works of Nancy Hadlock and Richard Potashin’s traveling exhibit, Arb...
06/12/2026

We are pleased to be the host venue of the selected works of Nancy Hadlock and Richard Potashin’s traveling exhibit, Arborglyphs: The Art of Heritage. Their 24-year effort of documenting aspen tree carvings is now touring the eastern Sierra to raise public awareness of the untold stories of sheepherders, Basque culture and artistry of Arborglyphs. The exhibit runs through October 30.

Carson Valley Museum & Clutral Center
1477 US Highway 395 N
Gardnerville,, NV
Open Monday through Friday
11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.

Our sincere thanks to our members and friends who attended the opening of our newest exhibit, Reno Rodeo Queens of Dougl...
06/11/2026

Our sincere thanks to our members and friends who attended the opening of our newest exhibit, Reno Rodeo Queens of Douglas County. On your next visit to the CVM&CC be sure to visit this exhibit in our Indoor Agricultural Heritage Room.

Open Monday through Friday 11:00 to 3:00 p.m.

Heritage Lecture SeriesFrom Riches to Rubble: The Hurricane That Crushed Miami’s Early Boom and Almost Wrecked the City’...
06/06/2026

Heritage Lecture Series
From Riches to Rubble: The Hurricane That Crushed Miami’s Early Boom and Almost Wrecked the City’s Future”
Karen Dustman

Almost exactly a century ago, an unexpected tempest roared ashore in Miami. In this fascinating lecture and slide show, historian and author Karen Dustman provides a peek at bustling Miami in 1926, both before – and immediately after – the terrifying Category 4 “Great Hurricane” left massive destruction in its wake. Come hear the words of real-life hurricane survivors describing what they experienced, and see pictures of that horrifying, pivotal day. That hurricane would not only reshape Miami; it would alter building codes across the country. If you've got "hurricane clips" on your house, you just might have this storm to thank.

The 100-year anniversary of this historic hurricane is approaching in just a few months. And while the storm left plenty of loss and tragedy behind, Miami showed her strength in the face of the epic disaster. Come see real-life photos and hear about the heroism and resilience of those early Miamians -- including the survival story of Karen's own father.

Thursday, June 11
Doors Open at 6:00 p.m.
Lecture begins at 6:30 p.m.

$5.00 at the door. Alpine County, Dayton Valley, and Douglas County Historical Society Members admitted FREE!

Carson Valley Museum & Cultural Center
1477 US Highway 395 North
Gardenville, Nevada

Each time you visit a DCHS Heritage Lecture in 2026 you earn a chance to win a $100 gift certificate from the museum bookstore. The more Family Day events you attend, the greater your chances of winning! The drawing will be held on Thursday, November 12, 2026. Need not be present to win.

The DCHS Heritage Lecture Series is sponsored in part by:
Dennis R Little Trust
Sponsorship opportunities are available for this event. Contact the DCHS Front Office at 775-782-2555.

New Exhibit In The WorksReno Rodeo Queens of Douglas CountyCORRECTED HOURS SHOWN: Join us Thursday June 4th for the Gran...
05/29/2026

New Exhibit In The Works
Reno Rodeo Queens of Douglas County

CORRECTED HOURS SHOWN:
Join us Thursday June 4th for the Grand Reveal of our newest exhibit, Reno Rodeo Queens of Douglas County. Museum doors open at 5:30 p.m. Program begins at 6:00 p.m. Joins us for a presentation on the history, culture and lore of the Reno Rodeo Queens followed by the grand reveal of our new exhibit. The evening includes music, complimentary refreshments and a no host wine bar. Free Admission!

Carson Valley Museum & Cultural Center
1477 US Highway 395 North
Gardnerville

We’re a bit tardy in posting but we’d be remiss if we did’t say "Super Thanks" to all our friends who stopped by to visi...
05/27/2026

We’re a bit tardy in posting but we’d be remiss if we did’t say "Super Thanks" to all our friends who stopped by to visit us at last week’s wine walk. Our front yard, the oldest lawn in Gardnerville, has become quite the hot spot on the walk. Hope to see you June 18th for Main Street Gardnerville’s next Third Thursday Wine Walk.

Though history tends to be static, our exhibits are not. As many visitors have noted our Wild Mustang Wall is under refu...
05/27/2026

Though history tends to be static, our exhibits are not. As many visitors have noted our Wild Mustang Wall is under refurbishment and will soon be restructured to bring you more of the cultural heritage of these icons of Nevada.

Address

1477 US Highway 395 N, Suite B
Gardnerville, NV
89410

Opening Hours

Monday 11am - 3pm
Tuesday 11am - 3am
Wednesday 11am - 3pm
Thursday 11am - 3pm
Friday 11am - 3pm

Telephone

+1 775-782-2555

Website

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