It’s perhaps appropriate that the place that once educated the historic mining town of Dayton’s young people—the old Schoolhouse, built in 1865—continues to play a similar role in educating visitors about the community’s history as the Dayton Museum.
The museum, which opened in 1991, contains display describing Dayton’s origins and a number of the “firsts” believed to have occurred in the community. For example, some history books claim Dayton was the site of the state’s first marriage and first dance.
Of course, Dayton is arguably Nevada’s earliest settlement and traces its roots to the late 1840s, when gold was discovered in adjacent Gold Canyon. A small group of miners began working the canyon, including James “Old Virginny” Finney, namesake for Virginia City (he’s buried in the Dayton cemetery).
In addition to hosting prospectors, Dayton soon became an important stop on the Emigrant Trail for travelers heading to California. This traffic, in fact, was the impetus for the opening of an early Nevada trading post, known as Hall’s Station, after owner Spafford Hall. It was one of the first businesses established in the area.
In 1861, the settlement officially became known as Dayton, after surveyor John Day, who plated the community.
Among its residents in those days was a fairly large population of Chinese, who were brought to the region to build a two-mile water ditch from the mouth of the Carson River Canyon to Gold Canyon. The Chinese also reworked placer gold tailings left behind by other miners.
The museum also has a display describing the Pony Express, which passed through Dayton during its days of operation in 1860-61, and a collection of Chinese artifacts left behind by those early inhabitants.
One display case contains a variety of 19th century measuring devices including household scales, a drug store box scale and a merchant scale while another exhibits the Bertha Scott clothing collection, a nice assortment of 19th century women’s clothes including high-topped, lace-up shoes.
One of early Dayton’s prominent citizens was John D. Winters, who maintained a ranch outside of town. A large collection of saddles, brands and ranching equipment from his spread is on display.
Wandering through the schoolhouse, which is the second oldest stone school building in the state and oldest schoolhouse in the state of Nevada that is still at its original location, you can also spot desks and classroom items once used in it.
The building served as a school until 1959, then was the Dayton Senior Center for many years.
Since Dayton also was the first seat of Lyon County, it is also appropriate that the museum has exhibits containing such items as the roll top desk of longtime Sheriff Perry Randall.
Another prominent former Daytonite (an exhibit is devoted to him) was Adolph Sutro, the man responsible for building Sutro Tunnel. In the 1860s, Sutro constructed a four-mile tunnel into Mount Davidson from near Dayton in order to drain and ventilate the Comstock mines. The tunnel (which still exists and is currently being restored) is considered one of the engineering marvels of the 19th century.
The region’s Native Americans are the subject of another exhibit, which contains dozens of arrowheads and spear points, several hand-woven baskets and a selection of grinding stones.
A second room in the school features the paintings of Alice Cardelli and Fannie Gore Hazlett. The latter, who moved to Dayton in 1862, was quite an adventurer—she rode in an airplane when she was 82 years old.
Outside the school are a handful of historic items including an old wooden wagon, a turn-of-the-century McCormick harvester and a couple of outhouses.
The Dayton Museum is located at 135 Shady Lane in Dayton. It is open Saturdays, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., and Sundays, 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. There is no admission fee but donations are welcome.
For more information, contact the Dayton Museum, 775-246-6316, or go to www.daytonnvhistory.org.
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