[194]       

Gardner's Ranch

Carson City
  39.15328, -119.76721

"It's outstanding that the SHPO managed to commemorate Gardner and his ranch with an historic marker. There wasn't given much thought to its accessibllity though. In this case, this one wins for 2nd place effort." -- Journal Entry, June 2007

At the corner of Carson and Stewart Sts. -- Carson City
* Find this one on the southbound side of Carson Street in front of U.S. Forest Service Office *

Original Date Visited: 6/6/07

Signed: Severely faded signs on both of Carson Street. The northbound sign in particular deserves a special mention because it was been placed south of the intersection with Fairview Drive. This means if you're not paying attention, you might prompted to turn onto Fairview rather than continuing straight on Carson. Why not move the sign north of this intersection?

Notes: This one offers very few options in the way of parking because of its strange placement. The best (and probably safest) might be the U.S. Forest Office directly behind the marker or the Shell gas station a few paces south. If you do use the Shell it might be a good idea to purchase something or conquer this one during a fill-up just so Carson City Sheriff doesn't site you for "odd parking." Yes there is such a thing. Good luck!

  • Marker 194 oversees the exact location of the 19th-century lumber yards
  • Marker 194 plaque

Exact Description:
On this site in the period from 1870 until 1918 stood the ornate two-story home of Matthew Culbertson Gardner, rancher and lumberman. The residence was headquarters for Gardner's 300 acre ranch in the meadows to the southwest.

Here was located, 1870-1898, the Carson-Tahoe Lumber and Fluming Company's large lumberyard. During the 1870's and 1880's, Gardner logged south of Lake Tahoe for the company and built the only standard gauge logging railroad in the Tahoe basin. He maintained his home here.

Gardner died in 1908 and his residence was destroyed by a fire August 20, 1918. Many of the old trees on the ground once shaded the grounds of the Gardner family.

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Related Links & Markers

 [193] -- Historic Flume & Lumber Yard   [225] -- Spooner Area ... 

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