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Galena (elev. 5,072) N39° 27' 201" W119° 84' 123" |
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A suburb in the Truckee Meadows in southern Washoe County, 11 miles north of Carson City.
When most refer to "Galena" here in western Nevada, most of them mean the area in and around Galena Creek at the south end of Reno. Historically, Galena was developed as a mining property in 1860 and became an important lumbering center thanks to the nearby pine forests that inhabit the area. Galena had a dual personality, developed as both a lumbering center along with gold mining. R.S. and Andrew Hatch developed a quartz mill and smelter, among the earliest erected on this side of the Sierras! The gold float from the local mines contained a heavy admixture of lead sulphide, "galena," which caused the mining operations to be non-paying, but the mills continued to operate, processing ores from the Comstock mines.
The severe winter of 1864-1865 interrupted freighting to Virginia City and the ensuing mining depression forced the Galena mills to close. On the lumbering end of Galena however, the town operated eleven sawmills by 1863. The town boasted five stores, two lodging houses, a justice court, a school which doubled as a community hall, twelve saloons, and dozens of homes. The hype ended as suddenly as it began. The town was all but abandoned by 1867 following two disastrous fires. Today, all of this is hard to imagine as you cruise the suburban streets of "Galena." Nothing exists of Galena, instead, paved over by streets, residential homes, and parks. The cemetery was sadly destroyed sometime in early 2000, officially erasing any trace of this once prosperous community. The name Galena has been given to its namesake creek and nearby Galena Creek Park a few miles to the west along Mt. Rose Highway. State Historical Marker 212 reminds people in this suburban jungle about the great legacy of Galena. To find the site of Galena and the historic marker, head west from S. Virginia Street on Mt. Rose Highway (SR 431) for 4 miles to Callahan Ranch Road. Turn left here and continue 2.5 miles through the neighborhoods of Galena to a parking area on the right. This is Galena Creek and the historic marker across the street, the original site of the old community.
Galena, NV.
Founded: July 1860
Zip Code(s): 89511, 89521
Population: 890 (?) (Galena suburb, South Reno area)
Services: None. The nearest services are in South Reno (3 miles)
