Carson City - November 25, 1861 - It is the smallest county in the state, 168 sq. mi. 12 of which are under water at Lake Tahoe. Originally named Ormsby in honor of Maj. William M. Ormsby, who came to the area in 1857, and later slain in the Pyramid Lake Indian War of 1860. Although the town was not regularly laid out until 1858, when Major Ormsby purchased the land and named the area Carson City. The name of the county was changed when Ormsby County was consolidated with Carson City in 1969. Ormsby is still remembered by Ormsby Boulevard and Ormsby House . Seat: Carson City. Carson City County, from Carson City, is named from the Carson river, named by John C. Frémont, after his friend and scout Christopher "Kit" Carson (1809-1868).

Churchill - November 25th, 1861 - One of the first nine counties. The name derived from Fort Churchill, a post office in Lyon County, established on October 9, 1860. The Fort was named in honor of General Sylvester Churchill, of Vermont. Churchill County is the center of honey production for Nevada. Seat: Fallon. The turn of the century brought new hope for Churchill County as it's arid desert land became the focal point the nation's most ambitious reclamation projects - the Newlands Project of 1902, named after Senator Francis Newlands.  A system of canals and dams was created diverting water to create thousands of acres of farmland.  This project gave birth to Fallon, one of the few communities in the state founded entirely on farming.    Fallon also started as a Post Office, July 24th, 1896, and was the fourth county seat. 

Clark - was created from southern Lincoln County, February 5, 1908 - Named for Senator William A. Clark of Montana, builder of the San Pedro/Los Angeles & Salt Lake Railway. Seat: Las Vegas.

Douglas - November 25, 1861 - named for Stephen Arnold Douglas, a nationally known political figure and opponent of Abraham Lincoln. Seat: Minden. H.F. Dangberg, Sr. settled in Carson Valley in 1857. He was born in the village of Halle near the Prussian town of Minden, Westphalia, hence the town name.

Elko - Created out of Lander County - March 5, 1869 - the name is said to have originated from the Indians and means white woman. It is said, among the very old Indians, that this is where they first saw a white woman. Seat: Elko
Esmeralda - November 25, 1861 - The name means emerald in Spanish, given to the mining district by J. M. Corey, an explorer of the area. Seat: Goldfield (1907)

Eureka - March 1, 1873 - The story is that the name derives from a discovery of silver ore, and a miner shouting "Eureka!", which is Greek for I have found it. Seat: Eureka

Humboldt - November 25, 1861 - Named for the Humboldt river. The name comes from Baron Friedrich Heinrich Alexander von Humboldt (1769-1859). The Humboldt river was named by John C. Frémont while on his exploration of 1845-1846. Seat: Winnemucca, after the Great Indian Chief who lived in the area. Means - Place by the river.

Lander - December 19, 1862 - Named in honor of Gen. Frederick W. Lander, a brigadier general during the Civil War, and fought in the Indian War of 1860. As chief engineer for a Federal wagon route, he was also in charge of the construction of the Central Overland Route. Landers died from wounds sustained in battle at 40 years old, at Paw Paw, Virginia, March 2nd, 1862. Seat: Austin. Austin began as a silver mining camp in 1862. Named for Alvah C. Austin, partner to David Buel who laid out the town site; however another source, the De Lamar Lode, April 30th, 1903 reported that it was so named in honor of John Austin. It is also claimed to commemorate Leander Kelse Austin, uncle of George Austin, developer of the Jumbo Mine in Humboldt County. Yet another story surfaces that claim the town was named by David Buel, for his home, Austin, Texas.

Lincoln - February 25, 1866 - Once part of New Mexico territory, and once part of Arizona, was named in honor of Abraham Lincoln. Seat: Pioche, (1871) in honor of F. L. A. Pioche, a San Francisco banker/mine promoter.

Lyon - November 25, 1861 - Named in honor of Gen. Nathaniel Lyon, who was killed in action at the battle of Wilson's Creek, August 10, 1861, near Springfield, MO. However, other historians claim it was in honor of Captain Robert Lyon who arrived in Nevada via wagon train June, 1850. Seat: Yerington (1911) for H. M. Yerington, one of the builders of the Virginia Truckee Railroad.

Mineral - Created out of northern Esmeralda County - February 10, 1911 - Named for the many mineral deposits in the area. Seat: Hawthorne, named for William Hawthorne, a rancher and early justice of the peace; served as constable in Carson City.

Nye - February 16, 1864 - Named for the Territorial Gov. and United States Senator, (Nevada), James W. Nye. Nye County is the second largest county in the U.S. (San Bernadino County in California being first.  Thank you Herb) covering 18,294 square miles. Seat: Tonapah (1905), from the Indian language "Tono" meaning thorny and "pah" which means water. It is said that a local Indian gave it the name meaning a thorny bush hiding a spring.

Pershing - March 18, 1919 - Named in honor of Gen. John J. Pershing, Commander in Chief of the American Expeditionary Forces in France during World War I. Seat: Lovelock, after the George Lovelock, a native of England, and his family which settled there in 1862.

Storey - November 25, 1861 - Named after Edward Farris Storey, Captain of Co. K The Virginia Rifles, Washoe Regiment. On June 2nd, 1860 he was killed in battle during an engagement at the Pyramid Lake Indian War. Seat: Virginia City.

Washoe - November 25, 1861 - Named after a small Indian tribe known as  the Wassou Indians, which means tall bunch grass or rye grass. It is also reported to be the ethnic name of the small Hokan-speaking tribe that inhabited the area, the Washoe from Washiu, meaning "person". Seat: Reno - May 9th, 1868 Mexican War veterans requested the railroad officials to name the town for General Jesse Lee Reno, a Union soldier killed in action at South Mountain, near Pennsylvania and western Maryland, Sept. 14th, 1862.

White Pine - March 2nd, 1869 - There are no White Pines in White Pine County!  The "heavy growth of trees thought to be white pine" were actually limber pine.  In fact, there was quite a bit of debate whether to call the county Ruby after the oldest settlement or White Pine.  White Pine was favored because the area was well known because of the "Rush to White Pine" after the discovery of rich silver ore.(Courtesy Donna Frederick, White Pine County)   Seat: Ely (1887). 
            There has been much discussion on the topic of who the town of Ely was rightfully named after.   Russell Elliott  "Articles in the White Pine News of December 25, 1906 and the Mining and Scientific Press of January 16, 1909,  say it was named to honor Smith Ely and his family.  It is further stated that Frederick Thomas, of Oakland, California named the town in 1878 for Smith Ely.  Smith Ely financed the construction of a small copper furnace at the west side of the town in the 1870s.  The Smith Ely family is thought to have come to Nevada from Ely, Vermont, which may well have been named for his forbears." 
            There is also a 1934 Salt Lake Tribune article by correspondent William G. Bailey with a different version of how Ely got its name.   .  Bailey contends that J. A. DeLong, who was sent to the region in 1878 by Congressman Ely of New York State, gave a group of three buildings near what became the Chinaman Mine the name Ely.  Bailey states "the name Ely is borne by the town three miles east of the Chinaman Mine".
            According to Bailey, DeLong erected a profitable plant near Ely but it folded when DeLong died shortly after.  Bailey's story is that DeLong had started on a hunting trip to Osceola, but was poisoned by a lunch prepared by a Chinese cook with whom he had argued.  DeLong was purportedly found along the road poisoned and the Chinese cook had disappeared.  I have verified the story of DeLongs death but that is all!  (Courtesy Donna Frederick, White Pine County)  

It is also generally believed  Ely is named for John Ely of Pioche.
 

(CLICK ON A COUNTY NAME FOR AN INDIVIDUAL MAP)
On each map there is a link to
Dean Heller, Nevada Secretary of States'
web page for that county.
Please visit it for additional information.

Carson City            Churchill            Clark            Douglas

Elko            Esmeralda            Eureka            Humboldt

Lander            Lincoln            Lyon            Mineral

Nye            Pershing            Storey

Washoe             White Pine

Questions or Comments?