Lyon County, Nevada

Infobox U.S. County
county = Lyon County
state = Nevada




map size =
founded = 1861
seat = Yerington | area_total_sq_mi =2016
area_water_sq_mi =23
area percentage = 1.13%
census yr = 2007
pop = 55903
density_km2 =9
web = www.lyon-county.org
|

Lyon County is a county located in the U.S. state of Nevada. As of the 2000 census, the population was 34,501. Its county seat is YeringtonGR|6.

History

Lyon County was one of the nine original counties created in 1861. It was named after General Nathaniel Lyon who died in the Civil War in Missouri in 1861. Its first County Seat was Dayton, which had just changed its name from Nevada City in 1862, which had been called Chinatown before that. After the Dayton Court House burned down in 1909, the seat was moved to Yerington in 1911. There were stories that it was named for Captain Robert Lyon, a survivor of the Pyramid Lake War in 1860, but Nevada State Archives staff discovered a county seal with the picture of the Civil War general and settled the conflict.

Education

Lyon County has 16 schools provided by the Lyon County School District.

Railroads

The Central Pacific (the first transcontinental railroad) ran through the county, although a portion of the original route has been shifted for a new route south of Wadsworth in favor of Fernley. The Central Pacific later became the Southern Pacific Railroad which was merged into Union Pacific in 1996.

The Virginia and Truckee Railroad ran through Mound House in western Lyon County, on its way from Carson City to Virginia City.

The narrow-gauge Carson and Colorado Railroad had its terminus in Mound House, where it intersected with the V&T. It traveled east through Dayton, then turned south to the Mason Valley, and east again on its way to Walker Lake. Later a branch line connected the C&C to the Southern Pacific at Hazen.

The Eagle Salt Works Railroad ran for 13.5 miles, primarily on the original Central Pacific grade from Luva (2 miles east of Fernley) to Eagle Salt Works.

The Nevada Copper Belt Railroad ran on the west side of the Mason Valley.

Transportation

Amtrak's passenger train, the California Zephyr goes through Lyon County. The nearest Amtrak passenger stations are Sparks and Winnemucca, Nevada. The California Zephyr runs from the San Francisco Bay Area to Chicago via Salt Lake City, Denver and Omaha.

Interstate 80 also passes through Lyon county.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 2,016 square miles (5,222 km²), of which, 1,994 square miles (5,164 km²) of it is land and 23 square miles (59 km²) of it (1.13%) is water.

Adjacent counties

* Washoe County, Nevada - north
* Storey County, Nevada - northwest
* Churchill County, Nevada - east
* Douglas County, Nevada - west
* Carson City, Nevada - west
* Mineral County, Nevada - southeast
* Mono County, California - southwest

Demographics

As of the censusGR|2 of 2000, there were 34,501 people, 13,007 households, and 9,443 families residing in the county. The population density was 17 people per square mile (7/km²). There were 14,279 housing units at an average density of 7 per square mile (3/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 88.62% White, 0.65% Black or African American, 2.45% Native American, 0.61% Asian, 0.14% Pacific Islander, 4.59% from other races, and 2.94% from two or more races. 10.97% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 13,007 households out of which 33.20% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 58.40% were married couples living together, 9.10% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.40% were non-families. 21.40% of all households were made up of individuals and 8.30% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.61 and the average family size was 3.02.

In the county the population was spread out with 27.10% under the age of 18, 6.60% from 18 to 24, 27.30% from 25 to 44, 25.20% from 45 to 64, and 13.70% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 102.50 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 100.00 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $40,699, and the median income for a family was $44,887. Males had a median income of $34,034 versus $25,914 for females. The per capita income for the county was $18,543. About 7.20% of families and 10.40% of the population were below the poverty line, including 14.10% of those under age 18 and 7.10% of those age 65 or over.

Lyon County is also the second fastest-growing county in the United States with annual growth rate of 9.6%. [http://money.cnn.com/2006/03/15/real_estate/fastest_growing_US_counties/]

Cities and towns

*Dayton
*Fernley
*Silver Springs
*Smith Valley
*Yerington
*Mound House
*Silver City
*Wellington
*Mason
*Weed Heights
*Simpson
*Stagecoach

Trivia

Prostitution is licensed and legalized in Lyon county and features the Moonlite Bunny Ranch and the Sagebrush Ranch.

References