I have a question to ask which I’ve been wondering for a while, and I would love to hear responses from people who seem most in tune with Carson City. Why is the west side of Carson City prettier and more tree-filled than the east side? Besides the obvious answers like the west side is older and more historical and the east side has lower-priced housing in general, why don’t more people plant trees and beautify the east side as they have the west side? What do you think are the reasons for the obvious discrepancy between east and west? Is there anything that we can do to beautify our city more equitably?
I look forward to reading what you all think about this idea. The articles on this website are very in tune to the identity of Carson City, and I would love to hear any thoughts you have on the east side vs. the west side.
I’ve been here since the 70’s, and Carson has grown really fast. The west side has had many decades to get a head start, since the East Side is relatively new in comparison. I also think that lots used to be bigger, enabling people to plant larger trees. I live on the East Side, and just don’t have room for a cottonwood on my lot! We tend to plant trees that don’t get too enormous over here. There is also the yard work part. Raking leaves in the fall from giant trees may turn some people off. And then there are those on the fringes of town that probably just prefer a landscape of native plants…
…”west side is older and more historical and the east side has lower-priced housing in general,”
Seems you may have answered your own question. The East side of town has always been the ‘wrong side of the tracks’, Railway roundhouse, Chinatown, what little manufacturing we had was done there. West side was older, more established residential, wider streets, larger lots. Looking throughout history at those who have lived in Carson City, it would be safe to say that everyone who was anyone lived on the West side. One of the better hotels of the day was the Arlington House, next to the US Mint and an easy stroll to the legislature. It was the economic center of Carson City in its prime, and on the West side.
The only exception I can think of is the red-light district down there around 5th St. close to the major hotels of the time, Ormbsy House and the Park Hotel. The district was a burr under the saddle of many of the swells of that time and the Appeal often ran articles that were extremely critical of those frequented the district.
The only exception I can think of is the red-light district down there around 5th St. close to the major hotels of the time, Ormbsy House and the Park Hotel. The district was a burr under the saddle of many of the swells of that time
it’s my understanding that the hookers of that time were quite the green thumbs.
There’s other factors, too:
If you think about it, a lot of the older State-owned and train-owned property was on the east side, and those entities usually build on the cheap land. Cheap land begets more cheap real estate.
There was nothing east of Saliman for the longest time…and there’s still pretty much nothing there until you hit Airport Road.
Somebody mentioned Chinatown. I believe this area near the Kinkead Building burned down several decades ago and probably took some trees with it. You’ll find a lot of old-growth trees in the residential area just north of Kinkead.