Storey County, Nevada

Storey County, Nevada
County
Storey County
Location in the U.S. state of Nevada
Nevada's location in the U.S.
Founded	1861
Named for	Edward Farris Storey
Seat	Virginia City
Largest community	Virginia City
Area
• Total	264 sq mi (684 km2)
• Land	263 sq mi (681 km2)
• Water	0.7 sq mi (2 km2), 0.3%
Population
• (2010)	4,010
• Density	15/sq mi (6/km²)
Congressional district	2nd
Time zone	Pacific: UTC-8/-7
Website	storeycounty.org

Storey County is a county located in the U.S. state of Nevada. As of the 2010 census, the population was 4,010, making it the third-least populous county in Nevada. Its county seat is Virginia City.

Storey County is part of the Reno, NV Metropolitan Statistical Area.

History

Storey County was created in 1861 and named for Captain Edward Farris Storey, who was killed in 1860 in the Pyramid Lake War. It was the most populous county in Nevada when organized in 1861. Virginia City is the county seat. It was originally to be named McClellan County after General George B. McClellan, who later ran unsuccessfully against Abraham Lincoln for President in the 1864 election. Storey County benefited from the discovery of Comstock Lode silver.

In 1969, the actor Dick Simmons played W. Frank Stewart, a silver mining operator who served from 1876 to 1880 as a state senator for Storey County, in the episode "How to Beat a Badman" of the syndicated television series, Death Valley Days, hosted by Robert Taylor not long before Taylor's own death. In the story line, Senator Stewart is determined to gain at a bargain price a silver claim being worked by two young former outlaws (Tom Heaton and Scott Graham).

The county population collapsed after the Comstock Lode was fully mined and hit a minimum of 568 in the 1960 U.S. Census. Since then, its population has partially recovered because of its relative proximity to Reno.

Today, Storey County is known for its legal prostitution. In the 2006 election, Storey became the only county to vote in support of Question 7, a statewide ballot initiative to tax and regulate marijuana as if it were alcohol, measure sponsored by the Marijuana Policy Project.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 264 square miles (680 km²), of which 263 square miles (680 km²) is land and 0.7 square miles (1.8 km²) (0.3%) is water.

Major highways

• Interstate 11 (Future)
• Interstate 80
• State Route 341
• State Route 342
• State Route 439

Adjacent counties and city

• Washoe County - north
• Lyon County - southeast
• Carson City - southwest

Demographics

Historical population
Census	Pop.		%±
1870	11,359		—
1880	16,115		41.9%
1890	8,806		−45.4%
1900	3,673		−58.3%
1910	3,045		−17.1%
1920	1,469		−51.8%
1930	667		−54.6%
1940	1,216		82.3%
1950	671		−44.8%
1960	568		−15.4%
1970	695		22.4%
1980	1,503		116.3%
1990	2,526		68.1%
2000	3,399		34.6%
2010	4,010		18.0%
Est. 2014	3,912		−2.4%
U.S. Decennial Census 1790-1960 1900-1990 1990-2000 2010-2013

As of the census of 2000, there were 3,399 people, 1,462 households, and 969 families residing in the county. The population density was 13 people per square mile (5/km²). There were 1,596 housing units at an average density of 6 per square mile (2/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 93.00% White, 0.29% Black or African American, 1.44% Native American, 1.00% Asian, 0.15% Pacific Islander, 1.68% from other races, and 2.44% from two or more races. 5.12% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

Of the 1,462 households, 21.80% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.60% were married couples living together, 7.50% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.70% were non-families. 25.60% of all households were made up of individuals and 6.90% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.32 and the average family size was 2.74.

In the county, 19.70% of the population was under the age of 18, 4.70% from 18 to 24, 26.80% from 25 to 44, 35.70% from 45 to 64, and 13.10% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 44 years. For every 100 females there were 107.60 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 103.10 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $45,490, and the median income for a family was $57,095. Males had a median income of $40,123 versus $26,417 for females. The per capita income for the county was $23,642. 5.80% of the population and 2.50% of families were below the poverty line. Out of the total people living in poverty, 4.20% are under the age of 18 and 4.80% are 65 or older.

Communities

• Clark
• Dayton (partly in Lyon County)
• Devil's Gate
• Gilpin
• Gold Hill
• Lockwood
• Virginia City (county seat)
• Virginia City Highlands

See also

• National Register of Historic Places listings in Storey County, Nevada
• Republic of Molossia -a micronation in southern Storey County

External links

• Official website