Lyon County

Dayton, was the first County seat and the County center of commerce for many years, was named after John Day, the surveyor who laid out the town. The original spelling of the town name was Daytown. Popular usage brought it to Dayton in 1861. Also previously known as, Chinatown, Mineral Rapids and Nevada City. The original courthouse in Dayton, a classic structure typically Nevada burned in 1907.

In 1911 the Nevada State Legislature designated Yerington as the County seat, named after Henry Marvin Yerington of railroad and mining wealth. The original name was Pizen Switch the name derived from poor whiskey which was sold in saloons built of willows and mud. Culture arrived and the name was changed to Greenfield and later to Yerington. Yerington is one of Nevadas incorporated municipalities.

Several changes were made to the boundaries of the County over the years; however, one of the most important occurred in 1883 when a portion of Esmeralda County was annexed. This annexation to Lyon County included part of what is know as Mason Valley.

In the early years of the County, mining was acknowledged as the economic mainstay. Numerous communities were born as mining camps or as centers of transportation or provision supply. Of particular note in the development of numerous communities was Gold Canyon, a site in western Lyon County. In 1849 gold was discovered in this canyon. During the 1850 miners worked up the canyon, and subsequently the Comstock Lode was discovered.

Silver City, an existing community, was an important part of The Comstock. Mining continued playing a vital role in Lyon County well into the 20th Century.  During this decade several heap leach operations have occurred, primarily in the County western area.

Anaconda extensive operation created a community, known as Weed Heights, near Yerington, and was a major positive economic factor for both the County and the state.

Referring to contemporary production, Nevada Statistical Abstract, 1988, "Minerals Produced in Nevada by County in order of Monetary Value, 1985", reports that minerals extracted in Lyon County were cement, diatomite, stone (crushed and broken), gold, gypsum, and silver.

Another key site vital to the development of not just Lyon County, but to western Nevada, was Fort Churchill. The fort was Nevada first, largest, and most important military post. The warring Paiutes’ raids on emigrant route stations, together with their causing trouble for travelers and interrupting mail service, caused the Federal Government to order the fort construction.

By the end of 1861 some 600 men were stationed at Fort Churchill. When regular troops were sent to the Civil War, volunteers from California manned the fort. The settling of the Indian troubles and the completion of the Central Pacific which decreased travel on the central Overland Trail demonstrated the fort was no longer needed. In September, 1869, Fort Churchill was abandoned. Fort Churchill is now a State Park and is one of Nevada National Historic Landmarks.