Dayton in Lyon County, Nevada — The American Mountains (Southwest)
The Mansion
| | Sutro Tunnel Marker Trail | |
Photographed by Rob McFadden
1. The Mansion Marker
In February of 1872, with the construction of the tunnel well underway and thinking he would no longer have to travel as much, Adolph Sutro contacted Mr. Bethel, in charge of buildings etc at the tunnel and instructed him to construct a large, elegant and efficient house for his family to live in as well as suitable for entertaining prospective investors. It should be finished by July and cost around $15 to $20 thousand dollars.
A tall order. It was completed for the family to move into by Christmas and cost $40 thousand dollars but it was state of the art for the time including spring water piped from the tunnel that could be heated with coils in the kitchen stove, gas lighting provided by a gas machine located in a small building on the hill behind the house, steam heat in addition to fireplaces in every room, indoor toilets and lavish furnishings.
Three stories tall, close to 5000 sq. ft with a cupola on the roof, a favorite of the children, the house boasted an elegant parlor, dining room that could seat over 20 guests, large library to house a portion of Mr. Sutros extensive collection of
this page online
The mountains behind the mansion are named for Mr.Sutros daughters, Kate, Rose and Emma.
Erected 2025 by Jewish American Society for Historic Preservation.
Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Notable Buildings. In addition, it is included in the Jewish American Society for Historic Preservation. series list.
Location.
Photographed by Jerry Klinger
2. The Mansion Marker
Regionally, this marker is in the Sierra Nevada and in Greater Reno Area. It is also in the American Mountain West. Globally, it is in North America, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once New Spain and also Mexicos Alta California.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 3 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies: Sutro Tunnel (about 600 feet away, measured in a direct line); The Mule Barn (about 700 feet away); The Mill (about 700 feet away); Sutro (approx. 1.1 miles away); Lifeblood of the Mills (approx. 2.9 miles away); Camels in Dayton (approx. 3 miles away); Courthouse Site (approx. 3 miles away); Dayton's School House - 1865 (approx. 3.1 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Dayton.
More about this marker. Text by historians Dan Webster and Patrick Neylan, edited by Melody Hoove.
Also see . . .
1. Take a Look Inside a 4-Mile-Long Nevada Tunnel That Protected Silver Miners.
About 10 years after Californias Gold Rush, a new wave of get-rich-quick prospectors flocked to northern Nevadas high desert, then part of the Utah Territory. They hoped to cash in on a different precious metal: silver. Miners faced dangerous conditions, including cave-ins and toxic air. In what was known as the Comstock Lode, they also had to deal with a geothermal aquifer that filled the mines with gallons of scalding-hot water. As the mines grew ever deeper, their pumping systems proved no match for the unrelenting waters.(Submitted on October 24, 2025, by Jerry Klinger of Boynton Beach, Florida.)
Enter Adolph Sutro, a Prussian immigrant, self-taught engineer, and entrepreneur who made a living selling cigars and tobacco in California. Sutro, who had observed drainage adits, or tunnels, in Europe, proposed building a nearly 4-mile-long adit that could transport millions of gallons of water out of the mines on a daily basis. He started selling stock certificates in his Sutro Tunnel Company to raise funds for construction, which began in 1869. (Individual miners also put up seed money for the project.)
2. Sutro Tunnel.
The Sutro Tunnel is a drainage tunnel (adit) connected to the Comstock Lode in Northern Nevada. It begins at Dayton, Nevada, and connects 3.88 miles (6.24 km) Northwest to the Savage mine in Virginia City, Nevada. The Sutro Tunnel pioneered the excavation of large drainage and access tunnels in the US. Later US mine drainage tunnels included the Argo Tunnel at Idaho Springs, Colorado, the Leadville and Yak tunnels at Leadville, Colorado, and the Roosevelt tunnel in the Cripple Creek district, Colorado.(Submitted on October 24, 2025, by Jerry Klinger of Boynton Beach, Florida.)
3. Historic Sutro Tunnel between Virginia City & Dayton Nevada. (Submitted on October 24, 2025, by Jerry Klinger of Boynton Beach, Florida.)
4. Adolph Sutro (18301898).
As Mark Twain wrote years after Sutros death in 1898: Twenty years ago I knew Adolph Sutro well...a fine, manly beautiful character. And I have always found something of Sutro in all the Jews whom I have personally known since. A part of Sutro is sufficient equipment for an average man.(Submitted on October 25, 2025, by Jerry Klinger of Boynton Beach, Florida.)
5. Adolf Sutro's Tunnel is Restored and Open to the Public 2023.
Built in 1875, the Adolf Sutro Tunnel was once one of the longest and most famous tunnels in the world that was built to drain the Famous Comstock Lode of water in Virginia City, Nevada. After years of neglect, the tunnel was restored and reopened to the public thanks to the hard work of many volunteers and local organizations.(Submitted on October 25, 2025, by Jerry Klinger of Boynton Beach, Florida.)
Additional keywords. Engineering marvel
Credits. This page was last revised on November 25, 2025. It was originally submitted on October 24, 2025, by Jerry Klinger of Boynton Beach, Florida. This page has been viewed 179 times since then and 42 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on October 24, 2025, by Jerry Klinger of Boynton Beach, Florida. • Andrew Ruppenstein was the editor who published this page.
