Founded in 1861, Washoe City became the county seat of Washoe County in Nevada Territory during the early days of statehood. It supplied timber to the Comstock Lode and was home to 10 quartz mills and 281 stamps. In 1871 it lost the county seat to Reno, and it declined as a victim of the V&T Railroad's success, Carson and Tahoe timbering, and huge new Carson River mills. By 1888, nothing was left but ruins to mark the once thriving town.