Genoa, Nevada

Genoa sits in the west side of the Carson Valley at the base of the Carson Range. It was founded as Mormon Station, by Mormons sent out on colonization missions by Brigham Young. The Mormons were recalled to Salt Lake City, however, when it appeared that actual hostilities might break out between them and the US Government in the late 1850s. The settlement prospered, however, because of the growing flood of California-bound emigrants. The area has since become a center of high-end real-estate development, although the actual town counts less than a thousand people. It was nonetheless thriving last weekend with visiting bikers, as can be seen in the main street scenes (left insets). ;) Genoa also boasts the oldest bar ("thirst parlor") in the state (right inset).

Its claim to be the oldest settlement is false as it stands, because there was a Paleopueblo settlement in what's now southern Nevada around 1300 CE or so. Even its claim to be the oldest Euro-American settlement is disputed by Dayton, about 20 miles away east of Carson City!

Oh, and it's jen-OH-uh in Nevada. JEN-oh-uh is in Italy!