Orion Clemens House

The Orion Clemens House is a residential building located on North Division Street in Carson City, featuring late Victorian architecture with elements from Gothic Revival and Greek Revival design periods. The structure contains ten interior rooms arranged across two floors.

The house was built between 1862 and 1863 for Orion Clemens, who served as Secretary of the Nevada Territory and acted as governor during the absence of the territorial governor. His brother Samuel, later known as Mark Twain, lived there during his work as a newspaper reporter.

Samuel Clemens, who later became Mark Twain, resided in this house while working as a reporter for the Territorial Enterprise newspaper until May 1864.

The house serves as stop number 20 on Carson City's Kit Carson Trail, marked with historic plaques that help visitors locate it among other notable buildings in the area. The site is accessible to those exploring the downtown historic district on foot.

The property gained recognition on the National Register of Historic Places in 1979, which formally acknowledged its importance to the early history of Nevada. This designation included two buildings on the grounds.

Location: Nevada

GPS coordinates: 39.16667,-119.76861

Latest update: December 14, 2025 11:23