On the west side of Carson City, there are six, large pink stone columns built by Randall Wungnema.
These columns are located at Washington & Richmond Streets; Robinson & Richmond Streets and Telegraph & Richmond Streets. And if you look closely, just behind the Robinson Street columns, you will see a pink stone gate post. We think it was built by Randall at the same time as the columns.
And we have questions – was there stone left over, just enough for a gate post? And that’s why the gate post is there? Or was there a fence after the gate post? A fence that has disappeared into the mists of time Should anybody know the answers to these questions, please let us know!
Much of the stone used in these columns came from Wungnema Family’s quarries located along the Carson River in east Carson City,
When they were growing up, Randall’s children – and many of Carson’s residents – thought the “W” on the pillars stood for Wungnema, while others thought the “W” stood for Westside.
Really, the “W” stands for Winters as in JohnD Winters for whom the Winters Ranch Homes development is named.
While JohnD contributed much to the history of Nevada and Carson City, there is something charming to the “W is for Wungnema” story and that’s the one we’re going with!
If you have a chance, take a drive on the west side and check out these beauties. You’ll notice that 60 plus years in, they are still gorgeous and stand as a testament to Randall Wungnema’s abilities as a master stonemason
