The Carson City Sheriff’s Office would like to invite the public to honor the service of Sheriff John L. Blackburn, the first lawman killed in Nevada.
Territorial Governor James Nye appointed Sheriff Blackburn as the first Sheriff of the then Ormsby County of the Utah Territory in 1860.
Sheriff Blackburn was tragically killed on Nov. 18, 1861, when he was attempting to arrest a wanted murderer from California. Sheriff Blackburn is the first name etched in the Nevada Law Enforcement Memorial at the Nevada Capitol grounds, which is directly across the street from the location where he was killed.
The Carson City Sheriff’s Office, along with the Blackburn Family Association, will be unveiling a commissioned historic plaque at the site where Sheriff Blackburn was killed on Oct. 16, 2026, at 10:00 a.m.
See the PDF below for more information.
