Town file
Lemmon Valley, Nevada
Lemmon Valley, Nevada (Washoe County, Nevada) is the town in one episode of Small Town Murder, the comedy true-crime podcast: episode 321, "Sins Of The Stepfather" (25 September 2022). In July 1974 Lemmon Valley, Nevada, was a scattered community of trailers on sand dunes outside Reno, reached by dirt roads and home to a good many horses.
- Town
- Lemmon Valley
- County
- Washoe County
- State
- Nevada
- Country
- USA
- Episodes
- 321
- Approximate location
- 39.687, -119.833
Episode 321 / 25 September 2022 / 68 min / express
Sins Of The Stepfather
"We're going to Lemon Valley, Nevada... in northwestern Nevada... a suburb of Reno, about 15 minutes to Reno." about 0:02:56
The case: Murder of Blythe Harrington (July 2, 1974). Read the case file.
The figures, as told in 2022
- Population
- 5,362
- Median household income
- $54,000 a year
- Crime overall
- ▲ higher than Damonte Ranch and Spanish Springs combined
- Neighbourhood speeding
- ▲ up to 40 miles an hour
History, in brief
- The valleys outside Reno, including Sun Valley, Panther Valley and Lemmon Valley, are known for massive trailer parks and vast numbers of trailers. about 0:04:40
- The area's sewage system rules stopped conventional building, so people put trailers there instead. about 0:04:52
- In 1974 the area was trailers on sand dunes, with little air conditioning and Reno itself concentrated in the city. about 0:10:27
- Reno was known for a few casinos and for six-week divorces: a person could establish residency for six weeks and then divorce there. about 0:12:11
The reviews read out
5 stars
"There is very little crime because criminals do not want to travel that far; police are always visible and a motorist can barely speed down Lemmon Drive without being pulled over; the only recent trouble was a miscreant breaking into cars five years ago and people stealing unlocked bikes; the reviewer worries about neighbourhood speeding up to 40 miles an hour because children walk to school."about 0:05:25
4 stars
"The best part is being far enough from the casinos to see the stars at night; it is quiet and the people are friendly."about 0:06:59
4 stars
"The roads are well maintained and the fire department can be counted on to turn up."about 0:07:11
4 stars
"Some police staff genuinely care, but a small portion is corrupt and only looking to fill quotas; you are more likely to be pulled over and ticketed in Reno than in most cities."about 0:07:33
1 star
"Crime has been brought to Lemmon Valley; it is much smaller than new-build areas like Damonte Ranch and Spanish Springs but has more crime than both combined; houses are cheaper, the area is broken up by open land and looks rural and suburban at once, and incomes are definitely lower."about 0:07:49
Nearest Small Town Murder towns
- Sun Valley, Nevada6.1 miles
- Incline Village, Nevada30 miles
- Dayton, Nevada33 miles
- Minden, Nevada50 miles
- South Lake Tahoe, California53 miles
- Grass Valley, California73 miles
Everything here is as told in the episode, on the date it went out; figures and places may have changed since. Endings are covered: open an episode and use the spoiler switch to read them.