Virginia City is confusingly not in Virginia but an old-timey boomtown in Nevada just out of Reno-Sparks (it is one of the reasons to visit Reno over Las Vegas). Virginia City was declared a National Historic Landmark district back in 1961 and has been meticulously preserved and its historic wild west character has been preserved. If one is planning to stay in Reno, then Virginia City is a total must to see and explore. It is arguably one of the best-preserved boomtowns to see anywhere in Nevada. Another great attraction near Reno is the stunning Lake Tahoe - see here for a guide of where to say in Lake Tahoe.
History Of Virginia City
In the 1800s silver (not gold for a change although there was still gold in the area) was discovered here and was the first major silver deposit discovery in America. The discovery was made in 1859 and led to the creation of Virginia City as a boomtown. By the mid-1870s its population had peaked, but the mines soon went into declined and so followed the decline of said population.
- Peak Population: 25,000
- 2010 Census: 855 (Virginia City), 4,000 Storey County)
- Where: 35 Miles From Reno, Nevada
In a time before there was Las Vegas, the main city of Nevada was Virginia City. That may be difficult to believe but that happened to a number of boomtowns across the nation. Other boomtowns like Aurora (once visited by Mark Twain) and Bodie were completely deserted after the mining ceased. Today Aurora is only accessible by a gravel road and there is little left of this boomtown other than the cemetery, while Bodie is a state park over the border in California. In contrast, Virginia City has managed to reinvent itself as a significant tourist attraction for those seeking to travel back in time to the days of the wild west.
The history and stories of Virginia City are rich and colorful and the mines and wealth from its silver and gold carried it to become one of the most significant cities in the region. In fact, in its heyday, it was the most significant and important industrial city between Denver and San Francisco.
The Birthplace Of Mark Twain
Virginia City is considered by some to be the birthplace of the pen name of Mark Twain (his real name was Samuel Clemens). In February 1863, he was a reporter on a local newspaper Territorial Enterprise. It was working for this newspaper that he first used his famous pen name. He wrote for the Enterprise from autumn 1862 through to May 1864, when he escaped a potential duel here but visited the region again a couple of times.
- Mugging: In 1866 Mark Twain Was Joke Mugged On The Divide Near Here
In 1866 Mark Twain was the subject of a practical joke where his friends mugged him and made off with his watch and money. It seems he didn't appreciate the joke and his writings about it sometime later show he was still sore about it.
Authentic Historic Character
The thing that makes Virginia City worth visiting, isn't just the many shows and performers walking down the street in cowboy clothes, it's because the town is very authentic. The sidewalks and the building are all generally the real thing dating from the 1860s and 1870s having only been restored.
The town is also home to many old-timey and interesting museums. One of them, the Fourth Ward School Museum, is reputed to be the only four-story wooden school of its type remaining in all the United States.
Attractions At Virginia City
Notable Buildings And Saloons in the town are:
- The Brass Rail Saloon
- The Silver Queen
- The Delta Saloon (Home To The Old Globe And Suicide Table)
- Bucket Of Blood Saloon
- The Red Dog Saloon
- Piper's Corner Saloon (One Of The Oldest Continuous Operating Saloons From The 1800s)
- The Piper's Opera House (Today A Museum And Hosts Shows And Musical Performances)
Other points of interest include:
- The Fourth Ward School Museum: Interactive Museum And Brings Its Comstock History To Life
- Silver State Police Officer's Museum: Located In The Storey Country Courthouse (Even Has Jail Cells from The 1870s
- The Way It Was Museum
- Fireman's Museum (Complete With Authentic Old Timey Firefighting Equipment)
- The Chollar Mine Tour
- The Ponderosa Mine Tour
- The Presbyterian Church (Dating From 1862)
- The St Mary's of the Mountain Catholic Church (Dating From 1876)
- The Virginia And Truckee Railroad Horse-Drawn Carriage Tour (The Building Is Restored)
- Storey County Courthouse
- The Comstock Historic Walking Trail: On this trail, hikers can see a range of sites of interest including the Pioneer Cemetery, Julie Bulette's Grave, the Combination Mine Shaft, and the Sugarloaf Mountain.
There are many other historic shops, homes and even a microbrewery to be found here.