Travel back in time by visiting Virginia City’s Historic District

Once a silver rush destination, now a tourist town, Virginia City attracts about two million visitors every year.

Former boomtown. Current tourist destination. Virginia City is kind of a big deal.

A small town in Storey County, Nevada, just 25 miles from Reno, it’s where prospectors hit the motherload in 1859, the first major silver deposit discovery in the U.S.

The Comstock Lode drew 19th-century pioneers from across the country to stake their claim, with the population peaking at 25,000 by the mid-1870s. The town had shops, restaurants, saloons, an opera house, a school, a church, and a hospital. Incomparable humor writer Samuel Clemens debuted his pen name, Mark Twain, as a reporter at the local newspaper.

Although the silver rush fizzled out around 1880, the little town that could has a thriving tourist economy today, drawing a couple of million visitors every year. The spirit of Twain is alive and well in many of the town’s quirky annual events and festivals, like the International Camel & Ostrich Races and the Virginia City World Championship Outhouse Races.

There’s lots to do, including visiting museums, shopping, drinking, dining, and attending special events—all steeped in history.

A storied train in Storey County

Virginia City owes its one-time moniker as the most important city between Denver and San Francisco to the Virginia and Truckee Railroad (V&T), a short-line that transported millions of dollars of gold and silver ore, supplies, and passengers to Reno and Carson City, ultimately connecting to the Central Pacific Railroad and San Francisco.

At one time, the depot welcomed and saw off 45 trains a day. It now offers daily round-trip service between Gold Hill and Virginia City on seven historic 100-year-old trains.

No trip to Virginia City is complete without a visit to the 1870 depot, 166 F. Street, to ride on a steam engine or heritage diesel locomotive (for a fee). Passengers learn about the rich history of the area from the conductor as the train passes by famous mines and ruins. There are also several special event trains, from champagne trains to Civil War re-enactment trains, as well as haunted trains for Halloween and Santa trains in the winter. The railroad goes the extra mile to make every trip memorable.

History lessons

Thanks to the fascinating history of Virginia City, the town has a high concentration of museums. The Way It Was Museum, at 113 C Street, offers a glimpse into the workings and wares of Virginia City in the 1860s. The historic Fourth Ward School, at 537 S. C Street, is open as a museum from May to October, offering tours, rotating exhibits, and archives.

A survivor of the destructive Great Fire of 1875, St. Mary’s in the Mountains Catholic Church & Museum, at 111 E. Street, is an institution in Virginia City. Not only is the church and wine cellar open to the public for free tours, but it also has Mass every Sunday at 11:30 a.m.

Will you be “mine”

If it weren’t for the mines in Virginia City, there wouldn’t be a Virginia City. All in all, the mines produced $400 million in wealth for lucky miners. The Chollar Mine (later Chollar-Potosi) was the leader of the pack. Today, it is open to visitors on an hour-long guided tour.

A guided tour is also available of the Best and Belcher Mine. Visitors tour more than 300 pieces of antique mining equipment and underground tunnels and shafts.

Day or night at the opera

Once one of the most sought-after vintage theaters on the West Coast, Piper’s Opera House was so hot it burned down twice. Known as Maguire’s Opera House when it was built in 1863, it attracted some of the biggest stars and politicians of the era. It’s now a popular performing arts center with concerts, non-profit events, and other entertainment. Self-guided tours are also available.

A Haunted Mansion

Built in 1860 by George Hearst, the Mackay Mansion, 291 S. D St., is one of the few original buildings that survived the 1875 fire. It still has its original furniture, chandeliers, carpet, and wallpaper. The Victorian mansion was home to Irish immigrant John Mackay, who hit it big in the silver rush.

Paranormal investigators claim the mansion is haunted by several spirits, including twin girls, a maid, and a shadow man. Tours of the Victorian mansion are available on Saturday and Sunday.

Paying respects to the dead

Virginia City has some of the spookiest cemeteries in Nevada. The Silver Terrace Cemetery, 381 Cemetery Rd., is a series of cemeteries set on a dramatic and windy hillside. The Victorian era plots are fenced or bordered in, and each has a tall wood, metal, or cut stone grave marker with an inscription. The cemeteries are open to the public daily from 8 a.m. until dusk.

Hunt for ghosts

When it comes to hauntings, Virginia City ranks with Savannah and New Orleans in terms of which is the country’s most haunted. Several shows, including the Travel Channel’s Ghost Adventures and Jack Osbourne’s Night of Terror, have featured its otherworldly haunts, which are especially spooky during Halloween season. Guided ghost walking tours take place from May through October.

Saloons

Saloons are plentiful in Virginia City, with many dating back to the Comstock period. Some are known for their Bloody Mary (Silver Queen Hotel saloon and Bucket of Blood bar). With a performance by rock singer Janis Joplin in 1968, the Red Dog Saloon is known for peace and love. The Gold Hill Saloon is inside the oldest operating hotel in Nevada, Gold Hill Hotel. A visit to Ponderosa Saloon includes a tour of an underground mine.

This article first appeared on Good Info News Wire and is republished here under a Creative Commons license.

Related: 10 things to do in Reno that are off the beaten path