Virginia City, Nevada
By Sherril Steele-Carlin
Anyone who remembers the classic western television series "Bonanza" knows about Virginia City, Nevada, even if they don't really realize it.
When Ben and the boys bellied up to the bar, they did it at the Bucket of Blood in Virginia City, and their ranch was located in Incline Village, Nevada, and until just this summer it was open to the public as an amusement park. The Cartwright's visited Virginia City to go to "town," but Virginia City was really a mining center, where the extremely rich vein of silver known as the "Comstock Lode" was discovered and mined in the 1870s. It was one of the richest silver strikes on earth, and it put Nevada on the map.
However, Virginia City is more than a location for Bonanza, it's a real, historic mining town that lives on. Only about 30 minutes from Reno, Virginia City still contains many of the original buildings that lined "C" Street when it first was founded in the 1850s. It's like a living history museum, and there are numerous museums and tours located in the town, from the Virginia and Truckee Railroad tour to the Chollar Mine tour and walking tours of the town's most impressive buildings. There are also plenty of places to eat, drink, gamble, shop, and learn more about some of the famous residents of the town, such as Mark Twain and John Mackey.
Much of the main street, "C" Street is lined with tourist shops, but if you get passed the commercial aspect of the town, you'll see some wonderful architecture, and learn a bit more about what it was like to live and work in a mining town in the 1800s. Two of my favorite museums are "The Way it Was," on the way into town from Reno, and Piper's Opera House, just one block up the hill from "C" Street on "B" Street. The Opera House is being restored by a variety of grants, and is still used for public performances. The original stage curtain, with advertising, is a must see!
Virginia City also has some great places to eat and drink. Two of our favorites are the Delta Saloon, which has great breakfasts, and the Gold Hill Hotel, if you're looking for fancier fare. The Gold Hill is also a bed & breakfast, and we've stayed there several times. Several nights a week they offer local plays and historical lectures, along with a special dinner menu. If you want to stay over in Virginia City, I'd recommend it, it's only about 10 minutes from downtown Virginia City.
So, if you're visiting Reno or Lake Tahoe, take the short drive to Virginia City, and discover a real western town that is quaint, historic, and never the same twice! Virginia City has something for the entire family, and you can spend a few hours or a few days exploring the area, and learning more about the Comstock Lode silver mines that made Nevada great.