Virginia City is a historical town in Nevada that came into existence in 1859. It came to fruition because a lode of silver ore was discovered on Mount Davidson. They named the discovery the Comstock Lode after an American miner Henry Comstock.
When the discovery was made public in 1859, prospectors flooded the area to stake a claim. Mining camps sprang up all over the place which brought in businesses to support the mining industry. In its heyday, the population was estimated to be around twenty-five thousand residents.
Around 1878, the silver ore was pretty much mined out and much of the population left. The 2010 census showed the population to be around eight hundred and fifty-five.
To this day, there is an intricate series of shafts and tunnels under the city. They even have limited tours people can take underground to get the feel of what it was like for the minors.
Virginia City was plagued with fires between 1859 and 1875. The largest was called the Great Fire that occurred on October 26, 1875. The estimated damage was around twelve million. The biggest fear was the fire reaching the Ophir and Con. Virginia mines. Only the Ophir shaft got caught on fire only going in about four hundred feet.
The fire burned so hot the railroad car wheels melted and brick buildings burned down in minutes. It left two thousand people homeless. They rebuilt the city in a few months. Much of Virginia City and surrounding areas are now considered a National Historic Landmark.
One of Virginia City’s most famous people was Mark Twain who used the name Samuel Clemens to write for a local newspaper the Territorial Enterprise. Mark Twain is most famous for his book The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn which was first published in December 1884 in the United Kingdom.
Another famous person was Julia C. Bulette who was a prostitute. She moved to Virginia City in 1863 and worked on D Street in her home. She was found murdered in her home on January 18, 1867. Her assailant had beaten and strangled her. They did find the man who killed her, and he was hanged as a result.
Even though the townspeople mourned her passing, they would not allow her to be buried in the local cemetery. Her funeral produced record attendance and they buried her high on a hill that overlooked the town.
The Julia C. Bulette Red Light Museum in the basement of a saloon on C Street was erected in her honor by a man named Gordon Churchward. It is said he spent thirty-five thousand and took ten years to build. Today is has been paired down and some of its contents can be seen in the basement of a Chinese Restaurant that replaced the saloon.
Today, Virginia City is a popular tourist attraction. As you walk up and down the wood sidewalks you have your choice of saloons to visit. Among them is the Silver Queen that was built in 1876. There is a giant Silver Queen on the wall that was inlaid with three thousand two hundred and sixty-one silver dollars and twenty-eight twenty-dollar gold pieces.
A family owned business for over fifteen years,Nevada Discount Registered Agent, Inc. has been working with businesses to incorporate in the state of Nevada.
