Custom Search
|
|
Historic Virginia City And The Comstock Lode Strike Of 1859
Discovery at Gold Canyon Though the Grosh brothers as well as Henry Comstock all had a stake in the claim, credence for the strike at Gold Canyon has been challenged, and folk tale has it that James Fennimore, popularly branded as James "Old Virginny" Finney, was the finder of the Comstock Lode strike of silver ore and gold in the year 1859, which was the first substantial unearthing in the United States of silver ore. As soon as the silver ore and gold strike was made known to the public, miners journeyed from all around to the eastern most slope of Mount Davidson rushing to append their interests. Mount Davidson is the largest peak within the mountainous region of the Virginia Range and creates the backdrop of Virginia City. Positioned off of State Route 341 in the northwestern part of Nevada, Virginia City is east of the Sierra Nevada Mountain Range where Lake Tahoe is located and in close proximity to Nevada's state capitol, Carson City. In times past, the populace of Virginia City had an increase to as much as 30,000 people, inclusive of the small encircling cities of Gold Hill and its neighbor, Silver City. The growth happened at the time of the high point of the "Big Bonanza", so called because it was the Mother Lode of the 1870's during which time millions of dollars worth of gold and silver were being removed from the shafts of the mines at depths surpassing 3,000 feet. Devastation Strikes Virginia City In the year 1875, a great deal of Virginia City had been ravaged by the "Great Fire". However, as a result of the great prosperity of the mining industry, the city was expeditiously rebuilt in a relatively short time of approximately eighteen months, and the hotels, banks, opera houses and other shopkeeper businesses were once more reborn and back in operation. Immediate prosperity was acquired for a large number of inhabitants amid the boisterous silver and gold prospecting times of the town, but when the Comstock Lode strike epoch became exhausted at the final portion of the nineteenth century, the populace descended discernibly, signifying the expansion age of this once auspicious city had come to its culmination. Around the mid 1950's, Virginia City's denizens had depleted to about 500 inhabitants. Present Day Ghost Town Today, the populace has grown to more than 1200 people, and even though the excavating activity is unsubstantial, the industrial base of this momentous town has changed to tourism, luring millions of visitants every year. The persistent preservation of the buildings in addition to the artifacts impart visitants with an undefiled Victorian-era adventure, and amidst today's overpowering tourist interest, it has allowed Virginia City to flourish again as it once did in the productive days of the 1800's. On account of the ample prosperity obtained during the lively years of the Comstock Lode gold strike, Virginia City was dubbed as "The Richest Place on Earth". Though the omnipresence of gold and silver has considerably diminished in the hills of this illustrious ghost town, Virginia City remains today wealthy in history and folklore. The current day historic saloons, underground mines, monarchial mansions and cemeteries offer a glimpse of the town's epochal yesterday. Amidst such distinction and appeal, this significant landmark seduces visitors unlike any other, elucidating that Virginia City has rightly attained its place in history. Article Directory: http://www.articledashboard.com With quite the same interesting origins of Virginia City, famous Lake Tahoe additionally has a fascinating past and is a brief drive away from this legendary and unique ghost town. To view pictures of this unblemished alpine body of water and to tour Tahoe's gorgeous wedding venues found throughout the Sierra Range, see Alpenglow Wedding's website. |
|