While researching things to do with kids in Reno, I learned how seasonal that area is. Most attractions were closed, so I had to expand my horizons. I learned that we were within an hour of Carson City, rich in history. THEN, I discovered Virginia City! (Insert Bonanza song…bum ba da bum, ba da bum bum…), just as close!
So, for day two, the boys and I headed out for our own little western adventure day trip to Virginia City!
Virginia City was at one time, the 4th largest city in Nevada. It was a Boom town, full of mining and saloons. After the area was mined out, it became a ghost town, until some time in the 70’s(?), when people decided to restore the town and revive it for its historic value. Now, it is extremely popular to visit during the warmer seasons. The towns folk dress in old western attire and there are plenty of attractions to enjoy.
Visiting in the winter, mid-week, the place was reminiscent of the ghost town it once was. All the museums and stores were closed, but some opened later in the day.
This is the Fourth Ward School and Museum. Built in 1876, it became the inspiration for Walt Disney’s Haunted Mansion…
We had just watched a documentary on Wyatt Earp and were excited to find this…please note ‘R’s “Cowboy sneer”, something that was common on this trip.
Bucket of Blood Saloon…since 1876…
Again…cowboy sneer…
The Silver Terrace Cemetery…
This started in the 1860’s, when the town was being built. It is much bigger than I anticipated and we did not see it all. One interesting thing we discovered was that the majority passed away between their 20s – 40s. Of all the tombstones we looked at, the oldest I found was one woman at the age of 60.
OK, here’s where our visit turns spooky-cool. The boys went one way and I went the other. Soon, I hear the boys yelling, “mom, we found bones!”. My first thought was that of course, they were animal bones. But then I got to thinking…”well, we are in an old cemetery…caskets back then probably deteriorate….hmmmm”, and beelined to the boys, saying “don’t touch anything!!”
They found one long bone, three small bones, and a medium sized one. After careful consideration, I could not be certain that they weren’t human and decided to call the cemetery attendants to see if I was supposed to report this.
I sent in pictures and they assured me they were animal bones, but would not be more specific…anyway, it made for a fun, eerie morning…
View from cemetery toward the town…
Our next stop was the Catholic church, “St. Mary’s in the Mountains”. This is the oldest Catholic church in Nevada, built in the 1860s.
Underneath the church is a museum that contains many of the original items. The docent showed us a phonograph that used cylinders instead of albums…
From 1957 to 1959 a group of monks (Known as the “Mad monks of St. Mary’s), who did not believe in ornamentation of the church, destroyed the church’s original altar, balcony, and choir loft. Funds have been raised and continue to be raised to bring the church back to its former glory. One thing they do is sell a wine called “Mad Monk Wine”. It comes from Napa. I bought a bottle of the cab. It’s decent.
A huge fire swept through Virginia City, destroying many buildings and homes, including the church in 1876. Father Jelliffe used portions of the stained glass in 1876 to make this work of art, titles, “Marriage at Cana”…
Walking through one of the old saloons, at the very back, was a mining tour…I think it was the Ponderosa Mine Tour. Being mid-winter, midweek, we were the only visitors. The tour was only 30 minutes, but we learned a ton in that short amount of time.
Our guide showed us a map of all the mining stakes in Virginia City. He said that the lots on both sides of them made millions of dollars, but the lot we were touring made a little over $400 dollars.
He also shared the story about a man name Sutro who built a tunnel for 4 million dollars to help keep the mines healthy. When he discovered that the mines were drying up, but no one else knew, he sold the tunnel for 8 million, moved to San Francisco and became mayor…
This is where dynamite was stored. When they re-opened this mine, they found a bunch of dynamite over 100 years old. Old dynamite is extremely unstable, and a professional company had to come in and properly dispose of it.
This is a picture of the original ponderosa pine structure, with the newer support alongside.
This was the entrance to a side shaft that goes down about 100 feet. Men would work in teams of two. One man would go down with a big bucket and fill it with ore and the other man would haul it up. The average height of a miner was 5’4″, and the average lifespan was 42. Alcohol was an issue because at that time it was the cheapest and easiest way to alleviate pain.
Some samples of rocks collected…
Same rocks under a black light…
It is insane to imagine how the miners mined! This is a picture of the guide showing the star drill that was positioned by one man and hit with a hammer by another man. As mining became more advanced, the “widow maker” (on the right) was created. This was a faster drill that caused scalding and death when it went through rock too quickly and hit geothermal pockets.
Lanterns and torches were never used in mining, although movies might tell us otherwise. They took up too much oxygen. This is the amount of light that the miner would have…
We also learned how miners would have their own male canary with them at all times. Male canaries love to sing and need more oxygen than humans. When they stopped singing, the miners knew it was time to get out asap…
Next stop, the Old Washoe Club. This was a millionaires club that had members like Mark Twain, actors, and state politicians. Although we are not into ghost hunting, apparently this is a popular spot for those who do.
They have a spiral staircase that was featured in “Ripley’s Believe It or Not” as being the longest of its kind without a supporting pole.
We also visited the crypt in the back, where they stored corpses when the ground was too frozen to dig. Things you just don’t think about…
Lunch..then, doughnut break! Little doughnuts are made in one of the gift stores. We sampled the apple-cinnamon, and the chocolate. Both are soooo yummy!
Next stop…the Territorial Enterprise. This was Nevada’s first newspaper. Mark Twain worked here. It ran from 1858 to 1916. Had a revival in 1952 and is still being sent to subscribers by mail. They have a little museum below a gift shop that shows the original printing press, and the desk where Mark Twain worked…
Mark Twain’s desk…
We drove back to our hotel, and finished the evening with a couple games of bowling. ..
