Nevada definitely doesn’t have a shortage on historic towns. However, the town featured here has been attracting visitors for well over a century. No kidding, this place will make you feel like you’ve entered a time machine and traveled 150 years in the past. Take a stroll through this Wild West town and get a feel for what life was like back then. This place is the perfect destination for history junkies and those who are looking for a unique activity. This town is an absolute must-visit place for all Nevadans. Take a look.
With a population of just 855 people today, it’s hard to imagine that Virginia City was once home to over 25,000 residents. In its heyday, this vibrant mining town was very much alive. It was a quintessentially Western town…and it still is.
Jimmy Emerson/Flickr
Walking through the town’s main strip, you’ll feel like you’re on a movie set. Everything looks completely untouched from the town’s early mining days.
TravelUSA/Flickr In the late 1800s, Virginia City was considered one of the most important industrial cities between Denver and San Francisco. Silver and gold that was found in this town made numerous people into millionaires. It’s crazy to think that less than 1,000 people currently live in this town which was once considered one of the most prosperous in the nation.
The town’s immense wealth wouldn’t have been possible without the Chollar Mine. Since it was first discovered in 1859, $17 million dollars of silver and gold were reaped from the mine over 80 years.
Ken Lund/Flickr Today, visitors can tour the mine that brought so much wealth to the region. Adult tickets are $10 and children tickets are just $2. Visitors gets to observe displays of old equipment, silver ore, rock drills, and more. It’s a fascinating insight into this town’s extraordinary past.
Walking through the town’s main strip, you’ll really feel like you’ve been transported to the Wild West. Real boardwalks take the place of sidewalks and even the businesses maintain the uniquely Western feel.
Kent Buckingham/Flickr Virginia City is home to all kinds of specialty stores that you just don’t see anywhere else. Hat makers, leather makers, antique stores, vintage general stores and emporiums. You could spend hours perusing the multiple old-time businesses.
Definitely stop in at one of the town’s original saloons. The Bucket of Blood Saloon has been a staple in the town since 1876.
Thomas Hawk/Flickr
The saloon was originally constructed after the Great Fire of 1875. While sitting at the bar you truly get a feel for what life was like in the town’s early days. You feel like a real cowboy could step through the doors at any moment.
Kent Buckingham/Flickr
The Delta Saloon is one of the most unique points of interest in the town. Originally built in 1865, it’s one of the oldest structures in Virginia City.
Thomas Hawk/Flickr
The saloon has been nationally recognized and was even featured on Travel Channel’s “Mysteries At The Museum”. The infamous Suicide Table is the saloon’s main attraction.
Wayne Hsieh/Flickr This notorious billboard is called “The Suicide Table” because three owners of the table all ended up committing suicide over losses. Some say this table is cursed and anybody who plays it will suffer similar tragic fates as the previous owners. If anything, the table is a fascinating piece of history that must be seen.
You can even visit the place where the famous Mark Twain (aka Samuel Clemens) started his illustrious career. Twain originally began reporting news stories for Virginia City’s “Territorial Enterprise”.
Kent Kanouse/Flickr The Enterprise’s building now houses the Mark Twain Museum in which visitors can explore artifacts from the newspaper’s early days. Mark Twain’s original desk is even on display! This place is a must see for literature enthusiasts.
Virginia City is unlike any other town in Nevada. This fascinating place serves as a reminder to the mining towns that made the Silver State into what it is today. Everybody should give this place a visit. Just remember to pick up a souvenir on your way home!
Druc Scoff/Flickr
Have you been to Virginia City? If you think this place looks stellar, check out this Old Timey Restaurant In Nevada That Makes You Feel Like You’re In The Wild West.
Jimmy Emerson/Flickr
TravelUSA/Flickr
In the late 1800s, Virginia City was considered one of the most important industrial cities between Denver and San Francisco. Silver and gold that was found in this town made numerous people into millionaires. It’s crazy to think that less than 1,000 people currently live in this town which was once considered one of the most prosperous in the nation.
Ken Lund/Flickr
Today, visitors can tour the mine that brought so much wealth to the region. Adult tickets are $10 and children tickets are just $2. Visitors gets to observe displays of old equipment, silver ore, rock drills, and more. It’s a fascinating insight into this town’s extraordinary past.
Kent Buckingham/Flickr
Virginia City is home to all kinds of specialty stores that you just don’t see anywhere else. Hat makers, leather makers, antique stores, vintage general stores and emporiums. You could spend hours perusing the multiple old-time businesses.
Thomas Hawk/Flickr
Wayne Hsieh/Flickr
This notorious billboard is called “The Suicide Table” because three owners of the table all ended up committing suicide over losses. Some say this table is cursed and anybody who plays it will suffer similar tragic fates as the previous owners. If anything, the table is a fascinating piece of history that must be seen.
Kent Kanouse/Flickr
The Enterprise’s building now houses the Mark Twain Museum in which visitors can explore artifacts from the newspaper’s early days. Mark Twain’s original desk is even on display! This place is a must see for literature enthusiasts.
Druc Scoff/Flickr
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