Many pictures from here. What started Nevada on the road to statehood is the Comstock Silver mine near Virginia City. Unlike Bodie CA that after the gold ran out became a ghost town, Virginia City is thriving, mostly as a tourist spot. Although there is still a lot of mining going on in NV, it is very different from the old days.
Unlike those newer buildings in Carson City, these have survived and now are a thriving tourist trap. I’m all in favor of services for tourists. At least they didn’t build a casino here, Reno and Carson City are both about 30 miles away – go gamble there.
I love ghost advertising, here is a good example.
Here is another example. the only sign that isn’t ghosted is the Mens’ crisis center, which appears to be for drugs and alcohol.
Here we have the creativity of Trompe L’oeil, adding two windows to a blank wall. Think about it, Windows were very expensive. Sure, the hotel next door had small rooms, each with a window. I don’t know what the building was, but clearly they didn’t need four windows. I bet most people on the street don’t realize the two center windows aren’t real
Here is the side of this same building. More Trompe l’oeil, also, I love how all old towns have these fraturnal societies. In this case the Odd Fellows.
Yes, Virginia City is Trump country, very proudly so. Although I must say, I did see some Biden signs, unlike here in LA, no one is tearing those down. In LA very few people will put up a Trump sign – except that huge one over the 405. Interesting how Cal Trans felt they had the right to knock it down, even though it was on private property. So yeah, I love seeing this.
Standing with a cup of coffee outside a saloon.
A town like Virginia City was full of vice, saloons and ‘working girls’ and yet, Churches were built. When fire or other disasters came through town, of course it was the churches that offered help to everyone. This Presbyterian Church was the first one built in town.
Then we have the the large Catholic Church.
This beautiful building was the school building, built 17 years after the discovery of the Comstock Mine. By then the money was being spent here in town on improving the community. An interesting comment is that it was Virginia City that built up San Francisco. The actual miners would piss away a lot of their money on booze. It was the banks and investors that made the big money, since San Francisco had been booming since 1849, that is where the rich people were and that is where they put all their money.
Up a few streets one sees the old Victorian homes. Some are Inns, I saw some of them being refurbished. It is great seeing that this little gem of a town thriving.
Leah