Virginia City

Wanting a taste of Nevada history, we headed to Virginia City and an overnight stay at the Virginia City RV Park, stopping along the way at Geiger Lookout. Virginia City has some deep and interesting history following the 1859 Comstock Lode but the town struck us as being more about tourist kitsch than about it’s role in American and Nevada history. Historical markers abound and pride in the brief residency of Samuel Clemens/Mark Twain we n 1862-64 is evident but our experience in the Visitor Center left a bit to be desired. It was cool that it was located in what had been a bar from 1871 to the mid-1990’s. We learned that tourism and mining have always been the two most important parts of the local economy. Fudge and a variety of candies were readily available but finding a meal after 4PM could happen only at the Red Dog Saloon. It seems that it’s late in the season and they’re only kinda open for business. Perhaps the high point of our walk about town was our conversation with Linda in the Silver Stope. It’s a jewelry/gift/souvenir shop located in what was once part of a silver mine! The ceiling of her shop was awesome. We did walk through Bucket of Blood, a saloon in business since 1876,and past The Way It Was Museum. It’s been a taste of Old Nevada, we’re enriched by it and perhaps one of these days we’ll venture back for more. In the meantime we’ll read Mark Twain’s Roughing It about his experiences here in the 1860’s.