Getaway: Virginia City, Gold Rush town frozen in time

You can leave your time machine parked in the garage if you’re planning to visit Virginia City, Nev. Frozen in time with its original wooden boardwalks and nineteenth century buildings still intact, the Queen of the Comstock appears almost unchanged from what it was during the wild and wooly gold rush days of the 1800s.

Like Cinderella at the ball, Virginia City morphed from an insignificant mining settlement to an internationally recognized boomtown with the initial discovery of the Comstock Lode back in 1859. For the next 20 years, prospectors poured in from around the world, hoping to make their fortunes before the mines quit producing.

As the Ophir, Gould, Curry and Consolidated Virginia mines surrendered their fortunes in gold and silver, Virginia City wallowed in prosperity and notoriety. By 1879, the population had ballooned to 25,000, and the little mining town that could boasted 22 saloons, gas and sewer lines, a hotel with an elevator, fine restaurants and three theaters.

As with most boom-bust mining experiences, however, that heyday ended too quickly. The mines played out in the 1880s and triggered a reverse migration of thousands of residents who abandoned the Comstock for greener pastures.

Called The Richest Place on Earth in the bonanza days, Virginia City still bustles with activity, although now the boardwalks are crowded with tourists rather than miners. Its 850 residents are extremely proud of having been awarded the Distinctive Destinations Award by the National Trust for Historic Preservation.

Attractions

One of the best ways to get a real feel for what life was like years ago in this rough and tumble mining town is to visit a few of the 17 museums. At The Way It Was Museum you can get a lesson in mining, milling and blacksmithing. At the Fourth Ward School and Museum you can sit at the same wooden desks students worked at when the school was opened in 1876.

At the Comstock Firemen’s Museum you can learn about the important contribution volunteer firemen made to the safety of the community. At the Julia Bulette Red Light Museum you can find out how the city’s most famous madam cared for the sick and injured. Other museums include the Mark Twain Museum, the Washoe Club Haunted Museum, Pipers Opera House, the Marshall Mint Museum and the Mackay Mansion.

Although it’s hard to find anything that’s free anymore, it’s useful to know that the Gold Hill Hotel, Comstock History Center, Silver Terrace Cemetery, Comstock Firemen’s Museum, Marshall Mint Museum and St. Mary in the Mountains Catholic Church and Museum don’t require tickets.

Expand your visit to the underground with a mine tour that will teach you about the source of Virginia City’s riches. Visitors are welcome at the Chollar Mine, Ponderosa Mine, Comstock Gold Mill as well as on the Modern Mine Tour. The Virginia City Mining Company even offers the opportunity to pan for gold and gems.

For yet another perspective on life in the Comstock, you can visit the Silver Terrace Cemeteries, where individually fenced gravesites illustrate the diverse makeup of the people who lived and died in Virginia City more than 150 years ago. Stretching along steep terraces above town, the site offers a quiet respite from the busy main streets below.

If you want to get a look at the lay of the land before diving into specific attractions, you can take a walking or driving tour around town. At visitvirginiacitynv.com, you can download an app that will direct you on your way or get suggestions for ways to organize your jaunt. If you want to leave the driving to someone else, jump on the Virginia City Trolley for a 2.5-mile narrated tour that takes passengers around the major landmarks in about 20 minutes.

For a unique adventure behind a steam locomotive, try a trip on the Virginia & Truckee Railroad, which runs tours from Virginia City to Gold Hill and from Carson City to Virginia City. For details, go to virginiatruckee.com.

Or buy a Comstock Adventure Pass that allows you to choose from four fixed passes or select your own itinerary from 16 attractions at discount prices. For information, go to visitvirginiacitynv.com, call 775-847-7500 or drop in to the visitor center at 86 South C St. when you get into town.

Eats and sleeps

The majority of visitors to Virginia City are day trippers, but if you want to sink into the scene by spending a night or two, you can choose from some interesting lodging options. Edith Palmer’s Country Inn and the Cobb Mansion Bed and Breakfast are steeped in history. Hotel/motel choices include the historic Gold Hill and Silver Queen hotels, along with the modern Silverland Inn and Suites.

If you come equipped with your own home on wheels you can head to the Virginia City RV Park, where you’ll find 50 hookup sites along with three cabins for rent, all within walking distance of downtown.

Cuisine in the Comstock ranges from candy stores to fine dining. Locals swear by the awesome Southwestern flavors at Café Del Rio, where everything is made from scratch. Other recommendations include the Roasting House for great coffee and baked goods, Red Dog Saloon & Pizza Parlor for pizza, the Palace for cheeseburgers and the Mustang Ranch Steakhouse, where you can tuck into steaks while enjoying a gorgeous view of Six Mile Canyon.

If you’re wondering about a connection between the steakhouse and the world famous Mustang Ranch Brothel, the answer is “yes,” they belong to the same owner.

Our particular favorite eatery is the Crown Point Restaurant in the historical Gold Hill Hotel, where you can dine on entrees like cioppino, lobster ravioli or tri-tip with mushroom demi-glace. We highly recommend ducking into the saloon before dinner to soak up the original Wild West décor, complete with heavy stone walls, a ceiling covered in dollar bills and a cozy fire burning in the corner.

When to Visit

As if the town itself isn’t enough to attract visitors, Virginia City residents have developed a calendar of special events that include the Rocky Mountain Oyster Fry, International Camel Races, World Championship Outhouse Races, Redrun, Hauntober and Christmas on the Comstock. If you’re interested in timing your visit around them, get dates at visitvirginiacitynv.com.

In general, high season in the Comstock is May to October. Some attractions are open year-round, but others are seasonal. As you might expect, the entire Virginia City experience is very family-friendly, so don’t hesitate to bring all ages along.

To get to the Comstock from Reno, take I-580 south and exit on to Highway 341, which is also signed for Virginia City. The total distance is about 26 miles.

Jeanne Lauf Walpole is a?Reno-based freelance travel writer.