Virginia City, Nevada and Her Spirits of the Past
Virginia City, Nevada
Nevada Historical Landmark
Virginia City, one of America's largest historical landmarks, was a mining boom town during the mid- to late-nineteenth century. The Comstock Lode silver strike of 1859 created a population of almost 30,000 people in the tiny town in the hills of Storey County, Nevada. Sitting at a 6,200 foot elevation, the town is nicely tucked into the hills with fantastic views. The history of the town, and the town today, abound with spirits that linger from the past.
Spirits Still Browse in the Stores
Sometimes, spirits of people who once browsed in the dry goods or mercantile stores seem to return to see what is new.
The many stores selling gifts, clothing, oddities, candies, hot dogs, books, and souvenirs, do business in the old buildings along the main street. A few stores have been in business for many years, some businesses open for awhile and then close up, which are then replaced with new ones come. None of the stores have been remodeled—they are the same as they were in the old days.
In all those old stores, one can feel the presence of the past. Spirits roam all over Virginia City, in the streets, the buildings, and deep in the mines. Now, the saloons have been there since Virginia City first began and are still open for spirits of a different kind—from the bottle.
Silver and gold brought people to Virginia City in 1859 during the Comstock Lode strikes. Many of them became millionaires almost overnight. The mines kept them working hard and the saloons kept them happy. The many saloons became the center of life, serving the best spirits, meals, and music—other delights could be found upstairs in private rooms.
Virginia City's C Street has several saloons competing with each other, yet all are busy most the time. Pictures and posters from the old days decorate the walls and gas lamps still hang from the high ceilings.
The Bucket of Blood saloon, like all the others, originally was long and very narrow. Sometime in the 1930s, the new owners knocked down the wall between their saloon and the business next door, to make their establishment twice as big. The Bucket of Blood Saloon is one of the most popular rural saloons in the state of Nevada.
The Delta Saloon has the famous Suicide Table sitting in a corner, with a glass top over it. It has not been used in years. A sign over the table tells how three owners in the 1860s committed suicide at that table, due to losing all they had to lucky gamblers. The first suicide was Black Jake, who lost $70,000 in one evening then shot himself. Two later owners followed suit and also committed suicide. In time, no one would deal at that table due to the bad luck that haunted it.
Other notable saloons and gambling establishments are the the Ponderosa Saloon, the Bonanza, the Brass Rail Saloon, and the Mark Twain Casino.
Charming Neighborhoods and Old Cemeteries
Up the hill from the main street, on both sides of the town, are charming neighborhoods of old homes with nostalgic gardens and houses full of memories. It is an enjoyable walk to just stroll along and imagine the people who lived in those lovely homes in times past. Off and on a house will come up for sale and it is very tempting to consider buying and living there—if only to feel what it was like in the past. No telling who you would be living with, as spirits are everywhere.
Down the hill from the town is the original cemetery where departed ones from times gone by are lying at rest—or not. There are several cemeteries in the area of Virginia City, Silver City, and Gold Hill. There are several cemeteries throughout the hills. Images to the right show only three.
After the Comstock Lode ended in 1898, the population of residents was drastically reduced—yet a huge population of spirits remained. Many people died in the mines and the cemeteries are filled with their decaying tombstones.
Over the years people have come to the cemeteries to see the aging tombstones, take pictures of the epitaphs and some even stole parts if not all of the tombstones. These parts are usually mysteriously brought back and placed somewhere to be found with a note saying something like, "Returning haunted item from cemetery, my life has been full of bad luck since I took it. I am sorry."
Boot Hill Cemetery
The town itself is filled with wandering spirits, occupying the saloons, the hotels, the stores, the Opera House and private residential homes. Many a tale has been told in the past, and even today, of sightings of these ghostly residents.
A little girl of about seven is often seen walking down the main street, dressed in her clothing of the 1860s, oblivious to the fact that time has left her in the past. She obviously believes she is still on the dirt road that once was crowded with family and friends she knew. I saw her once, walking alone, and was going to call her out of the street for safety when she suddenly faded away.
A lady of the night, wearing her filmy negligee, is often seen gliding back and forth in the second story windows of the Old Washoe Club. I have seen this apparition with my own eyes and she seems to be lost in time, not realizing her days have passed and lost in another era.
The Old Washoe Club has a few other ghostly haunting tales. The women's restroom has a lock that seems to want to open or close on it's own. Could it be some spirits playing tricks on unsuspecting ladies?
And if you are sitting down having drinks with friends, beware of the grizzly old prospector who loves to gulp down your drink when you are not paying attention.
The club was once used to store corpses when in the winters the ground was too frozen to dig in. There are often voices of men heard upstairs in a back room, playing poker, and the smell of their cigars linger on. This room is at the top of a winding staircase. It has a secret entrance and two secret exits. It was called, "The Millionaires Club," and kept the men entertained discreetly with gambling, liquor, and prostitutes.
Famous Visitors at Piper's Opera House
Although Virginia City was a mining town that did not prevent class, good social events, and enjoyable evenings out. There were many famous visitors at Piper's Opera House, which once boasted of the stars who played there. Lillie Langtry, Maude Adams, Buffalo Bill Cody and Edwin Booth all gave performances at Piper's during the great days of Virginia City.
The Opera House is weather beaten but still stands, overlooking the town, a splendid memory of the brilliant past it had. Often there are children's voices heard in the balcony, laughing and whispering when there is actually no one up there.
Lillie Langtry's spirit has made herself known by approving of a performance that she herself had performed many years before. A young actress had performed on stage at Piper's, singing a song that Lillie had sung often on the same stage. At the end of the song, a poster with Lillie's picture floated down and landed at the young woman's feet—apparently in approval of her performance.
The Mines and Tommyknockers
Most of the spirits and tricksters, however, are still in the mines. Deep down in the dark corridors that run under the town and all through the hills for miles, twisting, turning, crossing, back switching and confusing. Wandering aimlessly, they have not been able to find their way out. This is where the little Cornish imps, elfish miner companions, the tommyknockers, employed their trade of trickery.
Just a few miles down the hill when leaving Virginia City, is Gold Hill, the site of where the gold strikes began. The hotel that stands there, as it did back during the gold rush days, is the home of 37 miners who were killed at the bottom of a mine shaft where a fire broke out in 1873. Their bones still lie where they died at the bottom in The Yellow Jacket mine. The mine is right behind the Gold Hill Hotel & Saloon where the spirits linger even today providing guests and staff with their ghostly sightings and hauntings.
Comstock Miners of the 1880s
Mark Twain spent some considerable time in Virginia City. The "Mark Twain Museum" in the Territorial Enterprise Newspaper Building still displays the desk he worked at when he was editor of the paper.
Twain loved to write ghost stories—he had his office in the basement and it is still set up the way it was when he spent most of his time there, writing. Gazing at his office, it looks as if Twain has just gone out for lunch and will be back soon.
If you are familiar with Mark Twain's writings, you will understand how he can put actual tone and emotion into his work with just the right wording. An excerpt from one of Twain's editorials while at the Territorial Enterprise, clearly shows his indignation at the audacity of spirits wandering around loose.
Are we to be scared to death every time we venture into the street? May we be allowed to go quietly about our business, or are we to be assailed at every corner by fearful apparitions?— Mark Twain, late 1860s
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Phyllis Doyle Burns - Lantern Carrier, Spiritual Mentor
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© 2010 Phyllis Doyle Burns