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Nevada. A goldmine for historic towns.
From historic mining towns to ghost towns inhabited by rolling tumbleweeds, Nevada is a living
monument to the minerals, metals, lodes and ores of its past. The state is also a tribute the
men and women who braved harsh conditions to follow their dreams of wealth to the West.
 Carson City
Nowhere is this more apparent than Carson City [http://www.carson-city.org/].
In 1859, prospectors searching for gold struck it rich in the hills just east of town. But it
was silver they found and lots of it. The Comstock Lode, as it was called, was the largest
silver find in world history. Tens of thousands of miners flooded in and Carson City became a
major stop on the Pony Express and the capital of the Nevada Territory. The area’s good fortune
continued with another major silver strike in 1873 called The Big Bonanza. Soon railroads
followed, bringing in timber for the mines and transporting the extracted ore and Carson City
reputation a boomtown was sealed. All this and more can be witnessed first-hand in the historic
buildings and museums of Nevada’s state capitol. Among Carson City’s many colorful and famous
inhabitants is the immortal American writer Mark Twain. From the state capitol to the many
fascinating structures that pepper the Kit Carson Trail, this beautiful town takes great pride
in its label as the “Best Western Historical Site”, as voted by the editors of True West magazine.
And with its stunning area of mansions, schools and government buildings from a time long gone,
it is a mantel richly deserved.
Virginia City
Not far away, Virginia City [http://www.visitvirginiacitynv.com/]
also shared in the spoils of the Comstock Lode, attracting vast hordes of miners all searching
for their piece of the action. And with gold and silver all around, many of them found it and
became millionaires overnight, their instant wealth financing furniture and fashions from across
the globe. And, some say, the Civil War.
Mark Twain walked these paths, too, as a reporter for the Territorial Enterprise, the start of an
illustrious writing career. Today, Virginia City is a gorgeous postcard of a town, and one of
America’s largest Historic Landmarks.
Goldfield
 Other towns flourished and died on the back of discovery. From 1902 to 1908, the town of Goldfield
[www.geocities.com/goldfieldchamber/index.html]
grew from two miners to 20,000. Five banks served the throng, three railroads and four schools. In
1910, $10.7 million in gold output was recorded. A short eight years later, with ores almost
depleted, mining production ceased. But the many buildings still standing from its glory days are
enough to rate Goldfield among the best historical spots in Nevada.
There are countless other testaments to Nevada’s mining past. Places like Lovelock and Pioche, Elko
and Beatty, and many more. Their riches included opals and other sought-after minerals. In Nevada,
you can even get your hands dirty and experience the wonder of mining yourself at destinations like
the Rainbow Ridge Opal Mine [www.nevadaopal.com/season.html]
and Bonanza Opal Mines [www.bonanzaopals.com].
So come discover the history and treasure of a trip to Nevada today.
More here:
www.mineralcountychamber.com/HTML/MineralCountyInfo/mineralcounty.html
www.mineralcountychamber.com/HTML/MineralCountyInfo/mina.html
www.loverslock.com/About-Lovelock-Nevada.html
www.beattynevada.org/BeattyHistory.html
www.bonanzaopals.com/
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