Although there are many claims of ghost stories in Virginia City, There are too many living residents to be a Ghost town. There are an estimated 855 citizens living in Virginia City. That tiny population is a long distance away from the over 20,000 people during the gold and silver rush in the late 1800s.
Now a tourist destination, residents work toward service industries, lodging, and maintain the historical buildings that grace the streets of this once bustling and advanced city.
Many of the attractions are just as kept as they’d have been over 140 years ago, making this one of the most functional ghost towns that you’d have the pleasure to visit.
Ghosts of Virginia City Nevada
Whether you’re a history buff, someone looking for someplace interesting to go, a gold rush enthusiast, or a ghost hunter, you’ll not be disappointed when planning a visit to Virginia City.
The ghosts of Virginia City Nevada put the “ghost” in “ghost town,” as there are several different locations within that are reported to harbor some longtime residents that just don’t want to leave.
Generally speaking, a ghost town isn’t deemed as such due to the spiritual population of the town but is a place that has been long since abandoned. In the case of Virginia City, calling it a ghost town could be a bit of a double entendre.
It’s a place full of historical abandoned buildings, as well as many haunted locations. Before I get into the haunted attractions of the city, let’s get a look at the history.
The History of Virginia City NV
The history of Virginia City Nevada starts with the discovery of the first significant silver deposit in the United States- the Comstock Lode. After its discovery in 1859, Virginia City was born, and would eventually hold a population of over 20,000 people.
From Boomtown to Ghost Town
Virginia City was deemed the wealthiest city in America in those days. It’s recorded that, for the most part, San Francisco was built using the money that pumped out of Virginia City, as many of the mine owners invested in San Francisco real estate.
The Comstock Lode produced so much silver by 1873 that the cost for silver was significantly reduced as a result. As the silver deposit began to show signs of being tapped out, the population began to decline in this boomtown around 1878.
By 1879, the population shrunk from 25,000 to 11,000 and continued to decline as the treasure depleted. In 2010, a census reported that 855 people inhabit the city.
Mark Twain and Virginia City
Virginia City is where a reporter named Samuel Clemens first used his pen-name “Mark Twain” during his years of writing for the “Enterprise” newspaper. He said that this pseudonym was derived from a riverboat captain, but those who knew him disagreed.
His contemporaries would say that when Clemens frequented the bars in Virginia City, he’d yell out, “Mark twain!” to the barkeep, denoting how many marks to chalk down on his tab. He spent many years in Virginia City, and there are just as many tales of this historical figure’s stay.
Fires of 1875
In 1875, Virginia City suffered a fire that was so extreme it was dubbed “The Great Fire.” The inferno caused over 12 million dollars’ worth of damage and was said to be a square mile of flames.
The Restless Ghosts of Virginia City Nevada
Boomtowns have no shortage of tragic tales, as the nature of mining and prospecting was cut-throat in those days. They were often plagued with accidental deaths in the mines, suicides, murders, duels, and other woes; Virginia City is no exception. These conditions provide a cocktail fit for supernatural activity. People who were done dirty and are still looking for revenge. Lovers who died suddenly, still roaming halls and parlors for their significant other. Gamblers who lost