Top 10 True Western Towns of 2009
By: 01/01/2009
9. VIRGINIA CITY, NV
The “Queen of the Short Lines” came to life in 2008, as the Virginia & Truckee’s 1914 Pullman Car rumbled down the tracks for the first time since 1938. The trip is a promise of good things to come. The Northern Nevada Railway Foundation is raising $30 million to finish building the tracks to Carson City, with 2012 as the projected construction date. This stretch of the line historically hauled ore, lumber and supplies for the Comstock Lode that brought this town to life in the first place.
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) has secured $10 million in federal funding, while former Nevada Lt. Gov. Lorraine Hunt secured an additional $1 million in state funding for the heritage railway project. The project is estimated to cost $55 million.
Downhill of Virginia City, the Gold Hill depot—one of the few wooden structures that survived the 1875 fire in Virginia City—was granted $75,000 by the State Historic Preservation Office. Other projects receiving grants for 2008 from the office included Piper’s Opera House—which did not survive the 1875 fire; this third incarnation was built in 1885—the Lagomarsino Petroglyph site, to continue work documenting and mapping the 2,000 panels of rock art, and the 1876 Fourth Ward School, which welcomes visitors coming through Virginia City’s southern entrance.
The town’s 1,000 residents may never enjoy the boon of $700 million in gold and silver like folks did during the heyday, but they certainly know and appreciate the limitless wealth that surrounds them.
Virginia City celebrates turning 150 in June 2009. Be sure to point your cars away from Lake Tahoe and Reno to this locale that is still every bit the “Richest Place on Earth” as it was when Mark Twain was reporting on everyday life for the Territorial Enterprise.
Comments (2)
The city should make the downtown historic district more western all year long, that is what the tourists want to come and enjoy, just like Jackson Hole area. Wood sidewalks, old storefronts renewed, take down the horrible siding on all those old building and make it historic and western as much as possible. Pull all the businesses together and make a true western downtown. You don't have to all sell western items, just make the buildings western. You have a GREAT start with the Train Depot and surrounding areas!! Keep up the PLAN!! or MAKE A PLAN!! Cheyenne could be a truly great small city and as the State Capital SHOULD have a GREAT DOWNTOWN!!
Sir:
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He has been Special Forces and, I suppose Police work is what he wants.
I am in California but I am not a
"Californian". 707-259-0949 or
wes.mac@comcast.net or P O Box 294.
Yountville, California 94599. WES MAC
Mc Girr
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