Category: Virginia City

By the late 1860s, it had become apparent to Comstock mine owners that a more efficient means to transport ore from the mines to the mills along the Carson River (as far as 15 miles away) was needed. The Virginia & Truckee Railroad (V&T) was built under the direction of William Sharon, manager of the […]

The Chollar mansion was built between 1861 and 1863 as the head office of the Chollar Mine and the residence of the mine superintendent. The building was designed by N. J. Colman in an Italianate style, and constructed by H. S. Hill. It was discovered in 1870 that the building was sinking due to the […]

Fourth Ward School, a prominent landmark, sits at the southern entrance to Virginia City. It was built in 1876, in the “fourth ward” district in town, near the Gold Hill-Virginia City boundary. Architect S. M. Bennet designed the building and supervised the construction. Bennet based his design on a plan originally drawn by architect Theodore […]

The C. J. Prescott house is a vernacular or “Folk Victorian” residence, and was built in 1864, the first year of Nevada’s statehood. The original owner and builder, prominent businessman C. J. Prescott, was the proprietor of one of the first lumber companies on the Comstock. Prescott’s home, and several others built during Virginia City’s […]

This magnificent 21-room Second Empire style building was constructed by the Savage Mining Company in 1861. The ornate building is an excellent example of the architectural elegance associated with the offices and residences of the mining elite. The top two floors of the building served as the mine superintendent’s residence, while the ground floor was […]

The Gould and Curry Mining Company Office is one of several imposing buildings constructed in Virginia City by the capitalists who made their fortunes on Comstock silver and gold. Built in 1860 in a simplified brick Italianate style, it served as the office of the Gould and Curry Mining Company. In addition to company office […]

The King–McBride mansion is an excellent example of High Italianate architecture, replete with bay windows and a widow’s walk. The King–McBride mansion was built about 1870 by George Anson King, a banker who established the Nevada Bank of San Francisco in Virginia City, and served as director of the Virginia and Truckee Railroad. It is […]

This home was constructed in 1875 in a wor king-class neighborhood in the eastern portion of Virginia City. At the time the house was built, the Comstock Lode was at its zenith. The house is a vernacular or “Folk Victorian” one-and-a-half story, wood-framed building with a steeply-pitched, gabled roof that combines simple elements of the […]

In the 1930s, the house was purchased by St. Mary’s of the Mountains Roman Catholic Church. It served as the Parish House for St. Mary’s from the late 1930s until 1970. The Parish House is an elaborate Italianate style residence sporting numerous decorative moldings and brackets. The sturdy house reflects its association with mining through […]