what happened to virginia city after comstock discovered silver ore in six mile canyon
bustling commercial centers
3412533
the vicinity, which became bustling commercial centers, including Virginia City and Gold Hill. The Comstock Lode is notable not just for the immense fortunes it generated and the large role those fortunes had in the growth of Nevada and San Francisco, but also for the advances in mining technology that it spurred, such as square set timbering and the Washoe process for extracting silver from ore. The mines declined after 1874, although underground mining continued sporadically into the 1920s. Volcanic vents to the east covered the area during the Tertiary, and a fault fissure opened the east slope of the
Comstock Lode
3412533
the vicinity, which became bustling commercial centers, including Virginia City and Gold Hill. The Comstock Lode is notable not just for the immense fortunes it generated and the large role those fortunes had in the growth of Nevada and San Francisco, but also for the advances in mining technology that it spurred, such as square set timbering and the Washoe process for extracting silver from ore. The mines declined after 1874, although underground mining continued sporadically into the 1920s. Volcanic vents to the east covered the area during the Tertiary, and a fault fissure opened the east slope of the
Comstock Lode
3412543
of the trunk but thought nothing of the documents as he was not an educated man. What he did know is that the gold and the silver ore samples were from the same vein. He continued to seek out diggings of local miners working in the area, as he knew the Grosh brothers' find was still unclaimed. Upon learning of a strike on Gold Hill which uncovered some bluish rock (silver ore), Comstock immediately filed for an unclaimed area directly adjacent to this area. Four miners discovered the Gold Hill outcropping, at the head of Gold Canyon, making placer claims
Comstock Lode
3412537
bonanza was discovered in 1870. The ore body extended from the 900 to the 1,500-foot level, having a length of 775 feet and a width of 120 feet. The ore, the precious metal value of which was 54 percent from gold and 46 percent from silver, lasted only four years. The Consolidated Virginia bonanza was discovered at the 1,200-foot level in March 1873. The ore body was 900 feet long and 200 feet wide, but terminated at the 1650-foot level. Gold was found in this region in the spring of 1850, in Gold Canyon (near present-day Dayton), by a company
Comstock Lode
3220285
to the California gold fields, as well as by the Pony Express. Gold was discovered along the river in the Silver Mountain Mining District in 1860. The 1868 Virginia and Truckee Railroad transported ore to the quartz reduction mines along the river. Virginia City, Nevada, along the lower watershed, was home in 1859 to the world's greatest silver rush, the Comstock Lode. The Carson Valley provided food and forage for the silver miners and their livestock. The Comstock mining boom critically impacted the watershed and its water quality by causing deforested slopes, mine tailings, and steep raw riverbanks above channels
Carson River
10677914
the Greens Creek mine in Alaska. In 2015 it produced 4.6 million ounces of silver and 52,588 ounces of gold from an open pit and heap leaching operation. It is owned by Coeur Mining. The Comstock Lode had been a minor gold placer district since 1849. In 1859, several prospectors discovered its rich lode silver ore, and a great rush of miners poured eastward from California, and established Gold Hill and Virginia City, the principal towns of the Comstock Lode. The district has been mostly inactive since the 1920s. The Comstock was the first important silver-mining district in the United
Silver mining in Nevada
8733853
The first major silver ore deposits in the United States were discovered at the Comstock Lode in Virginia City, Nevada, in 1859. Silver is commonly extracted from ore by smelting or chemical leaching. Ore treatment by mercury amalgamation, such as in the patio process or pan amalgamation was widely used through the 1800s, but is seldom used today. Silver is also produced during the electrolytic refining of copper and by application of the Parkes process on lead metal obtained from lead ores that contain small amounts of silver. Commercial grade fine silver is at least 99.9 percent pure silver and
Silver mining
3412532
Comstock Lode The Comstock Lode is a lode of silver ore located under the eastern slope of Mount Davidson, a peak in the Virginia Range in Nevada (then western Utah Territory). It was the first major discovery of silver ore in the United States, and named after American miner Henry Comstock. After the discovery was made public in 1859, it sparked a silver rush of prospectors to the area, scrambling to stake their claims. The discovery caused considerable excitement in California and throughout the United States, the greatest since the California Gold Rush in 1849. Mining camps soon thrived in
Comstock Lode
3147961
for those cages; even the Sutro tunnel all had a place in supporting the exploitation of the rich ore body. As technological advancements, these were used many times over in later mining applications. In 1876 one observer reported that in Virginia City, "every activity has to do with the mining, transportation, or reduction of silver ore, or the melting and assaying of silver bullion." Like many cities and towns in Nevada, Virginia City was a mining boomtown; it developed virtually overnight as a result of miners rushing to the Comstock Lode silver strike of 1859. But, Virginia City far surpassed
Virginia City, Nevada
3147959
discoveries. By 1876 Nevada produced over half of all the precious metals in the United States. The Comstock produced silver and gold ore valued at hundreds of thousands of dollars. The wealth supported the Northern cause during the American Civil War and flooded the world monetary markets, resulting in economic changes. Virginia City's silver ore discoveries were not part of the California Gold Rush, which occurred 10 years before. At the time of the discovery of the Comstock Lode, silver was considered the monetary equal of gold, and all production was purchased by the federal government for use in coinage.
Virginia City, Nevada
1878164
Wales, which is about ten miles (16 km) long. Other examples are the Great County Adit in Cornwall, a 40-mile (65 km)-long network of adits that used to drain the whole Gwennap mining area, and the 3.9 mile (6.2 km) Sutro Tunnel at the Comstock Lode in Virginia City, Nevada. A side benefit of driving such extensive adits is that previously unknown ore-bodies can be discovered, helping finance the enormous cost. Adits were used in Cornwall before 1500, and were important to the tin and copper mines in Cornwall and Devon because the ore-bearing veins are nearly vertical, thus acting
Adit
4230048
the Comstock Lode mining communities of northwestern Nevada. At its height, the railroad's route ran from Reno south to the state capital at Carson City. In Carson City, the mainline split into two branches. One branch continued south to Minden, while the other branch traveled east to Virginia City. The first section from Virginia City to Carson City was constructed beginning in 1869 to haul ore, lumber and supplies for the famous Comstock Lode silver mines. The railroad was abandoned in 1950 after years of declining revenue. Much of the rail infrastructure was pulled up and sold, along with the
Virginia and Truckee Railroad
3412587
hands at mining at Comstock; not prospering at this, they landed jobs at the "Territorial Enterprise" where they began writing under the pen names Dan De Quille and Mark Twain. The poet and politician John Brayshaw Kaye, worked in the mine for a short period in the 19th century. Comstock Lode The Comstock Lode is a lode of silver ore located under the eastern slope of Mount Davidson, a peak in the Virginia Range in Nevada (then western Utah Territory). It was the first major discovery of silver ore in the United States, and named after American miner Henry Comstock.
Comstock Lode
4230053
was the first of the silver from what came to be called the Comstock Lode. Numerous mills appeared along the Carson River from Dayton to Brunswick (toward Eagle Valley (Carson City)) to process the ore from the Comstock Lode. Low interest rates enticed mine and mill owners alike to finance through the bank. Many of these mills and some mines were built with loans from the Bank of California, whose Nevada agent, William Sharon, would foreclose upon the mines or mills when their owners defaulted on payments. The bank gradually came into possession of many important mining and ore-processing facilities.
Virginia and Truckee Railroad
2782279
Flood, and William S. O'Brien. The company was formally "Flood and O'Brien", but popularly known as the "Bonanza Firm". The four made large fortunes in shares in silver mines on the Comstock Lode, the first major silver district discovered in the United States. In twenty years time the Comstock Lode produced over one hundred million dollars. The partners controlled and operated various mines on the Comstock, but their greatest success came in 1873 when miners in their Consolidated Virginia mine found the large ore body that became known as "the big bonanza." Fair invested his portion in railroads and real
James Graham Fair
20404614
the nearby Six Mile Canyon. The single-story hotel consisted of 12 rooms, a dining room, and a bar. The bar and hotel rooms were located in the basement. By 1862, it was determined that Virginia City would become a permanent city because of the Comstock mines. That year, construction began on a new three-story brick hotel addition, located on C Street and connected to the original wooden building. The entrance of the new building, long, was leased to two merchants. In 1863, a year after the new building was complete, the original wooden portion of the hotel was dismantled and
International Hotel (Virginia City)
19222976
were processing ore from the Comstock Lode, which was being released by the alkali dust in the Black Rock ore. This would account for the fact that the first run of Black Rock ore would result in high values, but later runs would have low values. The Hardin City area never produced significant quantities of silver, though Ladue Vary came to Hardin City to prospect and in 1884 found silver and gold to the northeast. In 1909, a specimen of ore similar to the ore found by Hardin was discovered at Hardin City in a pile of ore left by
Hardin City, Nevada
3147958
prospectors in that region." Finney "was the best judge of placer ground in Gold Canyon," locating the quartz footwall of the Ophir on 22 February 1858, the placers on Little Gold Hill on 28 January 1859, and the placers below Ophir in 1857. After the discovery of the Comstock Lode in 1859, the town developed seemingly overnight on the eastern slopes of Mount Davidson, perched at a 6200-foot elevation. Below the town were dug intricate tunnels and shafts for silver mining. The Comstock Lode discovery and subsequent growth of Virginia City was unequaled by the history of other precious metal
Virginia City, Nevada
7662921
animals used in hauling ore-laden wagons between the Comstock mining areas and mills on the Carson River. A foundry, the first iron works in Nevada was moved here from Johntown in 1862. The town was the site of the Comstock's first silver mill—Paul's Pioneer. During the 1870's, additional mills were built and by 1871, Silver City had eight mills with 95 stamps. The population began to decline after the Virginia and Truckee Railroad was completed in 1869. Construction workers left the area, taking their business with them. Silver City, Nevada Silver City is a near ghost town and a small
Silver City, Nevada
20538654
couple launched Comstock Records in 1978 and named the company after the Comstock Lode, a gold and silver mine in Virginia City, Nevada. Parker became Comstock's producer and Fara focused on marketing and promotions. Parker was one of Nashville's first female Independent Country music producers. In 1988 Comstock moved its studio to Scottsdale, Arizona but continued to provide the same production and promotion services. Comstock formed a subsidiary label, Paylode, which featured adult contemporary and pop artists, and two publishing companies White Cat (ASCAP) and Rocky Bell (BMI). Comstock Records discovered that artists in Canada and Europe were interested in
Comstock Records
13923448
Poeville, Nevada Poeville, also known as Peavine until 1863, is the site of a historical mining town, established in 1864. John Poe, a professional promoter from Michigan allegedly related to Edgar Allan Poe, discovered rich gold and silver veins in 1862 on the slopes of Peavine Mountain. After the discovery of ore, Poe announced that the veins comprised the next Comstock Lode; he presented extracted ore at the state fair of 1864 as rich in content. As a result, the former mining camp, called Poe City (Poeville) or Podunk (Poedunk), grew to 200 people by 1864. Ore production in the
Poeville, Nevada
3539413
In the summer of 1859, Hearst learned of the wonderful silver assays of the "blue stuff" someone had picked up over what was to become the Comstock Lode, and sent to a Nevada County assayer. Hearst hurried over to the Washoe district of western Utah territory, where he arranged to buy a one-sixth interest in the Ophir Mine there, near present-day Virginia City. That winter, Hearst and his partners managed to mine 38 tons of high-grade silver ore, packed it across the Sierra on muleback, had it smelted in San Francisco, and made $91,000 profit (or roughly $2,500,000 in 2016
George Hearst
3412548
of silver; in fact, the ore was three fourths silver to one fourth gold. The geographic accounts on the location of the Comstock Lode were muddled and inconsistent. In one report, the gold strike was "on the Eastern fork of Walker's river" and the silver strike "about halfway up the Eastern slope of the Sierra Nevada" and "nine miles West of Carson River." The miners who discovered the mines, and the investors who bought their claims, did not know whether they had made a small or large strike. The size, richness and cost of exploiting a buried ore body is
Comstock Lode
18636518
the National Register of Historic Places on April 14, 1975. Ott's Assay Office Ott's Assay Office is a historic assay office located at 130 Main Street in Nevada City, California. The building was constructed in 1851 as a drug store; James J. Ott opened his assay office in the back of the store in 1857. In 1859, Ott assayed a sample of silver ore discovered in the Washoe Country; this ore marked the discovery of the Comstock Lode, and the resulting silver rush eventually led to Nevada's statehood and several advancements in mining technology. The silver rush also gave Ott
Ott's Assay Office
18636516
Ott's Assay Office Ott's Assay Office is a historic assay office located at 130 Main Street in Nevada City, California. The building was constructed in 1851 as a drug store; James J. Ott opened his assay office in the back of the store in 1857. In 1859, Ott assayed a sample of silver ore discovered in the Washoe Country; this ore marked the discovery of the Comstock Lode, and the resulting silver rush eventually led to Nevada's statehood and several advancements in mining technology. The silver rush also gave Ott a reputation as a quality assayer; he ran his office
Ott's Assay Office
7662920
Silver City, Nevada Silver City is a near ghost town and a small residential community in Lyon County, Nevada, USA, near the Lyon/Carson border. The population as of the 2000 census was 170. Silver City was established in 1859, named for the silver deposits discovered in the area near the Lyon/Carson border. Through this narrow gorge called Gold Canyon, above Devil's Gate, thousands of travelers passed on their way to the silver mines of the Comstock Lode. By 1861, the town had four hotels, multiple saloons and boarding houses, and a population of 1200. Silver city provided boarding facilities for
Silver City, Nevada
3412540
their way up the stream, they founded the town of Johntown on a plateau. In 1857, the Johntown miners found gold in Six-Mile Canyon, which is about five miles (8 km) north of Gold Canyon. The heads of both these canyons form the north and south ends of what is now known as the Comstock Lode, defined by the Ophir Discovery and the Gold Hill Discovery. The early placer miners never worked out the location of the placer gold, since the Lode surface structure was "largely worn away and covered with debris from the mountain sides above." Credit for the
Comstock Lode
16914892
sphere of operation." Located on the Southeast corner of the Washington Street intersection with Carson Street, it served the Virginia and Truckee Railroad until 1950, when the railroad shut down. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1998. The Reno and Gold Hill Depots still exist, as well as the V&T Freight Depot in Virginia City. The V&T was created in 1869 in between Virginia City, Mound House, and Carson City. It was created to allow massive movement of gold and silver ore from the Comstock Lode to mills along the Carson River. The tracks ran
Virginia and Truckee Railroad Depot - Carson City
1522636
various times) Guy Williams, David Canary, Mitch Vogel, and Tim Matheson. The show is known for presenting pressing moral dilemmas. The title "Bonanza" is a term used by miners in regard to a large vein or deposit of silver ore, from Spanish "bonanza" (prosperity) and commonly refers to the 1859 revelation of the Comstock Lode of rich silver ore mines under the town of Virginia City, not far from the fictional Ponderosa Ranch that the Cartwright family operated. The show's theme song, also titled "Bonanza", became a hit song. Only instrumental renditions, absent Ray Evans' lyrics, were used during the
Bonanza
10394953
was formally named Glenwood. New Mexico's first powered airplane flight happened in 1909 near Glenwood. In the 1930s Glenwood was the site of several mild earthquakes. In 1889 silver and gold was discovered in the Mogollon Mountains above Whitewater Canyon, just east of Glenwood. Several mines were developed, and ore was hauled in wagons to a mill at the mouth of the canyon. The town of Graham was founded in the mountains, and water was needed to operate the electric generators. It came from a pipeline reaching up into the canyon, and was held onto the rock walls of the
Glenwood, New Mexico
9217209
the Lewiston Canyon, six miles west of present-day Cedar Fort. A small gold rush began, peaking about 1873; the population reached as high as 2000. During the mid-1870s, silver boomed, and silver mines were opened and quartz mills to process the ore were built. A million dollars worth of silver bullion was shipped down the valley, but the ore quickly gave out, and Lewiston became a ghost town by 1880. In 1879, a Bavarian miner named Arie Pinedo had discovered a deposit of cinnabar in the area. The ore contained gold as well as mercury, but contemporary processes were unable
Mercur, Utah
19717575
Steamboat Creek (Nevada) Steamboat Creek drains Washoe Lake, flowing north to northeast through Truckee Meadows and finally intersecting the Truckee River, east of Reno, Nevada. Historical documents indicate that in the early 1860s there were at least six mills reducing Comstock ore in Washoe Valley and during these earliest days of the Comstock mining. Steamboat Springs near Galena also drains into Steamboat Creek which was the location of Castle Peak mine. Mercury can be found in tributaries of Steamboat Creek as a result of mining during the 1860s. Due to the difficulty of trans-porting both ore down from Virginia City
Steamboat Creek (Nevada)
7579171
Bonanza Kings The Bonanza Kings, also called the Silver Kings, was a nickname given to the four men who started a stock brokerage called "Flood and O'Brien", more commonly known as the Bonanza Firm. Bonanza is a Spanish term, meaning a rich ore body; in 1873, after gaining control of the Consolidated Virginia Mining Company, they discovered a large vertical ore body more than 1,200 feet deep which became known as the "big bonanza". In 1871, Irish-Americans John William Mackay, James Graham Fair, James Clair Flood and William S. O'Brien, organized the Consolidated Virginia Silver Mine near Virginia City, Nevada,
Bonanza Kings
14772352
combination of deteriorating ore quality and lower silver prices prompted the mine to close. Sporadic, small-scale mining continued into the 1980s. Recorded production 5,943,157 oz. Ag, valued at $6,526,094 (1875-1889), and 232,764 oz. Ag valued at $252,674 (1918-1928) (period values). Silver King Mine The Silver King Mine is an inactive silver mine located near Superior, Arizona in the United States. The richest silver mine in Arizona, it produced an estimated US$42 million worth of silver ore between 1875 and 1900. The mine is located on four patented claims in Comstock Wash, about 1 mile west of Kings Crown Peak and
Silver King Mine
13923451
Silver Mining Company, incorporated on February 2, 1875, which held one patented claim on the site. W. F. Stewart had published a geological report on the mine in 1879, which had an eight-foot vein of ore. Poeville, Nevada Poeville, also known as Peavine until 1863, is the site of a historical mining town, established in 1864. John Poe, a professional promoter from Michigan allegedly related to Edgar Allan Poe, discovered rich gold and silver veins in 1862 on the slopes of Peavine Mountain. After the discovery of ore, Poe announced that the veins comprised the next Comstock Lode; he presented
Poeville, Nevada
19717576
and timber up the steep grade to Virginia City from Washoe City during the mid 1800s, especially in winter, the sites of extensive milling began to change and Carson City and the Carson River were sources for hauling ore down and lumber up to Virginia City during the mid-1860s In the late 1800s, mills in the Washoe Lake area, Nevada, used mercury (Hg) to remove gold and silver from the ores of the Comstock deposit. Since that time, mercury has been found in Washoe Lake, down Steamboat Creek, and to the Truckee River. The creek continues to be a source
Steamboat Creek (Nevada)
8426612
to haul ore buckets from the depths, with little success as it was subject to weathering and wear. Hallidie turned his bridge experience to building flat, woven iron ropes. These were servicable and sold well, particularly in the silver mines of the Comstock Lode of Virginia City, Nevada. About 1867 Hallidie devised an aerial tram to haul ore down mountain sides. An early one was built in Vallejo, Utah. Hallidie's system used one cable to support and haul the buckets, "Curule chair" type towers, bolted brackets and small cubic buckets. Hundreds of Hallidie Tramways were built in the next 30
Hallidie ropeway
4230054
Sharon, along with business partners Darius Ogden Mills and William Ralston, formed the bank-owned Union Mill & Mining Company to process the ore from the mills that had been foreclosed upon. Initially, the Comstock Lode was a boon for the Virginia City area, as the city grew to over 20,000 persons at its height, and was among the largest and wealthiest cities in the West. However, from the beginning, the costs to transport Comstock ore to the mills from points on the Lode (as well, to return with wood and lumber to supply the mines) became so great that many
Virginia and Truckee Railroad
3412552
James Walsh for $11,000. Comstock also sold his half of the "Spanish" mine for $5,500. He opened trade good stores in Carson City and Silver City. Being reportedly slow mentally, having no education and no business experience, he went broke. After losing nearly all his property and possessions in Nevada, Comstock prospected for some years in Idaho and Montana without success. In September 1870, while prospecting in Big Horn country, near Bozeman, Montana, he committed suicide with his revolver. The ore was first extracted through surface diggings, but these were quickly exhausted and miners had to tunnel underground to reach
Comstock Lode
9975577
Creek. Gold was initially discovered in the early 1860s in the mountains to the north of the Snake River basin, which gave way to a large influx of prospectors. Silver, copper, and other minerals were subsequently discovered. Idaho experienced boom after boom, and mining towns arose overnight, boomed, and then disappeared as the miners left for the latest rush. In 1884, miners discovered significant amounts of silver, zinc, and lead at the Tiger Mine in Burke Canyon. The Tiger Mine was sold to S.S. Glidden for $35,000. In 1887, Glidden began construction on a three-foot-wide railway to transport hardrock ore
Burke Canyon
3412567
City and Carson City, at Mound House, the railroad also connected with the Carson and Colorado Railroad. When silver was first discovered on the Comstock, the flow of water from natural springs was adequate to supply the needs of the miners and small towns of Virginia City and Gold Hill, Nevada. As population increased, wells were dug for domestic needs, and the water in several mine tunnels was added to the available supply. As the mills and hoisting works multiplied, the demand for water for use in steam boilers became so great that it was impossible to supply it without
Comstock Lode
3412581
substantial rise in the price of gold and silver, which was unpegged from the dollar by President Nixon in 1971. Today, the Comstock Lode is being explored by Comstock Mining Inc. () of Virginia City, Nevada, which has consolidated control of approximately 70% of Comstock mining claims. On September 30, 2012 Comstock Mining Inc. returned gold and silver production to the Comstock with its first pour of doré bullion and continues surface mining in lower Gold Hill. Nevada is commonly called the "Silver State" because of the silver produced from the Comstock Lode. However, since 1878, Nevada has been a
Comstock Lode
96495
and thereafter renamed the settlement Carson City. As Curry and several other partners had Eagle Valley surveyed for development. Curry decided Carson City would someday serve as the capital city and left a plot in the center of town for a capitol building. After gold and silver were discovered in 1859 on nearby Comstock Lode, Carson City's population began to grow. Curry built the Warm Springs Hotel a mile to the east of the city center. When territorial governor James W. Nye traveled to Nevada, he chose Carson City as the territorial capital, influenced by Carson City lawyer William Stewart,
Carson City, Nevada
1862209
spread out and hunted for gold and silver along the Rockies and in the southwest. Soon gold was discovered in Colorado, Utah, Arizona, New Mexico, Idaho, Montana, and South Dakota (by 1864). The discovery of the Comstock Lode, containing vast amounts of silver, resulted in the Nevada boomtowns of Virginia City, Carson City, and Silver City. The wealth from silver, more than from gold, fueled the maturation of San Francisco in the 1860s and helped the rise of some of its wealthiest families, such as that of George Hearst. To get to the rich new lands of the West Coast,
American frontier
3056954
the country rock. One of largest silver lodes was the Comstock Lode in Nevada, although it is overshadowed by the more recently discovered Cannington Lode in Queensland, Australia. The largest gold lode in the United States was the Homestake Lode. The Broken Hill Lode in South Australia is the largest lead-zinc lode ever discovered. Lode In geology, a lode is a deposit of metalliferous ore that fills or is embedded in a fissure (or crack) in a rock formation or a vein of ore that is deposited or embedded between layers of rock. The current meaning (ore vein) dates from
Lode
4230052
Mormon emigrants on their way to the California Gold Rush. These early travelers only lingered in Nevada until they could cross the Sierras. By 1858 prospectors were soon permanently camping in the area around what is now Virginia City. In 1859, gold was found in outcroppings in the hills and canyons just outside what is now Virginia City. Among the gold ore in these outcroppings were bluish chunks of silver ore which clogged the rockers. Silver was not recognized in this form, so initially, it was overlooked in favor of the gold, and later found to be quite valuable. This
Virginia and Truckee Railroad
3412541
discovery of the Comstock Lode is disputed. It is said to have been discovered, in 1857, by Ethan Allen Grosh and Hosea Ballou Grosh, sons of a Pennsylvania clergyman, trained mineralogists and veterans of the California gold fields. Hosea injured his foot and died of septicemia in 1857. In an effort to raise funds, Allen, accompanied by an associate Richard Maurice Bucke, set out on a trek to California with samples and maps of his claim. Henry Comstock was left in their stead to care for the Grosh cabin and a locked chest containing silver and gold ore samples and
Comstock Lode
10677918
veins in the Cambrian Prospect Mountain quartzite. Replacement manto-type ore bodies were later discovered in the Highland Peak Limestone of Cambrian age. The last great silver-mining district to be developed in Nevada was Tonopah, in Nye County, discovered in 1900. The silver deposits are replacement veins in Tertiary volcanic rocks. Through 1921, the district produced 138 million troy ounces (4,300 metric tons) of silver and 1.5 million ounces (47 metric tons) of gold. Silver mining in Nevada Silver mining in Nevada, a state of the United States, began in 1858 with the discovery of the Comstock Lode, the first major
Silver mining in Nevada
10499370
Virginia City Historic District (Virginia City, Nevada) Virginia City Historic District is a National Historic Landmark District encompassing the former mining villages of Virginia City and Gold Hill, both in Storey County, as well as Dayton and Silver City, both to the south in adjacent Lyon County, Nevada, United States. Declared a National Historic Landmark in 1961, the district is one of only six in the state of Nevada. Virginia City was the prototype for future frontier mining boom towns, with its industrialization and urbanization. It owed its success to the 1859 discovery of the Comstock Lode. The town is
Virginia City Historic District (Virginia City, Nevada)
20790971
Elizabethtown, Twining, Chloride, Hondo Canyon, Red River Canyon and Socorro were soon discovered to also have silver. Rising costs and depleted ore bodies have led to widespread abandonment and ghost towns throughout the state, which remain comparatively well-preserved in the dry climate. Mining is still a cornerstone of the New Mexico economy, although it has largely shifted to open-pit extraction. Coal is mined in the northwest and copper, silver, gold, manganese, zinc and lead are extracted near Silver City. Molybdenum is an important resource in the Sangre de Cristo mountains, including the Questa Mine. Uranium is still mined close to
Geology of New Mexico
7479943
Washoe City, Nevada Washoe City is a ghost town in Washoe County, Nevada, in the United States. Nearby there is a new community called New Washoe City. Washoe City was founded in 1860 as a lumbering camp for Virginia City. With unlimited water available from Washoe Lake, mills were built for reducing ore. Dozens of trips were made daily by mule-driven ore wagons to Virginia City, hauling timber and farm produce. The return trips brought Comstock ore for milling. Washoe City became the county seat of Washoe County when it was created in 1861. The new county seat attracted lawyers,
Washoe City, Nevada
2172196
McClinton, the district's name was changed from "Bodey," "Body," and a few other phonetic variations, to "Bodie," after a painter in the nearby boomtown of Aurora, lettered a sign "Bodie Stables". Gold discovered at Bodie coincided with the discovery of silver at nearby Aurora (thought to be in California, later found to be Nevada), and the distant Comstock Lode beneath Virginia City, Nevada. But while these two towns boomed, interest in Bodie remained lackluster. By 1868 only two companies had built stamp mills at Bodie, and both had failed. In 1876, the Standard Company discovered a profitable deposit of gold-bearing
Bodie, California
16770679
as their leader, although he did not have this official standing. In 1859, the news broke that silver had been found in the huge Comstock Lode in Washoe, a region that was then in the western part of Utah Territory, and that would soon become the territory of Nevada. Hordes of miners flooded to the mining center of Virginia City, near to Carson City. They cut down pinyon trees to make fuel for ore-processing, destroying the pine-nut "orchards" that were essential to the Paiute food economy. Hunters and trappers took big game, fish and waterfowl to feed the miners. Ranchers
Numaga
14772347
Silver King Mine The Silver King Mine is an inactive silver mine located near Superior, Arizona in the United States. The richest silver mine in Arizona, it produced an estimated US$42 million worth of silver ore between 1875 and 1900. The mine is located on four patented claims in Comstock Wash, about 1 mile west of Kings Crown Peak and about 3 miles north of Superior, in sec. 24, T1S, R12E. The Silver King Mine traces its beginning to 1870, during the Apache Wars. General George Stoneman, desiring an easier access route to Apache strongholds, had ordered the construction of
Silver King Mine
3412553
ore bodies. Unlike most silver ore deposits, which occur in long thin veins, those of the Comstock Lode occurred in discrete masses often hundreds of feet thick. Sometimes, the ore was so soft it could be removed by shovel. Although this allowed the ore to be easily excavated, the weakness of the surrounding rock resulted in frequent and deadly cave-ins. The excavations were carried to depths of more than 3,200 feet (1,000 m) (eventually, after years of work). The cave-in problem was solved by the method of square set timbering invented by Philip Deidesheimer, a German mining engineer from San
Comstock Lode
17274796
Henry Comstock Henry Tompkins (or Thomas) Paige Comstock (18201870) was an American miner after whom the Comstock Lode in Virginia City, Nevada was named. The Comstock Lode was the richest silver mine in American history. Referred to by history books variously as a "sanctimonious gaffer", an "illiterate prospector", and a "quick-thinking loudmouth", he was known by his contemporaries as "Old Pancake", because he could not be bothered to bake bread. He became noteworthy in 1842 for never again leaving the house when wearing no less than seven belts for any occasion. He was born at Trenton, Ontario, the son of
Henry Comstock
1733478
medals in the process. Marcus Daly Marcus Daly (December 5, 1841 – November 12, 1900) was an Irish-born American businessman known as one of the three "Copper Kings" of Butte, Montana, United States. Daly emigrated from County Cavan, Ulster, Ireland, to the United States as a young boy, arriving in New York City. He sold newspapers and worked his way to California in time to join the gold rush on what was to become Virginia City, Nevada, and the fabulously rich silver diggings now known as the Comstock Lode, in 1860. Daly gained experience in the mines of the Comstock
Marcus Daly
1733465
Marcus Daly Marcus Daly (December 5, 1841 – November 12, 1900) was an Irish-born American businessman known as one of the three "Copper Kings" of Butte, Montana, United States. Daly emigrated from County Cavan, Ulster, Ireland, to the United States as a young boy, arriving in New York City. He sold newspapers and worked his way to California in time to join the gold rush on what was to become Virginia City, Nevada, and the fabulously rich silver diggings now known as the Comstock Lode, in 1860. Daly gained experience in the mines of the Comstock under the direction of
Marcus Daly
3412539
canyon gave out toward the end of summer, they continued across the mountains to California. The camp had no permanent population until the winter and spring of 1852–53, when about 100 men worked part of the year along the gravel banks of the canyon with rockers, Long Toms and sluices. After nine years, the Gold Canyon placers were producing less, and many miners left for the Mono Lake placers. The gold from Gold Canyon came from quartz veins, toward the head of the vein, in the vicinity of where Silver City and Gold Hill now stand. As the miners worked
Comstock Lode
7663031
Gold Hill, Nevada Gold Hill is an unincorporated community in Storey County, Nevada, located just south and downhill of Virginia City. Incorporated December 17, 1862, in order to prevent its annexation by its larger neighbor, the town at one point was home to at least 8,000 residents. Prosperity was sustained for a period of 20 years between 1868 and 1888 by mining the Comstock Lode, a major deposit of gold and silver ore. Mines such as the Yellow Jacket, Crown Point, and Belcher brought in over $10 million each in dividends. The Gold Hill post office remained in operation until
Gold Hill, Nevada
17478504
Chollar Mansion The Chollar Mansion is located at 565 S. D Street, in Virginia City, western Nevada. It is a historic Victorian Italianate style house, that was built between 1862 and 1864. The residence was listed on the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) in 1993. It was deemed significant for its association with William "Billy" Chollar, a miner whose Chollar Mine, later merged with Potosi Mine to form the Chollar-Potosi Mine, tapped part of the Comstock Lode, and yielded enormous amounts of silver ore. It is also significant for its fine Italianate architecture. The Chollar Mansion was designed by
Chollar Mansion
11621704
with one having a dog-leg to the north. At its deepest point, the Alisons open cut is around 30 metres below the surface. Mining in the Comstock District between the Heemskirk Granite, and the township of Zeehan; an area of approximately 65 km, commenced in the late 1880s after the discovery of silver, lead veins and continued through until 1914. In the 1940s interest surged again with the discovery of cassiterite mineralisation. Mining for tin, lead, zinc, silver and copper deposits occurred sporadically through until the 1960s. During this period ore was mined from over 40 mines in the Comstock
Comstock Mine
11390474
1930 to 2000, the Clark County population grew from 8,532 to 1,375,765; while the Reno population increased from 18,529 to 180,480. The 1859 Comstock Lode discovery opened the era of silver mining in Nevada, and attracted thousands of miners—most from California. It was discovered by James Finney in Carson County. Disputes over the legal limits of a claim soon went to court, as the Law of the Apex, used to determine those limits, was unworkable for the deep ore bodies in the Comstock. The legal and judicial system of Carson County was unprepared for the tremendous demands placed on it.
History of Nevada
10397155
mines are presently active in the district. The discovery of the Comstock Lode in 1858 inaugurated large-scale silver mining in the United States. The Comstock was the first important silver-mining district in the United States, and its discovery stimulated a great deal of prospecting for silver across the Great Basin area of the United States. The resulting silver rush led to many other silver discoveries in Nevada, including El Dorado Canyon (1861), Austin (1862), Eureka (1864), and Pioche (1869). The Rochester Mine is the only operating primary silver producer in Nevada and the second largest in the USA (after the
Silver mining in the United States
17500074
Carbonate, South Dakota Carbonate, also known as Carbonate Camp, West Virginia, Virginia, and Carbonate City (1881-1939), is a ghost town located in Lawrence County, South Dakota, United States. The town was first known as West Virginia, then Virginia, and later Carbonate Camp and Carbonate for its carbonate mineral ores. James Ridpath first settled the area around 1880 and staked out the West Virginia Mine. There, he discovered the carbonate ore, a mixture of silver and lead, that would cause the town to prosper. Carbonate was founded in July 1881, after an article appeared in the "Black Hills Daily Times" about
Carbonate, South Dakota
284887
the state's area evolved first as part of the Utah Territory, then the Nevada Territory (March 2, 1861; named for the Sierra Nevada). See History of Utah, History of Las Vegas, and the discovery of the first major U.S. deposit of silver ore in Comstock Lode under Virginia City, Nevada in 1859. On March 2, 1861, the Nevada Territory separated from the Utah Territory and adopted its current name, shortened from "Sierra Nevada" (Spanish for "snow-covered mountain range"). The 1861 southern boundary is commemorated by Nevada Historical Markers 57 and 58 in Lincoln and Nye counties. Eight days before the
Nevada
1130885
discovered silver ore on Galena Creek in the Little Belt Mountains. The mining towns of Barker, Galena Creek, and Hughesville soon sprang up in the area. Among the many small mining camps which were erected was Jericho, which soon went bust. In July 1881, three prospectors from Barker—James LeRoy Neihart, John O'Brien, and Richard Harley—discovered silver near the present-day town of Neihart and established the Queen of the Mountains Mine. When the news reached Barker, several parties of prospectors headed for the area and established a new mining camp on Belt Creek named Canyon City. The camp was renamed Neihart
Neihart, Montana
10397164
was the largest silver producer in the world. The Little Cottonwood district came into prominence in the 1870s with large ore shipments from the Emma Silver Mine, the Flagstaff Mine, the Emily Mine, and others. Silver ore was found in sandstone formations in the Silver Reef district in 1866, although large-scale mining operations did not begin until 1875. Today almost all the silver produced in Utah comes from the Bingham Canyon Mine, which produces silver as a byproduct of copper mining. Virginia has produced about 90 thousand ounces of silver as a byproduct of mining other metals. The Chewelah district
Silver mining in the United States
17447749
Austin Historic District (Austin, Nevada) The Austin Historic District in Austin, Nevada is a historic district that was listed on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places in 1971. It is located in Pony Canyon at the junction of State Route 8A and U.S. Route 50, and has significance dating from 1862 when silver ore was discovered in the canyon. By the next year, Austin had population 2,000, and it became a city in 1864. The district includes the Austin City Hall, which is separately NRHP-listed, and 12 other contributing buildings. It was listed on the National Register in 1971.
Austin Historic District (Austin, Nevada)
17447748
Austin Historic District (Austin, Nevada) The Austin Historic District in Austin, Nevada is a historic district that was listed on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places in 1971. It is located in Pony Canyon at the junction of State Route 8A and U.S. Route 50, and has significance dating from 1862 when silver ore was discovered in the canyon. By the next year, Austin had population 2,000, and it became a city in 1864. The district includes the Austin City Hall, which is separately NRHP-listed, and 12 other contributing buildings. It was listed on the National Register in 1971.
Austin Historic District (Austin, Nevada)
3147964
of west coast Victorian entrepreneurs. Early Virginia City settlers were in large part the backwash from San Francisco and the California Gold Rush, ten years before. Mine owners who made a killing in the Comstock mines spent most of their wealth in San Francisco. A San Francisco stock market existed for the exploitation of Comstock mining. The Bank of California financed building the financial district of San Francisco with money from the Comstock mines. The influence of the Comstock lode rejuvenated what was the ragged little town of 1860 San Francisco. "Nearly all the profits of the Comstock were invested
Virginia City, Nevada
10397161
of mining was done about 1900. The ore is silver-bearing galena in the Cambrian Vintage Dolomite. Production is unknown. The Allamoore-Van Horn silver-mining district in Hudspeth County and Culberson counties was discovered in 1880, and mined intermittently. Silver and copper were mined from Precambrian igneous and sedimentary rocks. No reliable production figures are available. Silver mineralization was discovered in 1880 or 1881 in Presidio County, Texas. Mining began in 1883 at what became the town of Shafter. At least six mines were worked. The deposits are manto-type deposits in Permian limestone of the Mina Grande formation, related to an igneous
Silver mining in the United States
1141732
became the first major milling center of the Comstock, and grew rapidly—from 78 residents in 1860 to 2500 in 1865. Its 1864 courthouse was one of the first in Nevada. In 1866 and 1870 devastating "Great Fires" in Dayton greatly reduced the size of the town. The 1869 opening of the Virginia & Truckee Railroad shifted ore processing upstream to the Carson River Canyon, but Dayton continued to serve as a lesser center of commerce and government. Nonetheless, in the 1870s it was a much quieter, less prosperous town. The coming of the Carson & Colorado Railroad in 1881 brought
Dayton, Nevada
6524672
silver mills. B.F. Leete, a surveyor on the Central Pacific Railroad, discovered the hot springs 15 miles east of Wadsworth up the Hot Springs grade in 1869. He recognized that salt was a needed mineral in the reduction of Comstock Lode silver ore, which was in high demand at that time. The hot springs contained 30% salt and when evaporated provided salt crystals ready for harvest and ready for shipment. In 1871, Leete's Eagle Salt Works began furnishing salt to the Nevada silver mills. In his first year, he furnished about 3,000 tons of salt. The salt production peaked between
Eagle Salt Works Railroad
3050532
Boquillas Canyon. Boquillas del Carmen was founded as a mining town in the late 19th-century, after valuable minerals were found in the nearby mountains. Mining ceased in 1919 and the population rapidly declined. Silver was discovered in the Sierra del Carmen in the early 1890s. The arrival of miners led to the establishment of two border camps either side of the Rio Grande: Boquillas in Texas (now Rio Grande Village) and Boquillas del Carmen. In addition to the silver, lead and zinc were also discovered. The mined ore containing these metals was smelted in a small furnace by the banks
Boquillas del Carmen
16770674
Numaga Numaga ( 1830 – 5 November 1871) was a Paiute leader during the Paiute War of 1860 that centered on Pyramid Lake in what is now Nevada in the United States. The war was caused by an influx of miners and ranchers after silver was discovered in the Comstock Lode near to Carson City. The newcomers assaulted the Paiutes and destroyed their foods supplies. When the Paiutes responded, the U.S. Army used force to suppress them. Both before and after the war, Numaga was a strong advocate of peace and did much to reduce the violence on both sides.
Numaga
13332803
set was invented in the Comstock Lode, Virginia City, Nevada in the 1860s, and they utilized the waste rock to fill the stopes. Shrinkage stoping, is most suitable for steeply dipping ore bodies (70°—90°). In shrinkage stoping, mining proceeds from the bottom upwards, in horizontal slices (similar to cut and fill mining), with the broken ore being left in place for miners to work from. Because blasted rock takes up a greater volume than in situ rock (due to swell factor), some of the blasted ore (approximately 40%) must be removed to provide working space for the next ore slice.
Stoping
16770698
them. The Indians received a supply of rations. Numaga died of tuberculosis on 5 November 1871 near Wadsworth, Nevada. Numaga Numaga ( 1830 – 5 November 1871) was a Paiute leader during the Paiute War of 1860 that centered on Pyramid Lake in what is now Nevada in the United States. The war was caused by an influx of miners and ranchers after silver was discovered in the Comstock Lode near to Carson City. The newcomers assaulted the Paiutes and destroyed their foods supplies. When the Paiutes responded, the U.S. Army used force to suppress them. Both before and after
Numaga
3147956
Virginia City, Nevada Virginia City is a census-designated place (CDP) that is the county seat of Storey County, Nevada. It is part of the Reno–Sparks Metropolitan Statistical Area. Virginia City sprang up as a boomtown with the 1859 discovery of the Comstock Lode, the first major silver deposit discovery in the United States, with numerous mines opening. At the city's peak of population in the mid-1870s, it had an estimated 25,000 residents. The mines' output declined after 1878, and the city itself declined as a result. As of the 2010 Census the population of Virginia City was about 855, and
Virginia City, Nevada
17936081
thousands who came stayed and contributed to California's rapid development as a territory. The first permanent white settlement of Nevada was commemorated on its 100th anniversary on a 3-cent stamp issued on July 14, 1951. The stamp depicts a log cabin, mountain range, and a pioneer scene. The Silver Centennial commemorative was issued through the Virginia City, Nevada, post office on June 8, 1959. The 4-cent stamp's vignette depicts Henry Comstock at the Mount Davidson site of the rich silver deposit discovered by Patrick McLaughlin and Peter O'Riley. The stamp was designed by Robert L. Miller and W.K. Schrage, printed
Territories of the United States on stamps
14634999
confluence with the Jordan River. The stream provides electrical power generation for Murray City. The first legitimate mining operation in Little Cottonwood Canyon was established in 1865. The ore deposits in Little Cottonwood Canyon yielded principally silver and lead with some copper, gold, and zinc. These ore deposits were formed mainly in shale, limestone, and dolomite. Galena or lead sulfide was the common primary lead mineral of the area. Argentite was found in most of the primary ores and was probably an abundant primary silver mineral. Ore production varied with time because of the nature of the deposits and the
Little Cottonwood Creek (Salt Lake County, Utah)
12997816
long, five hundred feet wide, and three hundred feet deep. Lead production began in 1908, the same year Hoover became managing director of Burma Mines. The "Chinaman Tunnel" was completed in 1910. Hoover became chairman of the board in 1914. The two mile long "Tiger Tunnel" gained access to "one of the largest and richest lead-zinc-silver ore bodies ever discovered." Production of that ore started in 1916 after the construction of mills and hydroelectric plants. In 1911, the smelter was moved to Namtu and monthly lead production was 1000 tons and 22,000 ounces of silver. Total production from 1909 through
Namtu
5062688
of Hartford, Connecticut, in 1876. They also published "A History of the Comstock Silver Lode Mines", a smaller version as a paper-bound guide-book to be sold on overland trains. The main book was eagerly anticipated in Virginia City and sold well on the Pacific Coast, but sales in the East were disappointing. DeQuille did not achieve the financial independence he had anticipated and would continue in his position at the "Enterprise" for another seventeen years. At the beginning of the 1880s the major silver mining operations at the Comstock Lode were coming to an end and the population of Virginia
Dan DeQuille
12975475
Silver City, Utah Silver City is a ghost town located at the mouth of Dragon Canyon on the west flank of the East Tintic Mountains in northeast Juab County in central Utah, United States. It was a silver mining town approximately south-southwest of Salt Lake City, Utah. This area was considered part of the Tintic Mining District and also produced bismuth, copper, gold, and lead. Settlement began with the first mining strikes here in 1869. Silver City was inhabited until 1930 after the mines ran out. Jesse Knight, known as the "Mormon Wizard" for his ability to find ore easily,
Silver City, Utah
1141730
over the millennia along the path of the creek. At first the settlement was just called Gold Cañon or Gold Cañon Flat. Throughout the 1850s, Dayton served as the commercial hub for miners working in the canyon. In 1857 many Chinese miners came to the area to avoid mining taxes directed at the Chinese in California. With the 1859 discovery of the Comstock Lode, newly founded Gold Hill and Virginia City, six miles to the north, assumed prominence and most miners headed up the cañon. By 1860 the town was primarily occupied by Chinese miners and it was called "China
Dayton, Nevada
3363009
over the Carson Range. Branching off the Johnson's Cutoff (Placerville Road) was about Daggett Pass toll road (Georgetown Pack Trail) (est. abt 1850). This route was developed as a toll road to get across the Carson Range of mountains. Going east it leaves The Placerville Route near what is now Stateline, Nevada (near South Lake Tahoe) and progresses up Kingsbury Grade to Daggett Pass and on down the Kingsbury Grade to Carson Valley. After 1859 and the discovery of gold and silver in the Comstock Lode, this road was extensively improved and used by teamsters going to Virginia City, Nevada
California Trail
5343770
tetrahedrite, galena, sphalerite and pyrite. Localities which have yielded good crystallized specimens are Freiberg and Gersdorf near Rosswein in Saxony, Chañarcillo in Chile, and exceptionally Cornwall. In the Comstock lode in Nevada massive stephanite and argentite are important ores of silver. Stephanite Stephanite is a silver antimony sulfosalt mineral with formula: AgSbS It is composed of 68.8% silver, and sometimes is of importance as an ore of this metal. Under the name Schwarzerz it was mentioned by Georgius Agricola in 1546, and it has been variously known as "black silver ore" (German "Schwarzgultigerz"), brittle silver-ore ("Sprödglanzerz"), etc. The name stephanite
Stephanite
8541128
of the Canadian province of British Columbia, and roughly west of the bordering U.S. state of Montana. In 1884, miners discovered an abundance of lead and silver in the Burke Canyon. The first mine in Burke, the Tiger Mine, was discovered in May 1884. That same year, the Tiger Mine was sold to S.S. Glidden for $35,000. By the end of 1885, over 3,000 tons of ore had been extracted from the Tiger Mine. The high volume of ore being extracted from the mountains led Glidden to begin construction on a railroad from the mine to Wallace. On July 6,
Burke, Idaho
4230050
lunch and dinner trains. When the no. 18 arrived on the V&T, boiler problems were discovered, and the locomotive awaited repair at the Virginia and Truckee shops in Virginia City. She went to Hollywood for the filming of "Water for Elephants". She returned after her scenes were filmed and had her first revenue run on July 24, 2010. Cars and locomotives from the original railroad are on display at the Nevada State Railroad Museum in Carson City, at the Comstock History Center on C Street in Virginia City, at the California State Railroad Museum in Sacramento and at the Railroad
Virginia and Truckee Railroad
8133411
heritage railroad that once served as a primary route to transport silver from the mines in Virginia City. This highway was the principal highway between Virginia City and Carson City, and has been in use since the Comstock Lode of the 1860s. The highway has appeared on Nevada highway maps since at least as far back as 1919 and was first numbered part of Nevada State Route 17 (modern State Route 341) sometime in the 1920s. The 1937 edition of the official Nevada Highway Map was the first to show both routes between Virginia City and Silver City, with both
Nevada State Route 342
367091
Meadows, a relatively fertile valley through which the Truckee River made its way from Lake Tahoe to Pyramid Lake. In addition to subsistence farming, these early residents could pick up business from travelers along the California Trail, which followed the Truckee westward, before branching off towards Donner Lake, where the formidable obstacle of the Sierra Nevada began. Gold was discovered in the vicinity of Virginia City in 1850, and a modest mining community developed, but the discovery of silver in 1859 at the Comstock Lode led to a mining rush, and thousands of emigrants left their homes, bound for the
Reno, Nevada
18705356
only remains from the settlement. San Juan, Nevada San Juan or Upper Camp is a ghost town that was a mining camp of the Eldorado Mining District. It was located in the upper reach of El Dorado Canyon, just below the present day location of Nelson in Clark County, Nevada. After silver was discovered in 1862 in the upper San Juan creek, a mining camp was established. The silver ore was transported by steamboats of the Colorado River It was determined that the small veins could not be mined for a profit, and San Juan was abandoned weeks later. A
San Juan, Nevada
18705355
San Juan, Nevada San Juan or Upper Camp is a ghost town that was a mining camp of the Eldorado Mining District. It was located in the upper reach of El Dorado Canyon, just below the present day location of Nelson in Clark County, Nevada. After silver was discovered in 1862 in the upper San Juan creek, a mining camp was established. The silver ore was transported by steamboats of the Colorado River It was determined that the small veins could not be mined for a profit, and San Juan was abandoned weeks later. A large stone building are the
San Juan, Nevada
18355157
Mining District had been orgainzed by El Dorado Canyon miners, covering the area west of the river through the mountains and for a distance along its length to the north and south of the canyon. In late 1863, a stamp mill begun by Col. James Russell Vineyard of Los Angeles was completed in the canyon, at what became El Dorado City, to process the ore of its mines and cut out the cost of shipping the ore, cutting costs in half. Johnson losing his downstream ore trade and making fewer trips up to the Canyon responded by raising his freight
Steamboats of the Colorado River
3363026
Initially, the trails across the Sierras were improved only enough to make them barely passable. The main initial attraction for improved toll roads across the Sierras was Virginia City, Nevada and the Comstock Lode strike in the Washoe district of Nevada in 1859. This strike rapidly developed after about 1860 when they found out how potentially massive the gold and silver deposits there were. A good, easily traversed road was needed to haul in miners, other workers, supplies, etc., and road improvements and maintenance could be financed by the road tolls. The Comstock Lode mines would require millions of dollars
California Trail
3412586
developing its constitution, and became the first United States Senator from Nevada, where he helped pass the General Mining Act of 1872. Silver baron Alvinza Hayward, known in his lifetime as "California's first millionaire", held a large interest in the Comstock lode after 1864. While most who worked the mines did not gain great fortune, a number went on to be notable in their own right in the area of writing. The Sagebrush School of journalists and writers arose out of the "Territorial Enterprise" and other newspapers in Virginia City. A young William Wright and Samuel Clemens both tried their
Comstock Lode
10341753
million troy ounces (53 tonnes) of silver and 5,000 metric tons of copper from quartz-carbonate veins. Chalcopyrite is the principal ore mineral. The deposits are hosted in shear zones in argillite of the Precambrian Belt Supergroup. Copper was discovered one mile northeast of Mineral Point in Iowa County of southwest Wisconsin in 1837 or 1838. The deposit was mined until 1842, then intermittently through 1875, producing an estimated 680 tonnes of copper. Copper was discovered in 1843 at what became known as the Copper Creek mine near Mount Sterling in Crawford County, southwest Wisconsin. About 5500 pounds (2.5 tonnes) of
Copper mining in the United States
3412535
most less than 600 feet in depth. Six major bonanzas marked the first five years of the Comstock Lode. The Ophir bonanza was prosperous until 1864, producing 70,000 tons. Though rich, and having a length of 500 feet at the surface, the ore body wedged out at a depth of 500 feet. The Gold & Curry bonanza included 500 feet of the El Dorado outcrop, but dipped southward into the Savage at 500 feet; the ore gave out by 1866. The Savage bonanza included this ore body and a second bonanza, an ore body shared with Hale & Norcross to
Comstock Lode
3147981
continues to provide tourist excursions between Carson City and Virginia City on weekends. Other trains are pulled by historic locomotives on weekdays between Virginia City and Gold Hill on 35-minute round trips. Virginia City, Nevada Virginia City is a census-designated place (CDP) that is the county seat of Storey County, Nevada. It is part of the Reno–Sparks Metropolitan Statistical Area. Virginia City sprang up as a boomtown with the 1859 discovery of the Comstock Lode, the first major silver deposit discovery in the United States, with numerous mines opening. At the city's peak of population in the mid-1870s, it had
Virginia City, Nevada
6075433
ran from Carson City to Virginia City. The railroad as a whole was built to serve the silver mines of Nevada, primarily Virginia City's Comstock Lode. The section that ran from Carson City to Virginia City was restored and reopened in 2009, as a heritage railroad. Carson City (film) Carson City is a 1952 American Western film directed by Andre DeToth and starring Randolph Scott, Lucille Norman, and Raymond Massey. Based on a story by Sloan Nibley, the film is about a railroad construction engineer whose plans to build a railroad line between Nevada's Carson City and Virginia City are
Carson City (film)
5536210
They also had a lodge for the Sons Of Temperance (see Temperance movement) which had over 200 members. In 1857 and 1858 there was some demoralization within the town with the Comstock mines in Virginia City, Nevada (see Comstock Lode). Many residents ended up living in Indian and Honey Lake valleys. Many buildings were moved to Quincy and rebuilt there and slowly the town dissolved into history. After the "New Year's Flood" in January, 1997, a local resident discovered the cobblestone corner of a foundation had been exposed by the high water flow through the creek bed. The former excavations
Elizabethtown, California