Virginia City used to be one of the richest places in America.
Around 1859, vast stocks of gold and silver were found in the region, which is southeast of Reno. The United States couldn't get it out of the ground fast enough; they needed the money to pay for the Civil War. Lots of people made some serious money through the minerals, and Virginia City became one of the richest places in America.
For a while. And then the gold and silver ran out, and almost everyone left.
After a little work, Virginia City came back to life as a National Historic Site. It's the nation's largest such place, in fact. The buildings along the main drag have been fixed up, and the wood sidewalks remain in place. Yes, you can buy a t-shirt in every fourth store and a beer in every third, but it's still an interesting place for a walk.
There are a few other buildings in the town, and the view to the east goes for something like 100 miles on a nice day. It's worth a stop if you are in the neighborhood.
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