Truckee Library, CA
Both Virginia City and Genoa are associated with firsts: the former because of the largest silver find in the state and the latter because it was the alleged first settlement in what is now Nevada.
Comstock Historical Marker #1, which describes the Consolidated Virginia and California Mining Works and Shaft. The discovery and subsequent mining of the rich Comstock silver load made many a fortune not only in Nevada but also in San Francisco.
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A look up E Street from a parking lot at two churches: St. Paul's Episcopal Church on the left and St. Mary's in the Mountains Catholic Church on the right. Across E Street is the Virgina & Truckee Railroad Museum.
A look "down the hill" from the parking lot. (Many views in Virgina City are either "up the hill" or "down the hill.")
A prominent feature of Virginia City: mining dumps.
A shot across the E Street parking lot at the Virginia City & Truckee Railroad depot, which is being remodeled.
Looking up the hill, note that most of the building are multi-story affair.
The kids who put the white rocks in the form of a "V" certainly picked an easy spot to do it.
The Virginia City & Truckee Railroad Museum across E Street contains a very clean steam locomotive with the admonition on the shiny brass:"Don't touch!" [Of course, a metal matt in front of those fixtures asccompanied by some high-voltage but low-current static electricity would certainly make a lasting impression.]
St. Mary's in the Mountains Catholic Church from down the E Street hill.
The facade of St. Mary's (minus the bell tower).
St. Mary's in all of its glory!
From the cemetery parking lot: the Mexican Mine Dump on the right and part of the cemetery on the left.
James Jewell, died Jan. 4, 1891, Aged 50 Years 4 Days, Native of Kelston, Cornwall, England; Carrie A. Jewell, died Jan. 24, 1894, Aged ?? Years.
As with some gold mines in California, the miners were principally from Cornwall in England.
Some plots had iron fences, perhaps a hold-over from the days when family cemeteries were next to a cow pasture.
A look back at the several Virginia City Cemeteries.
The Storey County Courthouse in Virginia City.
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Another look at the courthouse.
Fourth Ward School. A Victorian four-story school built in 1876 which graduated its last class in 1936. Once housed 1000 students.
A look back toward Virginia City from NV341, the less-steep route to Virginia City.
I had seen mustangs on the way up to Virginia City as well as signs warning of their presence, but they were nowhere to be found on my trip back down the hill.
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The start of NV206 as it leaves US395 for Mormon Station, which is now known as Genoa.
The former Douglas County Courthouse, now a museum. [The current Douglas County Courthouse is located in Minden.]
I had seen this locust tree somewhere else in the west or north-west, but it was unlike the locust trees in my hometown of Santa Cruz, CA.
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A view of the shade provided by the black locust trees as well as the County Inn, likely the only hotel or motel in Genoa.
A plaque on Mormon Station and its place on the California Trail. Some immigrants headed for California preferred Carson Pass to Donner Pass.
Plaque includes both the California and Oregon Trails, which are the same from mid-Nebraska to Ft Bridger in SW Wyoming. It also includes the earlier Mormon Pioneer Trail and the later [1860-61] Pony Express route.
The Pony Express delivered mail from the Missouri River to Sacramento in 10 days via a route similar to the California and Oregon trails, except in Wyoming, where it ventured farther north.
More on the Pony Express, including their rates at the time and the equivalent in today's dollars.
Genoa or Dayton? Which was Nevada's first town or city? [Perhaps this tug-of-war could be settled with a physical tug-of-war at the state fair. (The state's bookies might enjoy some variety in their handicapping.)]
A Daughters of Utah Pioneers Landmark noting the founding of Mormon Station now Genoa.
Another plaque on the founding of Mormon Station, this one by the Sons of Utah Pioneers.
A plaque pointing out that Mormon Station marked the western edge of the Great Basin.
Some suggestions on following the Mormon, Oregon, & Californa Trails as well as the Pony Express route -- east or west.
A statue to John "Snowshoe" Thompson, who used extra-long skis rather than snowsoes; he's buried in Genoa, the start of his winter treks over the Sierra Nevada to Placerville with the mail.
Here's a plaque from the back of one of the pieces of granite in front of the courthouse/museum. [Click once to enlarge; press ESC to return here.]
--Links;
- Wikipedia article on Virginia City
- History of the Virginia City & Truckee Railroad
- Wikipedia article on Genoa, NV
- Wikipedia article on John "Snowshoe" Thompson
- Three bio's of Snowshoe Thompson
Su 8 Jul Actual Route: Carson City Walmart - C.C. McDonalds - Genoa - Minden - Nevada Beach CG, Zephyr Cove
M 9 Jul Actual Route: Nevada Beach CG - So L Tahoe - Incline Village, NV - Kings Beach, CA - Incline Village - Mt Rose CG
T 10 Jul Actual Route: Mt Rose CG - South Valley Lib (Reno) - Mt Rose CG
W 11 Jul Actual Route: Mt Rose CG - South Valley Lib (Reno) - Mt Rose CG
Th 12 Jul Actual Route: Mt Rose CG - South Valley Lib (Reno) - Mt Rose CG - Kings Beach, CA - Martis Crk CofEng CG
F 13 Jul Actual Route: Martis Crk CofEng CG - Truckee - Martis Crk CofEng CG
Sa 14 Jul Actual Route: Martis Crk CofEng CG - Truckee - Martis Crk CofEng CG
Su 15 Jul Actual Route: Martis Crk CG - Truckee - Cottonwood Creek USFS CG
M 16 Jul Actual Route: Cottonwood Creek USFS CG - Portola - E. Quincy - La Porte Rd bd
T 17 Jul Actual Route: La Porte Rd bd - Quincy - Paxton - Greenville - Chester - L Almanor CG
W 18 Jul Actual Route: L Almanor CG - Chester Lib - Childs Mdw - Lassen NP South Entrance - Summit L CG
Th 19 Jul Actual Route: Summit L CG - Viola - Shingletown
F 20 Jul Route: Shingletown
Finding Campgrounds:
- RV Campgrounds from TrailerLifeDirectory.com
- Family Camping Directories from Woodalls.com
- Free campsites website
- Info on finding BLM Campgrounds
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