A Visit To Virginia City and Nevada City Makes A Nice Day Trip From Elk Lake Resort

Virginia City, Montana's first Territorial Capital, enjoys an interesting past. Originally part of the Idaho Territory, Virginia City began with the gold rush to Alder Gulch. Nevada City, a restored ghost town, was home to many gold prospectors. Sitting side by side, Virginia City and Nevada City make a fun day trip from Elk Lake Resort. This brief introduction will enlighten you on some of Montana's history.

Virginia City Montana, is considered by many to be the birthplace of Montana. The original city was quite unique in that it played an interesting role in our country's Civil War - although a long way from the battleline. Originally, in what was considered Idaho Territory, Virginia City began as a Rebel Town in Union Territory. People of the west, by majority, were northern sympathizers. Virginia City residents, by an large, were not. In fact, the majority of its residents were outspoken supporters of the south. 'Verona', the city's original name, was their spelling of Varina, the wife of Jefferson Davis, President of the Confederate States of America.

Emigrants flooded into Idaho and Montana from the war-torn South. One prime example was Paris Pfouts, a Missouri resident and ardent secessionist, who ended up Mayor. Because of the North's precarious hold on the area, President Lincoln sent emigrants from the northern states in an effort to retain control of the wealth. Mini-wars often broke out in the streets of town as the opposing sides clashed. Fortunately, they usually ended quickly. Because the majority's loyalty was to the south, Washington, in the heat of battle at home, sent Sidney Edgerton to Bannock, (then Idaho) to assure the north's control of the gold - and to support the cause of his friend, Abraham Lincoln.

Gold! The very word drove many men to insanity. However, the gold found in Alder Gulch not only affected individuals, it had an impact on the entire nation. Control was key. Who would control this rich deposit? The North? The South? Whose land was it? The details of this turbulent time continue to turn up - and Virginia City's historians are faithfully compiling the record.

Gold fever they called it. It drove men from their homes and families. Moving from place to place they chased the 'rumor' of gold. Typically these men only stayed in an area for six weeks - the 'mythical' time it would take them to strike it rich.

To say 'life was hard' is to greatly understate the reality. Miners lived and worked in the worst conditions. They were often exploited, often injured, and many died at a very young age. Violence and cruelty were commonplace. Fights were the norm. The men who escaped accidental death on the mine fields, often succumbed to a bullet in a bar fight. This was life in Virginia City in the mid to late 1800's.

In spite of its violent past, Virginia City did play an important role in the 'culturization' of Montana. It served as Montana's Territorial Capital from 1865 to 1875. The first public school found a home here. The first newspaper as well. The first book published in Montana came from Virginia City's presses.

Today Virginia City is the county seat for Madison County. It stands as a well-preserved testimony to Montana's often violent and yet exciting past.

Nevada City Montana, just a hop, skip, and jump down the road from Virginia City, had a similarly difficult beginning. Gold! Bill Fairweather and Henry Edgar discovered a rich strike in Alder Gulch in the spring of 1863. By fall, 1864, nearly ten-thousand people had flooded into the area. So many small settlements sprang up on the surrounding hillsides the area was called "Fourteen-Mile City". However, Nevada City and Virginia City remained the seats of commerce.

Lawless commerce! This part of the Idaho Territory was so far from 'organized' systems of law, miners organized their own districts, passed their own laws, and elected their own officials. Then came the Vigilantes, or Vigilance Committee. Formed on December 23rd, 1863, the Vigilance Committee would be key players in these rough times - in fact, in scarcely more than a month they would hang 24 men.

Fortunately, not all was violence and death. The 'commercial' district of Nevada City grew dramatically. During its heydey, Nevada City boasted dozens of stores and cabins which extended back about six blocks. However, as the gold disappeared, so did the people.

In just six short years, the population had dropped to one hundred ten. Only two saloons and three generals stores remained of the once booming commercial district. By 1876, Nevada City was nearly a ghost town. In fact, were it not for the stubborn tenacity of the Fran Finney family who lived in the area until 1951, there might have been nothing left for us to see of the once bustling 'city'.

As the placer gold played out, dredges came though to mine out what little precious metal remained. In addition to the destructive aspect of the dredging, the highway department laid out plans to further change the area. However, the Finney children refused to sell out. Cora and Alfred Finney hung on, in spite of pressures to do likewise. Because of their tenacity, the buildings on their side of the highway were spared the wrecker's ball.

Enter Charles and Sue Bovey. The Boveys began collecting buildings in Virginia City and Nevada City in the early 1940's. Today more than ninety buildings line Nevada City's streets. A few are original, many have been moved to the area, and some are 'new' construction.

In 1977, the State of Montana purchased the Bovey properties in both Virginia City and Nevada City - thus further protecting the area for future generations. Today, visitors can shop, dine, and sleep without leaving the atmosphere of 1890's. Fascinating nuggets of history and remnants of the past are scattered throughout the area.

For example, Nevada City's Music Hall was built as the 'Recreation Hall' at Canyon Lodge in Yellowstone National Park, in about 1910. In 1959 it was disassembled and moved to this site. It now contains perhaps the world's largest collection of band organs and music machines on public display. It also serves as home to the largest rifle in Montana. Here you can also view Mutoscopes - the first form of movies  - long before they were shown in theaters.

One other famous Montana building which found a home in Nevada City is the oldest standing school building in Montana. Built in 1867, it began its life in Twin Bridges sheltering children and teachers until 1873. Later it was moved to its current site in Nevada City. All in all, the Montana Historical Society has certified 150 authentic buildings in the Nevada City / Virginia City area.