Comstock Saloon
by Maria Coulson
Title
Comstock Saloon
Artist
Maria Coulson
Medium
Photograph
Description
In 1859, placer miners and prospectors in the western Great Basin made two amazing strikes of gold and silver ore near Virginia City. The Comstock Lode, as people soon called the ore body, resulted in what would today be billions of dollars in riches. Virginia City became a highly urbanized, industrial setting and by the early 1870s, together with its smaller neighbor, Gold Hill, reached a population of nearly 25,000, becoming one of the nation's larger communities.
Mining camps are known to pass through an evolution of boom, dramatic growth and excitement, and then decline and Virginia City certainly followed that pattern. By the early 1880s, it was becoming clear that the good times were over. It had been years since miners had discovered any new bonanzas, and thousands of people were leaving for better opportunities. By the time of the Great Depression of the 1930s, Virginia City had declined, shrinking into a town of only several hundred people.
Proceeds from the sale of this photograph goes to help orphaned and abandoned children in Colombia South America.
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March 27th, 2014
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