According to folklore, James Fennimore, nicknamed Old Virginny Finney, christened the town when he tripped and broke a bottle of whiskey at a saloon entrance in the northern section of Gold Hill, soon to become Virginia City.

[10] In another story, the Ophir Diggings were named in honor of Finney as he was "one of the first discoverers of that mining locality, and one of the most successful prospectors in that region".

[11] 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.

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.

German engineer Philip Deidesheimer created a timbering system for mining tunnels called square sets, which enabled the retrieval of huge amounts of silver ore in a safe manner.

[12] Square set timbering, roots blowers, stamp mills, the Washoe Pan milling process, Cornish pumps, Burleigh machine drills, wire woven rope, miners' safety cages and the safety clutch for those cages; even the Sutro tunnel all had a place in supporting the exploitation of the rich ore body.

The wealth supported the Northern cause during the American Civil War and flooded the world monetary markets, resulting in economic changes.

The riches of the Comstock Lode inspired men to hunt for silver mines throughout Nevada and other parts of the American West.

The city included gas and sewer lines, the one hundred room International Hotel with elevator, three theatres, the Maguire Opera House, four churches, and three daily newspapers.

[15] Early Virginia City settlers were in large part the backwash from San Francisco and the California Gold Rush, ten years before.

Miners largely from Cornwall, England, where tin mines had been developed based on hard rock technology, flooded the Comstock.

[19] In 1870, Asians were 7.6% of the population, primarily Chinese workers who settled in many western towns after they had completed construction of the transcontinental railroad.

John Mackay and partner James Fair began as common miners, working their way up to management positions in the mines.

These harsh conditions contributed to a low life expectancy, and earned miners the nickname of Hot Water Plugs.

Clemens' second return occurred in 1868 at the time of the hanging of John Millian, who was convicted of murdering the well-liked madam Julia Bulette.

[citation needed] Virginia City has a hot-summer mediterranean climate (Csa) with warm to hot summers and cooler and rainier winters.

Several bed and breakfast facilities are based in restored historic homes including: the B Street House Bed and Breakfast, previously the Henry Piper House, which is listed on the National Register; Edith Palmer's Country Inn and Core Restaurant in the restored 1860s Cider factory; and the 1876 Cobb Mansion.

Virginia City also hosts many unique and authentic event celebrations including cook-offs, parades, and Civil War re-enactments.

Virginia City retains an authentic historic character with board sidewalks, and numerous restored buildings dating to the 1860s and 1870s.

The Fourth Ward School Museum brings Comstock history to life in interactive displays, and a restored 1876 classroom.

Points of interest include the Comstock Historic Walking Trail, where hikers can view the Pioneer Cemetery, site of Julia Bulette's grave, the Combination Mine Shaft, and Sugarloaf Mountain.

Other attractions include the Silver State Police Officers' Museum in the Storey County Courthouse, complete with jail cells from the 1870s; The Way It Was museum on Sutton and C Streets, the Fireman's Museum with authentic Victorian firefighting equipment on display, the Chollar Mine tour, Ponderosa Mine Tour, Silver Terrace Cemetery, Presbyterian Church dating to 1862, St. Mary's of the Mountain Catholic Church (c. 1876), St. Paul's Episcopal Church, and St. Mary's Art Center, offering lessons and retreats.

Piper's Opera House occupies the corner of B and Union Streets and is open as a museum when not a host to shows and musical venues of many types.

Other trains are pulled by historic locomotives on weekdays between Virginia City and Gold Hill on 35-minute round trips.