The entirety of Virginia City, the county seat of Madison County, Montana, is designated a National Historic Landmark District, including some of the surrounding region. Virginia City is a well preserved gold mining town situated about twenty miles west of Yellowstone National Park, although the distance is ninety miles by road. Both Virginia City and Nevada City are within Alder Gulch, the site of the richest placer gold strike in the Rocky Mountains, active throughout the 18th and 19th centuries. The western gold rushes of the 1860s prompted Congress to create five new territories, and Alder Gulch was in Idaho Territory until Montana Territory was created in 1864. Interestingly, Virginia City was first known as Varina City, after Confederate President Jefferson Davis’ wife, but when the official documents were submitted by Dr. G.G. Bissell, the newly elected miners’ court judge, and a Unionist, he submitted the name Virginia instead. Virginia City was named the territorial capital of Montana in 1865 and, at one time, had a population of more than 10,000 people, and more than 1,200 buildings. The discovery of gold in Last Chance Gulch (Helena) began the decline of Virginia City, as many of its residents soon moved. Its population declined to only a few hundred by the early 1870s and never recovered. Today, the city and surrounding region are among the best preserved examples of the placer mining camps that once flourished throughout the western Rocky Mountains. Virginia City is accessed by Montana Highway 287, southwest of Ennis, east of Alder, northwest of Varney, and north of Summit. The Beaverhead National Forest is to the north and south of the town.
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Recommended Resources
Billing itself as the oldest watering hole in Montana, the saloon is located on the west end of town, next to the Opera House in Virginia City, Montana. A history of the building, a calendar of events, hours of operation, menu, and profile of the business is provided.
http://www.baleofhaysaloon.com/
The official county web site offers a gallery of photographs, a calendar of events, job openings, public notices, and a directory of services. County meeting agendas and minutes, departmental contacts, and current proposals are featured.
http://madison.mt.gov/
Advertising itself as Montana’s oldest operating store, the Mercantile has been in business since 1864, and is still in its original location in Virginia City, selling some of the same products that Calamity Jane saw while shopping there, as it specializes in vintage clothing for both men and women.
http://www.ranksmercantile.com/
Town of Virginia City, Montana
The official municipal web site offers a profile of the community, along with meeting announcements and minutes, city design guidelines and policies, information about historic preservation, and various forms and permit applications.
http://townofvirginiacity.com/
Virginia City Preservation Alliance
The VCPA was formed in 1994 for the purpose of preserving, restoring, and displaying artifacts and structures related to the history of Virginia City, Montana. Profiles of several historic local buildings are presented, with a calendar of events, and membership data.
http://www.virginiacitypreservationalliance.org/
Created by the Virginia City Chamber of Commerce, the site offers a history, profile, and a guide to Virginia City, including a calendar of activities and events, a business directory, lodging accommodations, and restaurants. A gallery of photographs is included.
http://www.virginiacity.com/
The former Wells Fargo building in Virginia City, Montana has been a restaurant since the 1950s. Directions, hours of operation, contacts, a menu, and a calendar of events are presented.
http://wellsfargosteakhouse.com/
The site features a group of photographs taken by J.K. McFadden over a two year period, between 1978 and 1980, in Virginia City and the surrounding Madison County, Montana region. Donations and print ordering may be made through the site.
http://www.windowsintime.org/
