When trips to the West Coast of the United States, will surely catch your attention visit a typical western town.
One of the best examples you can find is Virginia City.
It is an old miner town located northwest of Nevada, whose name you will possibly identify as that of the town near the La Ponderosa ranch, from the historical television series Bonanza.
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But this town has another argument to visit it because you should know that Virginia City It is also known as the birthplace in 1863 of the writer Samuel Clemens, known worldwide as Mark Twain.
All the information in detail
Where is Virginia City and what is it like?
Virginia City It is located in northwest Nevada, next to the Lake Tahoe, half an hour south of the city of Reno.
Currently it is not what is known as a ghost town, since it has a population of about 1.000 inhabitants, and has also become a large tourist attraction having more than two million visitors every year.
Surely a good part of those visitors go to Virginia City looking for traces of the aforementioned television series.
What was the Bonanza series like?
"Bonanza" was a popular American television series which aired from 1959 to 1973, making it one of the longest-running television series in history.
Of the western genre and with a family style, it was one of the first television series filmed completely in color, which made it stand out in its time.
Set in Virginia City and its surroundings during the time of the Conquest of the West, and focused on the life of the Cartwright family, owner of Ponderosa Ranch.
The main theme of the series was the fight to maintain peace and order in the border territory, while facing challenges such as outlaws, indigenous tribes and other problems of the time, always with a moral and family focus.
The very popular main characters were Ben Cartwright (interpreted by Lorne Greene), the father of the family, a wise and compassionate man who seeks to maintain peace on his ranch and in the region.
Adam Cartwright (interpreted by Pernell Roberts) was the eldest son, a cultured and educated man who often took charge of the family's intellectual and legal affairs.
Hoss Cartwright (interpreted by Dan Blocker) was the middle son, a strong but kind man, who often took on the most physical and challenging matters.
And finally, Little Joe Cartwright, who was played by M, and who later starred in the also very popular series of “Little House on the Prairie”, was the youngest son, a handsome and charismatic young man who often found himself involved in romances and adventures.
Undoubtedly, "Bonanza" is remembered as one of the most beloved and enduring television series in history, and contributed significantly to the western genre on television.
The best things to see and do when visiting Virginia City
As for the town that gained fame as the film's setting, Virginia City, is one of the oldest in Nevada and, like many other towns in the west, was born due to the discovery of silver mines in 1859.
Due to this mining fever, during its greatest peak Virginia City It once had 30.000 inhabitants, but when silver extraction ended in 1898, its population suddenly declined.
En Virginia City Today, the streets and many houses from the time of its greatest heyday are preserved.
And in fact you can visit some of those houses, like the Fourth Ward School Museum, from 1876, where you can see a sample of the history of virginia city.
You can also take a steam train tour of the historic Comstock mining area, in the vicinity of Virginia City., which was once one of the largest silver mines in the world.
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Mark Twain in Virginia City
During your visit, you can also learn about the history from the stay of the famous writer Mark Twain in Virginia City, although the museum that was in the former headquarters of the Territorial Enterprise, the local newspaper where he worked.
Mark Twain, whose real name was Samuel Langhorne Clemens, arrived in Virginia City in 1861, at the age of 25, a time when the city was experiencing the aforementioned boom due to silver mining.
Twain He had previously worked as a typographer and journalist elsewhere, and it was in Virginia City where he started using the pseudonym "Mark Twain" to sign his humorous columns and journalistic reports.
The experience of Twain en Virginia City, where he could closely observe life in the Wild West, silver mining and the extravagant personalities of the time, served as inspiration for his later works.
To highlight in this sense "Tom Sawyer's adventures" y "The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn".
The Ponderosa in Virginia City
Of course, if your goal is visit La Ponderosa ranch, protagonist of the famous a series of Bonanza, I will tell you that in the 70s it became the Theme Park Ponderosa Ranch.
But, finally, in December 2004 it was closed after being acquired by a billionaire, and remains that way today.
In Virginia City official website You have extensive information about all the sights This historic Nevada mining town.
Map: how to get to Virginia City in Nevada
If you have interest in visit Virginia City, you will find it halfway by car on the route that connects San Francisco y Salt Lake City, as soon as you enter the state of Nevada, half an hour south of Reindeer.
I am also passionate about the series. I don't miss it. I dream of the characters and seeing the beautiful mountains and landscapes with which they recreate the series, as well as Lake Tahoe. A suggestion: Why don't we join our voices and ask the directors of the TCM channel to delight us again with the series from its first season?...
Best regards to all of us who like this wonderful series.
I am a fan of the series. I'm excited, passionate, so right, my dream would be to be able to visit the state of Virginia. But I live in Argentina, I don't know if I could fulfill my dream. I hope
To all lovers of the series, which transports you to your childhood, I say. 15 days ago I arrived where LA PODEROSA is located. The property is fenced, since it was sold, but if you go up 10 meters from the pavement, you can take photos of the place, both the house and the barn, I was very excited to be able to take them, it is true, I went back to my childhood for a while. It is located in LAKE TAHOE. INCLINE VILLAGE. west of usa near San Francisco. The property was bought by a wealthy person, I understand that the government ordered him to maintain the place.
my mail is gcassi@hotmail.com ”' if you want more information.
greetings guillermo cassino
I really like the BONANZA series. I made a 3D painting. IT IS 81cmx1.20, in the windows it has photos of the protagonists of the series. For more information about the painting you can write to my email anyumalujan@gmail.com
I love the series Bonanza, I have watched it since I was a child and I still watch it today, it is a series that leaves many messages, especially about values. You learn a lot with these types of programs.
Monterrey, NL Mexico
Thanks for your comment, Martin.
Tell me how to enter Google Maps or Google Street View, to find the Ponderosa Ranch of the Bonanza. Obrigado, thank you.
What a beautiful serial here in Chile they still show it on the TCM channel) what a shame it can't be visited, I watch it every afternoon to see my cute fat guy (DAN BLOKE). HE WAS A GREAT ACTOR AS WELL AS his colleagues….
Virgina, thank you for your comment.
I keep seeing it here in Argentina, it keeps happening, it's a shame that the ranch and its surroundings are oy private, it should become the cultural heritage of Virginia Citi, tourism would be delighted
I would very much like to visit the Ponderosa do Seriado ranch
Bonanza, I would like to go on some excursion, but I don't know
Where should I go, because I've been to several agencies, and they don't tell me anything, since Ponderosa isn't there either.
open to the public, the time is certain for opening to the public.
If you can help me, I will be very grateful.
RM
Rosa Maria,
The Ponderosa ranch became a theme park in the 70s, but it closed in September 2004, so it cannot be visited.
I would love to visit Virginia City, it would be like a dream. To this day I still watch the Bonanza series. Well, I hope one day I can get to know the United States, an incredible country.