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.
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 series 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 the 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.
Beautiful and unforgettable series
The best of television from the 50s, 60s and 70s.
How can we forget this series, which left us with so many lessons in each episode. I found it on YOU TUBE and every time I can I watch it, they are unforgettable.