Virginia City Cemetery (Storey County, Nevada)

 

On a windswept hill overlooking Virgina City, timeless reminders of this areas prominent days can be found. In 1859, the first major silver deposit in the United States, the Comstock Lode, was found here. As many a man came here to make seek his fortune in the silver mines, Virginia City quickly exploded into the queen of the boom towns, swelling to a population around 15,000 in the late nineteenth century.

 

As I wander amounst the terraced graves of those laid to rest here, I'm intrigued by many of the burial practices of the time. The majority of the graves are surrounded by ornate fencing of wood or wrought iron. This was apparently a common practice during the Victorian Age. Also, a number of the tombstones are carved from wood. As you can imagine, 120+ years has made much of the text unreadable.

It's also interesting to me that the cemetery is sectioned off by relgious sect with the Mason's claiming the largest area. There are sections for the Hebrews, Roman Catholics, and many others strewn about these hillsides. And also of note, few those laid to rest here were native Nevadans. In fact, I'm fascinated by the number of markers indicating natives of Ireland.

 

All in all, there are a probably a couple of thousand graves here, and nearly all of the markers, fencing, and other ornatmentation are in disrepair. It is humbling though to think of these pioneers and the fortunes they claimed from the earth below us. Now though, they are simply dust in the wind, as we are all destined to become.