virginia city national historic landmark

Take a Saturday drive to visit Virginia City, Montana! You'll be surprised to stop in to the Artisans & Growers Guild Farmers' Market, 2nd Saturday/month,filled with delicious fire-baked breads, local fruit jams, baked goods & to top it off, lots of good cheer!

This place is fantastic. Went on a small tour that was a bit rushed you need to go on a weekend and spend some time there. The town is presented as it was in the Wild West days, with locals dressed up as Cowboys, sheriffs and miners.(we went back on a week day there's was no characters dressed up)which took something away from the vibe. There was timed shows and all the Cowboys etc were obliging for photos. Shops and bars were good there's one bar with a suicide table that has a checkered past. The Bucket of Blood bar was a hit with my husband. There's a local called Stinky with his mule he asks for a donation for a photo. It's a pity they let cars/traffic in main streets. Wooden side walks and rustic buildings are awesome. Lots of memorabilia to look at and nick nacks to buy. Loved it would highly recommend it.

what a amazing place to visit full of character this is were it all began with the mining of gold . There is lots for families to see and do when we were there we saw a wedding happening we also watched how fudge is made . we also enjoyed a lovely meal , The history is of this town is amazing you need at least a few hours to wonder around. The shops have lots of antiques and some good gift ideas well worth a visit .

Featured many times in the vintage cowboy show 'Bonanza' and even watching any of those shows, it is easy to see some of the same old premises like 'The Bucket of Blood' saloon.It gets a bit too busy and too 'touristy' during peak seasons but to get a proper look, go in winter or at night when just the locals are about.

I grew up in Montana and remember visiting Virginia City frequently when I was a child. I always loved it. I decided to take a road trip and pass through here again for memories. I was not dissapointed and I still love it. It is a bit touristy but maybe it has been all along and I just dont remember it that way but i was a kid. It all seems the same with the wooden sidewalks, rustic buildings... I still love coming here and if you are in Montana this should not be missed. there are several restraunts, bars & gift shops and some little places you can go into and look at yesteryear memorabila.

While looking at Montana websites and planning a road trip for this year, I came across information on Virginia City. I decided that I must make the time to go visit there even if it was a little out of the way. To get there, you take back roads well off I-90 that seem to be in the middle of nowhere. Even so, the scenery is beautiful, and there are interesting historical signs along the way. Services are few and far between, but there is a rest stop in Twin Bridges if you need it. When we arrived in Virginia City, after going through Nevada City, it was like we had stepped back in time. Being an Old West history fanatic, I could hardly contain myself. I had to take pictures of everything! We took the vintage fire engine tour, which was very interesting. The guide drives along the streets and points out various homes or businesses and how they were significant. The tour also includes the Boot Hill cemetery - from there is a fantastic view of the town below. We had lunch at the Bale of Hay Saloon; a limited menu, but we enjoyed it. Don't miss Rank's Mercantile, the longest continually operating mercantile in Montana. They have everything from souvenirs to vintage-style clothing. We enjoyed the shops, as well as the buildings that you could look into that were set up like they would have been in the 1800s. Be advised that around mid-September, the town pretty much closes down for the season except for a few businesses. (We were there the first week in September, and we missed riding the train that they have there as it was already done for the season.) As for fees, the town itself is free, but any tours will cost (i.e., fire engine, train).You will want to spend an entire day here. Kids who are interested in cowboys and western things would enjoy this. If you are a history buff, you will be in heaven!

An old mining town that has transformed, and saved itself from extinction, into a fun tourist attraction.Many of the old buildings have survived along the main street with numerous casinos, bars and eating houses vying for business. Gift shops abound - from the tacky to the up - market, all adding to the atmosphere in their own way.Take to the side streets and dig a little deeper and you find some interesting buildings and features that are not, at first, apparent. There is something for everyone here !Add it to your list of 'must sees' if you are in the Carson City area.

While vacationing at Big Sky, Montana, my wife and I drove the 100 road miles to Virginia City. The small town, largely constructed in the 1880s and '90s, provides an interesting visual tour of Victorian-era homes and businesses in the West. We visited in mid-October when nearly all the local businesses were closed for winter, so perhaps visitors in the summer months will be more likely to rate the town as "outstanding." After driving around the town, we stopped on the main street and ate a delicious lunch at the funky Outlaws Cafe & Antique Shoppe. My wife was also intrigued by the variety of dresses, hats and other merchandise in the Mercantile shop across the street from the cafe. What makes this town interesting -- and worth a day trip -- are the well-preserved residences and businesses, which provide an historical perspective on life in the West in the late 1800s.

This is the closest you can get to a real USA ghost town that just shut down and closed its doors over a 100 years ago. Shops, workshops just closed down at the end of the gold rush leaving shop goods / tools left in place. Thanks to the locals (190) saving the town its a real step back in time. We visited mid October when most of the tourist attractions had closed down and it gave the place a distinct surreal feeling - fabulous. Look up Dave Walker an ex uk guy from the Midlands of England who's played with lots of famous 60's bands and say hi from Derek, he's great. Also don't miss Boot Hill above the town. I could say lots more, just visit you won't be dissapointed.

Some of the shopkeepers simply walked out and locked their doors back when the gold mining town's population of 10,000 in the 1860's dwindled when the gold petered out. Thanks to the Boveys, this historic town was preserved and is open for people to see how life was in the 19th century. It truly is amazing!

This is clearly a town that takes such pride in their history, and wants to share that with everybody. I highly recommend this gem of a town. Kudos to this city's leaders, mayor.. nothing here says "tourist trap" nor are you nickel and dimed. Thank you!

Great time visiting Virginia City. Looked for Little Joe and Hoss but we must have missed them...downed our sorrows in the Bucket of Blood Saloon. Great view out the back window and old time memorabilia all over. A museum in a bar if you ask me. Highly recommended :)

We took our son, daughter-in-law, 3 grandchildren, and our 10 year old daughter to VIrginia and Nevada Cities. What a fun time! They have passes now that let's you ride the train back and forth between the citites and pan for gold and get discounts at the local merchants. We got old time photos done and ate homemade ice cream and walked the streets. The kids enjoyed looking back in time thru the windows. As a matter of fact, I would LOVE to live here or at the very least, own a little get away cottage that we could visit on the weekends. Just a truly friendly and unique experience. OH and the highlihgt was the old time arcade. Come with LOTS of nickels and quarters and let everyone see a little bit of old time fun!

It is fun and free to just walk down the main street and poke your head into all the storefronts that look straight out of 100 years ago. They are interspersed with shops that are open for business making a very interesting blend of past and present.

We were referred here from a lady in Butte. What a welcome surprise. We enjoyed walking through the town looking into the past. They literally have stores, barbershop, soda shop, blacksmith, post office. Set up as of days of old. You get a glance back in time. Not to mention that the candy shop (delicious), and the homemade ice cream was absolutely delicious! A wonderfully fun afternoon. Children of all ages can enjoy this