Filed Under Virginia City

Virginia City Historic District

National Historic Landmark

The spectacular gold deposit discovered in Alder Gulch on May 26, 1863, led to the rapid growth of this colorful and legendary gold camp town. Thousands of fortune‑seekers rushed to the area, and by 1864 the Virginia City area boasted 30,000 residents. Rough characters attracted by the gold rush gave Virginia City an unsavory reputation, but these were tempered by pioneers and their families who settled here and helped to shape the new frontier. After the creation of the Territory of Montana, Virginia City became the territorial capital, 1865‑1875, and the Madison County seat. As the gold played out, Virginia City's population dwindled. False-fronted commercial structures, simple log cabins, and frame Victorian residences remained as testimony to the transitory gold rush. Among the first to recognize the historical and architectural significance of Virginia City were Charlie and Sue Bovey of Great Falls. They began to purchase and stabilize some of the fragile buildings in the early 1940s. The Boveys' personal efforts and those of their son, Ford, resulted in the town's designation as a National Historic Landmark and its remarkable preservation as one of the most intact gold rush era towns in the West.

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Audio

It's All a Façade Audio recording about the clever use of materials that create a veneer of civilization in early pioneer buildings. Prepared and recorded by Montana Historical Society staff member Ellen Baumler. Presented on the Soundcloud channel "Montana History on the Go" 2015. Source: Montana History on the Go Creator: Ellen Baumler Date: 2015

Images

Bird's-eye-view of Virginia City in 1868
Bird's-eye-view of Virginia City in 1868 Bird's-eye-view reproduced from a lithograph. Source: University of Montana--Missoula. Mansfield Library
Publisher (original): New York, 1868
Digital Collection: Mapping Montana and the West
Creator: Alfred Edward Mathews Date: 1868
Executive Building, Virginia City, Montana Territory
Executive Building, Virginia City, Montana Territory Executive office on upper floor, Governor Potts, George Callaway at his right on upper porch. Taken before 1875. Stone building in center, the Rodgers House, 2nd door from store Sam Word's office. Catalog #956-311 Source: Montana Historical Society Research Center Photograph Archives, Helena, Montana Creator: E.H. Train; Photographer Date: [no date]
California Blacksmith and Wagon Shop, Virginia City, MT
California Blacksmith and Wagon Shop, Virginia City, MT View of teams of mules with wagons, looking northwest from the corner of Van Buren and Wallace Streets in Virginia City, Montana. Houses visible on hillside in background with people on the porches, several men and boys visible along with a dog and possibly a goat in foreground. Source: PAc 956-113, Montana Historical Society Research Center Photograph Archives, Helena, MT. Creator: A. C. Carter, Montana Picture Gallery Date: Between 1870-1879
Virginia City, Montana.
Virginia City, Montana. Virignia City, Montana. Alder Gulch in foreground. Catalog #956-061 Source: Montana Historical Society Research Center Photograph Archives, Helena, Montana Creator: Unidentified photographer Date: 1866
Virginia City, Montana.
Virginia City, Montana. Virginia City, Montana. From Cemetery Hill looking south up Jackson Street. 1865-1866. Catalog #956-062 Source: Montana Historical Society Research Center Photograph Archives, Helena, Montana Creator: Unidentified photographer Date: c. 1866
Content Corner, Virginia City, Montana
Content Corner, Virginia City, Montana The Governor occupied front rooms, Secretary the far rooms. Catalog #956-124 Source: Montana Historical Society Research Center Photograph Archives, Helena, Montana Creator: Photograph by W.H; Taylor; Helena; Montana Date: March 15, 1905
Montana Territorial Capital, Virginia City, Montana.
Montana Territorial Capital, Virginia City, Montana. Montana Territorial Capital, Virginia City, Montana. Wallace and Jackson Streets. Catalog # 956-127 Source: Montana Historical Society Research Center Photograph Archives, Helena, Montana Creator: Unknown photographer Date: [no date]

Location

As seen on the USGS 15' Virginia City, Montana map, beginning at the northeastern corner of the town limits of Virginia City (point A), the national historic landmark boundary runs southeasterly along the eastern town boundary to the southeast corner (point B); thence southwesterly for about one and a half miles to a peak (point C) approximately 6320 feet in elevation, near the midpoint of the north line of Section 35, T6S, R3W; thence southwesterly for approximately one mile to a peak (point D) located in the northeast quarter of Section 34, T6S, R3W, approximately one-quarter miles southwest of the El Fleeta Mine; thence northwesterly approximately one and three-eighths miles to a peak (point E) located near the southeast corner of Section 21, T6S, R3W, and labeled as 6236 feet in altitude; thence northwesterly approximately one and one-eighth miles to a peak (point F) just south of the midpoint of the north line of Section 22, T6S, R3W, labeled as 5915 feet in altitude; thence southeasterly approximately one and two-thirds miles to the point of origin. Virginia City, Montana | Private | Public

Metadata

The Montana National Register Sign Program, “Virginia City Historic District,” Historic Montana, accessed March 28, 2024, https://historicmt.org/items/show/12.