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5 Hauntings in Virginia City
LOCATION:
Virginia City can be found in Nevada,
about 6,220 feet up in the Virginia Range, which is 23 miles southeast
of Reno. From Carson City, follow Highway 50 to Highway 341 north. From
Reno, follow U.S. Highway 395 to Highway 341. Take the Geiger Grade
to Virginia City.
DESCRIPTION & HISTORY:
Virginia City, was originally a mining
town, that sprang up in 1859, because of the rich supply of gold and
silver that was discovered in the nearby mountains. Because of the huge
amount of it found, Virginia City grew from being a mining town, to
a "rich, hopping metropolis," in the middle of nowhere in
the wild west, and became home to many well-to-do, and a support population
as well. Mark Twain spent some time here, and wrote about this city
in the story, "Roughing It." However, in a little less than
20 years of being built, the population began to leave as the gold and
silver mines either began to peter out, or it became too expensive to
get these precious metals out of the mines.
By the mid-twentieth century, Virginia
City, with a fraction of it's old population, had switched its economic
focus from mining to attracting tourists, and survived in pretty good
shape by becoming a popular tourist attraction, as being an authentic
"ghost town." Most of the original main street buildings have
been well kept up, including some places that Mark Twain hung out, and
some of his personal artifacts can be seen in a museum.
MANIFESTATIONS:
Virginia is not only a fine structural
example of a ghost town, it also sports quite of few real ghostly residents
as well, that hang around in various parts of Virginia City.
1) An old House on F Street -
Is the haunting place of "The
Woman In Red," who is said to be the apparition of a former saloon
keeper. This Woman In Red usually likes to rock in the attic's rocking
chair, but also likes to be sociable. Usually at twilight, she has been
spotted, standing on the house's second floor verandah, and will happily
wave at anyone passing by. She also appears to invite her old mining
friends over, as people have seen "hazy forms of miners" socializing
with her on the verandah.
2) At the Virginia City Graveyard -
Julia Bullette, a famous Virginia
City prostitute, is supposedly buried in this nearby graveyard. Many think
that her remains aren't really there, because of what is seen coming up
from her grave. A thin, young woman apparition, definitely not Julia,
has been seen rising up, who is wearing a brown, bustled dress, with a
dark velvet collar. A ghost of a young child is also seen playing at her
feet. As Julia had no children, she probably isn't in her marked grave.
3) Washoe Club -
Located on C street (Highway 341),
in central Virginia City. In the 1870's, this building hosted the Millionaire's
Club, which has a spiral staircase leading up to the second floor.
A) An apparition of a blonde woman,
named Lena by the living, has appeared on this spiral staircase.
B) An apparition of a 13 year old
girl, who was murdered in the basement, has been seen in a second floor
bedroom.
4) Street Sighting -
A) The apparition of Katie Hillyer,
who died in 1968, has been seen hurrying down the street to visit the
bookmobile, which was one of her favorite things to do, as she really
loved books, and was a writer herself. She was dressed in her heavy, old
favorite jacket, and her customary baseball cap.
B) At one of Virginia City's old saloons
- Katie's apparition, described as a "filmy silhouette" was
again recognized, as she was leaning on the bar railing at this favorite
place of hers, when she was living. The apparition would "smile and
nod at others, in a 'detached' sort of way."
Is Virginia City still haunted?
Yes, these hauntings mentioned above
are still occurring.
All Pictures Taken by Tom Carr |
