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Virginia City, Montana (1 of 3) July 30-31, 2007. Click here for our Virginia City part 2 Click here for our Virgina City part 3 We are staying in Cameron RV-Park & Store in Cameron, Montana. Cameron is a STORE located 10-miles south of Ennis in the Madison Valley. The Cameron RV-Park is about 12 sites located behind the Store & Saloon (the social gathering place for miles around). The PPA campground is nothing fancy but for the PPA price of $12.50 for FHU it is just fine. The view over the Madison Valley and mountains surrounding Virginia City is worth the $12.50. For those of you that are not familiar with PPA (Pass Port America) it is an organization you can join for less than $50 per-year. Campgrounds that belong to PPA offer 1/2 price discounts. That kind of savings can quickly add up. While participating PPA parks generally have some restrictions on dates the PPA offer is valid, or possibly days of the week the discount is valid, or perhaps the number of days that the PPA discount will be honored the discount is genuine. Many times PPA campgrounds are new campgrounds that need help in getting established. Other times PPA campgrounds may be on the outskirts of town instead of in the "prime" location thus they need to provide an incentive for campers to stay with them. Whatever the reason PPA campgrounds generally provide a much cheaper option. PPA is the only campground organization that I think is worth the cost. PPA does not have a gimic. What you see is what you get. Once you join they send you a directory listing all participating campgrounds. The PPA directory is the FIRST directory we check when trying to locate a place to spend the night. You can join PPA by calling 228-452-9972. If you decide to join PPA, it would be nice if you gave them my number "R-0156251" as the PPA member that told you about PPA. In return PPA will give me $10 cred toward next years membership. I will thank you in advance for that kindness. Thank you.
We visited Virginia City located 14-miles west of present day Ennis several times. Virginia City is a city that has literally stood still in time. Virginia City IS Montana history! Virginia City was making history long before Montana was a state, even before Montana was a "Territory" it was what attracted white men to present day Montana. It was here before the LAW arrived, before government. Now that I have hopefully, gotten your attention let's visit Virginia City. Prospectors found placer gold (gold dust in stream beds) along a streambed choked with alder trees in May, 1863. Remember that this was in the middle of the Civil War (1861 - 1865). Thousands came from every corner of the world to try their luck in the placer mines and, perhaps, to garner a piece of the "gold" treasure. A brief but turbulent period of lawlessness and vigilante justice existed during the Civil War Years. Take a moment and ponder the fact that Virginia City (east end of Alder Gulch) was here as a gold mining Mecca a full year before the Montana Territory was created. Virginia City became the Territorial Capital, but Virginia City's glory faded when placer gold played out and the people moved on. The gold rush in Alder Gulch produced the largest amount of placer gold in the Northwest an estimated $120 million. Placer gold mining, or free gold prospecting, should not be confused with hard rock gold mining. Placer mining involves dust, flakes, and nuggets, while hard rock mining involves veins of ore. Bypassed by the railroad, Virginia City struggled. Gold dredging operations from the 1890's to the 1940's saved the town from total abandonment. Then, Charles and Sue Bovey began buying the dilapidated gold-rush era buildings in the 1940's. Virginia City became one of the first preservation efforts in the West and was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1961. The gold rush-era false-fronts and territorial-period landmarks reflect the optimism of early residents, providing a unique window to the past. Click here for our Virginia City part 2 Click here for our Virgina City part 3
Virginia City looking much like it did back in the 1860's
This is what Virginia City looks like today. Other than the paved road I suspect much of the remainder is as it was long ago.
Nine year old Montana cowboy visiting Virginia City on his horse
This young fellow was 9-years old and was in town on his horse. He said he lived 9-miles west of Virginia City so that put him out Alder Gulch somewhere between Nevada City and Alder. He told us his family kept horses in town. His parents may be the ones running the stage coach or possibly the riding stables at the west end of Virginia City. He told us he was a year older than his horse.
Virginia City Stage Coach tours
We never saw him with the people running this stage coach but there was a good chance he was in town with them. This stage coach is a popular way to learn the history of Virginia City. The only paved road in Virginia City is the highway through town. Side streets are much as they were over 100 years ago.
False fronts on old buildings in Virginia City
Many of these old buildings have false fronts just like they did back in the 1860s.
Horses tied to hitching post on Virginia City's Main Street
Horses are tied to a hitching post on main street. Look closely and see if you can spot the light colored cowboy hat on the little fellow tying that horse to the hitching post. Obviously there was more than one "little-man" visiting town on this day.
Don't forget to look through:
Click here for our Virginia City part 2 Click here for our Virgina City part 3
More Montana AdventuresSome Exciting Drives** More 2007 Travel Adventures
Mike & Joyce Hendrix
Mike & Joyce Hendrix who we are We hope you liked this page. If you do you might be interested in some of our other Travel Adventures: Mike & Joyce Hendrix's home page Travel Adventures by Year ** Travel Adventures by State ** Plants ** Marine-Boats ** Geology ** Exciting Drives ** Cute Signs ** RV Subjects ** Miscellaneous Subjects
We would love to hear from you......just put "info" in the place of "FAKE" in this address: FAKE@travellogs.us Until next time remember how good life is.
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