Nevada’s mining towns emerged rapidly after James Marshall’s 1848 gold discovery, with the 1859 Comstock Lode transforming Virginia City into a 25,000-resident metropolis. You’ll find these settlements created $700 million in wealth that funded the Union during the Civil War and built San Francisco’s infrastructure. These boom-to-bust communities fostered technological innovations like square-set timbering while supporting vibrant cultural scenes despite harsh working conditions. Their economic legacy continues to shape Nevada’s identity today.
Table of Contents hide
2 The Birth of Nevada’s Mining Frontier (1849-1860)…