[228] -- The Great Fire of 1875

The Great Fire of 1875

Storey County
39.31056, -119.65095

"It's easy to see why this view was called Millionaire's Row. I can only imagine this same scene ravaged and blackened with fire with smoke and embers rising into the air. I just find it sad that the pea-sized tourists down below on C Street might never know about this historic calamity." -- Journal Entry, July 2007

On A Street, 2 blocks south of Taylor Street -- Virginia City
* From C Street, head west (uphill) on Taylor Street to A Street. Turn left to a small outhouse on the left, directly above the Courthouse *

Original Date Visited: 7/7/07

Signed: No

Notes: This one may be the most difficult to find in Storey County. Why? [228] was located in a highly residential section of Virginia City, well away from the main tourist crowd and happenings on C Street. You will quickly find that there is no parking for this marker on A Street either. Instead, park below in the Courthouse parking lot - during the weekends and after the hours of 5pm during the week only. From here, you can hike directly up the hill behind the courthouse for an 'easy' conquering. If you aren't feeling as adventurous, walk around the block up Taylor Street from B Street.

Exact Description:
The most spectacular calamity to befall Virginia City had its origins with fifty feet of the marker. Early on the morning of October 26, 1875, a coal oil lamp was knocked over in a location in a nearby boarding house and burst into flames. Strong winds spread the blaze and thirty-three blocks of structures were leveled. The losses included St. Mary's-in-the-Mountains Catholic Church, the Storey County Courthouse, Piper's Opera House, the International Hotel, City offices and most of Virginia City's business district. The offics and hoisting works of nearby mines were also destroyed and there were several fire-related deaths that day.

A new hydrant system was established after the fire and a number of new hose houses, such as this one, were constructed. This system still serves the community today, together with a volunteer fire department.

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The Great Fire of 1875

On A Street, 2 blocks south of Taylor Street -- Virginia City * From C Street, head west (uphill) on Taylor Street to A Street. Turn left to a small outhouse on the left, directly above the Courthouse *

Next Marker:

On A Street, 2 blocks south of Taylor Street -- Virginia City
* From C Street, head west (uphill) on Taylor Street to A Street. Turn left to a small outhouse on the left, directly above the Courthouse *