VIRGINIA CITY, Nev. — The Comstock History Center Museum presents a new historical photo exhibit, “Vanishing Icons: A Look Back at Comstock Mines and Mills.”
The exhibit features 16 large-format, black-and-white photographs taken during a documentation project in 1980. The documentation project recorded the remains of historic mine and mill sites dating back to the late 1800s and 1900s throughout Virginia City, Gold Hill, Silver City and Dayton.
As part of the Historic American Engineering Record, the project was sponsored by the U.S. Department of the Interior and conducted by the National Park Service. It involved surveying, photographing and creating a written description of the structural remains of each mine or mill, including historical, operational and architectural data. Until now, those images have never been displayed publicly.
“This is a fascinating and historically significant exhibit,” Rebecca Palmer, state historic preservation officer, said.
The Comstock History Center Museum is at 20 N. E St. in Virginia City. Hours are from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Thursday and Friday; 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday. Admission is free.
The Comstock Historic District Commission encourages preservation of the Comstock Historic District, one of the nation’s largest and most significant landmarks. It is also one of the most visited historic sites in the state, second to Hoover Dam. The commission issues construction permits, educates the public and promotes special programs. The commission also provides guidance to federal agencies working within the district and provides public education focused on historic resources.
