Virginia City is one of the top historic towns in the country for visitors, a nonprofit said today.
The National Trust for Historic Preservation named Virginia City one of its 2009 Dozen Distinctive Destinations because of its character, history and attractions.
The home of the 19th-century Comstock mining boom will give a visitor a rich sense of the past, the trust said in statement.
Its mines, mansions, saloons and museum show off the history of pioneers and those that made fortunes in the mines, the trust said.
The town in the Comstock National Historic District gives a "true Victorian-era experience" through its board sidewalks, wooden false-front buildings and other attractions, the trust said.
The town enhances the experience through historic street lighting, horse-drawn carriages, trolleys, mine tours and costumed actors, the trust said.
This is the 10th year for the awards that have named 120 destinations in 43 states.
Other destinations named this year include: Athens, Ga.; Bristol, R.I.; Buffalo, N.Y.; Fort Worth, Tex.; Franklin, Tenn.; Hot Springs, S.D.; Lake Geneva, Wis.; Lititz, Pa.; Santa Barbara, Calif.; Santa Fe, N.M. and Saugatuck-Douglas, Mich.
Many people have put their "heart and soul" into Virginia City to make it the popular tourist attraction it is now, said Ron James, state historic preservation officer.
Another distinction confirming the significance of the Storey County town in the mountains that gets about 1.3 million visitors a year is important, he said.
Landmarks like Piper's Opera House are the "rock stars" of Virginia City, he said, but the entire town has been recognized for a long time as important.
Anthony Veerkamp of the National Trust for Historic Preservation said historic towns sometimes fail through either a lack of tourism or too much success that leads to the destruction of "the goose that laid the golden egg."
Places that succeed commit to preserving their history and put it "front and center," he said.
"Virginia City is a great example of that," he said.
The town will kick of its 150th anniversary Feb. 8 when it accepts the award from the trust.
- Contact reporter Dave Frank at dfrank@nevadaappeal.com or 881-1212.
Virginia City will turn 150 years old on Feb. 8, the same day the National Trust for Historic Preservation awards the town one of its 2009 Dozen Distinctive Destinations.