Wells Fargo Mining Co. - 1879 dated Mining Stock Certificate - Virginia District, Storey County, Nevada

Stock. Virginia District, Storey County, Nevada. Office located in San Francisco, California. Very Rare! Virginia City Historic District is recognized as a National Historic Landmark District, which includes the historic mining communities of Virginia City and Gold Hill in Storey County, along with Dayton and Silver City located to the south in Lyon County, Nevada, United States. This district was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1961 and is one of only six such districts in Nevada. Virginia City served as a model for subsequent frontier mining boom towns, characterized by its industrial growth and urban development. Its prosperity was largely attributed to the discovery of the Comstock Lode in 1859. The town is organized in a grid layout situated 1,500 feet below the summit of Mount Davidson.

The majority of the structures are two to three stories tall, primarily constructed of brick, with ground floors accommodating saloons and retail establishments. Virginia City was notable as the first town to experience a silver rush and to implement large-scale industrial mining techniques. Within just a year of its establishment, the burgeoning town boasted 42 saloons, 42 stores, 6 restaurants, 3 hotels, and 868 residences, supporting a population of 2,345. At its peak in 1863, the population swelled to 15,000. Between its founding in 1859 and 1875, the town experienced five significant fires, with the most devastating being the Great Fire of 1875, which resulted in damages amounting to $12,000,000.