"The rise and decline of
the fabulous
Comstock Lode is the
stuff of Western legend.
No other place or
site can tell ordinary
peoples myriad stories
like the Comstock
cemeteries - often the
only monument to their
lives and times"
Michael A. Bert Bedeau,
Member, Board of Directors
Preserve Nevada
For more information contact
Candice Wheeler
Executive Director/President
Comstock Cemetery Foundation
P.O. Box 1172
Virginia City, NV 89440
(775) 847-0281
candace1225@msn.com
Photos by
Marilyn Newton
photographer for Alkali Angels
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Comstock Cemeteries
Gold Hill * Virginia City * Storey County
Summary
The Silver Terrace and Gold Hill cemeteries are a collection of graveyards dating from the Comstock era that stand as a memorial to the laborers who worked and sometimes died in the mines near Virginia City and Gold Hill.
The collection lies within the boundaries of the Virginia City National Historic Landmark, which the federal government designated in 1961 to commemorate the history of the mining frontier. In 1859, Virginia City
and the surrounding area burst into prominence and fame because of the Comstock Lode discovery, one of the richest ore strikes in the world. During the Civil War and the three decades that followed, gold and silver
were mined in record amounts, aiding the industrial revolution in the United States.
The Landscape
Silver Terrace includes 11 graveyards on about 30 acres at Virginia Citys northeastern edge. The five Gold Hill cemeteries lie west and south of Main Street in the historic town of Gold Hill.
In their glory days, the cemeteries were a collection of Victorian parks, spilling across the desert landscape in a green patchwork of flowers and shrubbery and neatly painted fences.
The Comstock sites also feature architectural elements associated with the Victorian era: intricate ironwork, ornate marble, zinc and stone monuments and handcrafted wooden structures.
The Threat
The lack of a comprehensive treatment plan for the cemeteries has led to inconsistent and minimal planning as well as inadequate protection  and preservation of these treasures. The burial sites are threatened by erosion, Fire, vegetation encroachment, past mining activities, inappropriate restoration efforts, vandalism and neglect.
According to the Comstock Historic District Commission: one item per day is stolen from the Silver Terrace Cemeteries; 70 percent of visitors seeking relatives are unable to locate their burial sites because of vandalism or neglect; of the nearly 5,000 people interred in the cemeteries, only 1,500 of their burial sites can be identied today; in many places, caskets are only three to five inches from the surface and in others, artifacts are almost buried; and vandalism - including gravestone rubbings, marker devastation and theft - occur frequently.
The Solution
The key to protecting these sites is education and understanding of the unique physical and cultural environment. To achieve this, the Comstock Cemetery Foundation has created and is implementing
a fve-year plan.
- Phase I: Cultural resource activities
- Phase II: Master preservation plan and technical studies
- Phase III: Construction and implementation of the plans
- Phase IV: Public access and interpretation
Funding is required to meet the needs of the fve-year plan and to help protect and preserve the cemeteries as an important piece of Nevada's history.
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