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'United States Department of Interior, Geological Survey, Water Resources Bulletin No. 6.' 'State Engineer of Nevada.' Relief shown by contours. Includes township and range lines. Scale [ca. 1:126,720. 1 in.=approx. 2 miles]. Series: Water resources bulletin (Carson City, Nev.)
no. 6. Originally published as plate 1 in Ground water in Las Vegas, Pahrump, and Indian Spring Valleys, Nevada : a summary / G. B. Maxey and T. W. Robinson, prepared in cooperation with the United States Department of the Interior, Geological Survey, and published as no. 6 of the Water resources bulletin.

From the Elizabeth Harrington Photograph Collection (PH-00291). Inscription with image reads: "First State Bank built in 1906. Notice the cuspidors. Photo taken 1925." - E(lizabeth) Harrington.

The mountains near Virginia City, Nevada. Virga can be seen falling from the clouds. Like many cities and towns in Nevada, Virginia City was a mining boomtown; it developed virtually overnight as a result of miners rushing to the Comstock Lode silver strike of 1859 on the eastern slopes of Mount Davidson. But, Virginia City far surpassed all others for its peak of population, technological advancements developed there, and for providing the population base upon which Nevada qualified for statehood. The riches of the Comstock Lode inspired men to hunt for silver mines throughout Nevada and other parts of the American West. At its peak, Virginia City had a population of over 25,000 residents and was called the richest city in America. Dominated by San Francisco moneyed interests, Virginia City was heralded as the sophisticated interior partner of San Francisco. “San Francisco on the coast and Virginia City inland” became the mantra of west coast Victorian entrepreneurs. Early Virginia City settlers were in large part the backwash from San Francisco and the California Gold Rush, ten years before. Mine owners who made a killing in the Comstock mines spent most of their wealth in San Francisco.