Nevada City, Montana

Coordinates: 45°18′27″N 111°58′05″W / 45.3074°N 111.9681°W / 45.3074; -111.9681 Nevada City was one of the two major centers of Commerce in what was known as one of the "Richest Gold Strikes in the Rocky Mountain West", it shared that role with its sister city Virginia City. The town site is located 1½ miles west of Virginia City, Montana on Hwy 287. Today the town is managed by the Montana Heritage Commission, Department of Commerce, State of Montana. The town consists of an open air museum that includes 108 buildings, 14 buildings are original to the town site. Other businesses in the town are Alder Gulch Accomadations, Nevada City Hotel and Cabins, Just an Experience Bed and Breakfast, The Star Bakery, and the Nevada City Hotel Coffee Shop. Some of the businesses are operational year round, others are operational during the summer season.

Nevada City was a contemporary in settlement with Virginia City, however it was the first to become an incorporated city. On February 9, 1865, it fully constituted a body corporate and politic. The early city limits of Nevada City started 400 feet west of W. R. Lockwood’s house in Central City then went south ½ mile, West 1 ¾ mile, and then south to the place of beginning. (Leeson's History of Montana 1735-1885)

Archaeological evidence found between the Music Hall and the Nevada City Hotel, would indicate earlier than mining era habitation, possibly by white hunters or trappers. The earliest white hunters and trappers in the area had no conscious intention of establishing a city on the site, because the existence of a city would have presumably destroyed their economic base, which was based on the harvesting of beaver.

Nevada City was occupied by residents as early as June of 1863, and its boom era was between 1863 - 1875, many of the early inhabitants moved on to other sites, but a few remained, over the years 14 original structures were preserved and remain in Nevada City, the majority of the buildings present today, were moved in to the Nevada City Street plan by Charlie Bovey, of Bovey Restorations starting in the 1950’s, following his purchase of the property from the Stiles family. Nevada City was one of numerous settlements established along Alder Gulch, surrounding Virginia City, including the camps of Summit, Adobetown, Central City, and Junction scattered up and down the gulch for some 14 miles, was also known as Fourteen-mile City.

Nevada City was populated by placer miners working several mining districts including Browns Gulch just south of the town and Granite Creek, about two miles northwest of Nevada City.

By 1869, the population of the mining camp had fallen to about 100 people. By 1876, Nevada City had all but become a ghost town as the miners moved on to new finds although small mining operations continued to work the original claims for several years. In 1896, the Conrey Placer Mining Company was organized to dredge the gulch for the next 24 years, destroying many of Nevada City’s buildings. The dredges were then disassembled and the heavy wooden barges were left to slowly be reclaimed by nature. Other original Nevada City buildings were destroyed when the highway was built through the area.

Today, the town has been restored as an outdoor living history historical museum, linked by railroad to the Virginia City Historic District with numerous historic buildings, artifacts, and furnishings. It is owned by the State of Montana and operated by the Montana Heritage Commission, with 108 historic buildings from various places around Montana, 14 original Nevada City structures. Nevada City is about 27 miles southeast of Twin Bridges, Montana on Highway 287.

External links

• Nevada City - Outdoor History Museum