Virginia City Historic District

Virginia City grew up almost overnight after gold was found in Alder Gulch on 26 May 1863, and it was the capital of Montana Territory from 1865 until 1875, when the seat of government moved to Helena. It is now one of the best-preserved frontier towns in the American West. The town has nearly 300 structures, and almost half of them were built before 1900. The district was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1961 (some sources give 1962).

Wallace Street is the heart of it, and many of its 19th-century buildings are kept as they were rather than modernised. Notable survivors include the Gilbert Brewery, founded in 1866, and the Thomas Francis Meagher House. Montana's first newspaper, the Montana Post, was printed here from 27 August 1864. On the hill above town, Boot Hill holds the graves of five alleged road agents hanged by the vigilantes in January 1864: Jack Gallagher, Boone Helm, "Clubfoot" George Lane, Hayes Lyons and Frank Parrish. It is also a good viewpoint over the town.

The town's survival owes much to Charles and Sue Bovey, who bought up and restored many of its buildings from the 1950s. The state of Montana later bought most of the Bovey properties, and the Montana Heritage Commission, with technical help from the National Park Service, now runs them, along with Nevada City, gold panning and the Alder Gulch Short Line train. In 2026 the Virginia City Opera House, a converted stone barn, was taken over by the University of Montana Western theatre programme, which kept the tradition of summer melodrama and vaudeville.

Virginia City itself is open all year, and about 200 people live here, but the summer season runs from Memorial Day weekend to Labor Day. That is when the train runs, the Opera House performs and most lodging, food and shops are open. In 2026 the train ran from 23 May to 7 September; adult round-trip fares were $10. After Labor Day most attractions wind down, and in winter most businesses are closed, though the streets can still be walked.

Allow half a day for Virginia City and Nevada City together. Public restrooms are at the Virginia City depot and the Bovey Visitor Center.