Virginia City to recognize 150th anniversary of the Great Fire of 1875

This Sunday marks 150 years since the Great Fire that devastated Virginia City. In remembrance of this event while celebrating the history that allowed the town to rebuild, Virginia City has created a ‘Great Fire of 1875 Visitor Card’ available at the Visitor’s Center.

The card will showcase landmarks impacted by the fire while encouraging guests to visit and learn more about Virginia City’s history. Visitors who return to the Visitor’s Center with a completed card will receive a prize.

The morning of Oct. 26, 1875, forever changed the community when a fire that began in a boardinghouse on A Street tore through the town, fueled by Zephyr winds and the dry timbers of its booming mining community. Within hours, two-thirds of the city was gone, more than 8,000 people were left homeless and losses reached an estimated $10 million. Miraculously, few lives were lost, but the destruction marked one of the darkest days in Nevada’s history.

While the Great Fire of 1875 destroyed much of the original town, it was rebuilt to even greater opulence which can be experienced today and sparked  preservation throughout the decades.

WHEN: Oct. 26, 2025, (150 years to the day since the Great Fire of 1875)

WHERE: Virginia City, Nevada. Cards can be picked up at the Visitor’s Center located at 86 S C St. in Virginia City

Nestled on the mountainside of the Virginia Range, Virginia City is one of the largest historic districts in the United States. Established in the mid-1800s with the discovery of silver, Virginia City became a mining “boomtown” influencing prosperity and culture.

Just 30 minutes outside of Reno, its unique, rich and colorful streets attract tourists from across the globe to experience the hearts of gold, veins of silver and lodes of fun in every historic building, saloon, museum and memorable event. For more information, visit visitvirginiacitynv.com or follow them on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

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