Nevada’s Historical Marker 107 is a roadside monument recognizing a significant historical event. These markers commemorate people, places, or occurrences that have shaped the state’s heritage. Marker 107 specifically highlights a transformative moment in the region’s mining past, providing a concise summary of a discovery that reverberated throughout the American West.
The Ophir Discovery
The pivotal event commemorated by Marker 107 began in spring 1859. Prospectors Peter O’Riley and Patrick McLaughlin were searching for gold in Six Mile Canyon. They encountered a heavy, bluish-gray material that continually clogged their gold-washing equipment. As they dug a deeper pit, they unearthed a mixture of “rich black sand” and gold, alongside this blue clay.
News of their find quickly spread, drawing the attention of Henry Comstock, a local prospector who asserted prior claims to the land. Through his persistence, Comstock convinced O’Riley and McLaughlin to include him and his partner, Emanuel Penrod, in their claim, leading to the discovery being referred to as the “Comstock Lode.” Despite its immense future value, the initial discoverers, including Comstock, sold their shares for modest sums.
Significance of the Comstock Lode
The “blue stuff” that impeded early gold seekers proved to be rich silver sulfide ore, marking the first major discovery of silver in the United States. This ignited the nation’s first major silver rush in 1859, drawing thousands of prospectors to the remote Nevada territory. The subsequent boom led to the rapid growth of Virginia City, which transformed into a thriving commercial and industrial center on Mount Davidson’s eastern slopes.
The wealth extracted from the Comstock Lode, estimated at over $400 million in silver and gold, played a substantial role in national affairs. This fortune provided significant financial backing for the Union during the American Civil War, funding military operations. The lode’s economic influence also expedited Nevada’s path to statehood in 1864, solidifying its place in the Union.
Location and Inscription of Marker 107
Nevada Historical Marker 107 is in Virginia City, Nevada, Storey County, on C Street (Nevada Route 341). Its full inscription reads: “Near this spot was the heart of the Comstock Lode, the fabulous 2½ mile deposit of high-grade ore that produced nearly $400,000,000 in silver and gold. After the discovery in 1859, Virginia City boomed for 20 years, helped bring Nevada into the Union in 1864 and to build San Francisco. Seven major mines operated during the boom. Their sites are today marked by large yellow dumps, several which are visible from here – The Sierra Nevada, a mile to your left, the Union, Ophir, Con Virginia, and, on the high hill to the southeast, the Combination. The lode was worked from both ends, north up Cold Canyon and south from the Sierra Nevada and the Utah Mines. Erected by Nevada Centennial Commission.”