Ponderosa Saloon & Mine

When visiting Virginia City's downtown, it is impossible for any tourist to not stumble across the Ponderosa Saloon and Mine. This piece of Nevada history portrays the mining of silver and gold across its huge historic district. Entering a world of real mine shafts and tunnels, tourists experience a taste of what life was once like for the miners who spent most of their days below ground. The Ponderosa Saloon and Mine is located in Virginia City, right in Nevada's mining district. It is a great spot for family entertainment, set in the downtown core, offering a real experience into the state's mining history. Tours guide guests through very complex and still intact underground min tunnels and shafts. With so much to see and learn, it is a visit that is sure to please. The mine was built during the mid-1850's, one of many facilities dotted around the area. It was one of the larger ones, employing large numbers of prospectors and miners who spent their days chipping away at rock to retrieve many million dollars' worth of silver and gold. In fact, many of the buildings surrounding the mine sprung up into a vast community that at its peak were home to over twenty five thousand people. Tours of the mine are done with friendly guides, qualified miners in their own right. The knowledge they share not only covers the history of the tools, methods, drifts, crosscuts and tunnels within the mine, but insight into how technology and procedures developed as a result, some of which are still used in mines across the world. However, tales of legendary miners abound, making it seem like only yesterday that this once thriving facility was bustling with life. The mine is open throughout the year, from Monday to Sunday, 10 am to 5:30 pm. Admission is $4 for adults and $1.50 for all children below age twelve.