jan 1, 1859 - Comstock silver lode discovered in NEvada
Description:
background: when silver.gold was found, people created boomtown and wrote laws to exclude Mexicans, Chinese, and black ppl, ghost towns when resources fadeA vein of silver ore discovered in Nevada in 1859, leading to one of the West’s most important mining booms. The lode was so rich that a Confederate expedition tried unsuccessfully to capture it during the Civil War; its output significantly altered the ratio of silver in circulation, leading to changes in monetary policy.
-built boomtown of Virginia City
-ore gave out in 1880s, Virignia city became a Ghost town (debris, poisoned water sources, and surrounding lands stripped of timber)
Added to timeline:
Date:
jan 1, 1859
Now
~ 166 years ago