All prints signed by Daniel Shippey

Graves in The Silver Terrace Cemeteries of Virginia City, Nevada.

Virginia City was a boom town and reached a population of 25,000 in 1875. After the mines declined in production so did the city. Today the town has around 850 residents. These cemeteries offer a great view of the true Old West mining town and the arid landscape surrounding it.

The Silver Terrace Cemeteries are a series of terraces situated on a hillside on the edge of Virginia City, Nevada. Nearly every plot is fenced with wrought iron, typical of the Victorian era. These burial grounds date back to the 1860s and house the remains of the people who built the town essentially. None of them are necessarily famous. These people worked in the silver mines and operated general stores in town. Everyday people.

Very few adults buried here were actually born in Nevada. They were born in the East in traveled West. Many of the headstones make note of the birthplace of the individuals, giving a small glimpse into the scope of immigration that helped built the town.

The cemeteries are of historic significance and qualified for the "Save America's Treasures" grant through the National Park Service. Basically these burial sites are outdoor museums which is pretty awesome.

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