First Presbyterian: Closer To God At 6,148 Feet

by Glenn Franco Simmons

One has to love a church whose website declares: “Closer to God at 6,148 Feet. First Presbyterian Church is a Perfect Place for Imperfect People.”  

Don’t you love the sense of humor and the biting realism of how imperfect we all are? 

I toured the church a few years back, but I was not using my smartphone for blogging then; I was using my professional-grade 35mm cameras and lenses and did not have them with me. 

Its “Welcome” on the website also says: “Located at 6,148 feet in elevation and nestled in the heart of historic Virginia City, First Presbyterian Church has been helping the people of Virginia City to get closer to God for more than 150 years. 

“Join us for a new video-based Bible Study that explores the ‘back story’ behind the disciples whom Jesus called. This study will take place following the worship service.  There will be time for discussion following the study.” 

There are also historic church tours, and I can say that from personal experience, they are worth it. If you live locally, take several. The information gleaned about Virginia City, the church and anecdotes vary and I am sure most people will love it, particularly history buffs.

“Are you looking for things to do in Virginia City? Step back in time with a tour of this historic church built in 1862,” states the church’s website. “Tours of First Presbyterian Church are available during most major community events and by appointment. Contact the church at (775) 410-1218 for more information.” 

1925 photo by Dressler. Courtesy of the University of Nevada, Reno.

You can view the church’s photo gallery at this link. 

First Presbyterian Rev. Rebecca Watkins, who lived in Ely, Nev., from 1961-64, earned a Master’s of Divinity at Eastern Baptist Theological Seminary in Wynnewood, Penn. 

According to the church’s website, The Rev. Watkins served as pastor of Lee Vining, Calif.’s Community Presbyterian Church. 

She is an ordained Presbyterian pastor and a Nevada Presbytery member.

(Note that the photos were taken 100 years apart.)

Desert Rose Ranch: A Must-see

Big Ben Franklin, a Mammoth donkey, and Amanda at Desert Rose Ranch.

 by Glenn Franco Simmons

Settle in at whimsically crafted picnic tables, hop aboard donkey-led carriage rides, try your hand at authentic gold panning, embark on artifact scavenger hunts, and admire masterful woodcarvings.

You can do all this and much more at Gold Hill’s Desert Rose Ranch.

With delights tailored for grown-ups and children alike, this enchanting Comstock oasis truly has it all.

Nestled along the historic Highway 341 on Occidental Grade, the ranch is a charming, old-school roadside gem designed to enchant visitors of all ages.

Goats, rabbits and chickens are a great way for people of any age to meet farm critters.

Even though the picturesque ranch is located a few stones’ throw from Fourth Ward School on the Truck Route (not Highway 342), this is Gold Hill, not Virginia City.

In a joint statement on their website, Paul and Amanda, a devoted husband-and-wife team, said, “We built our small ranch on top of the overburden piles from the Ward Mine which operated in the late 1800s. We are open Thursday to Sunday 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and we’re looking forward to sharing all of the fun on the Ranch with you!”

A beautiful vista.

From atop the mine piles, you will enjoy priceless vistas of the serene Carson River Watershed and the majestic, purple-hued Sierra Nevada peaks in the distance.

Amanda and Paul have transformed Desert Rose Ranch into a welcoming haven complete with ample parking, open picnic areas, and endless family-friendly adventures.

A beautiful vista & a place to look for gold. All photos: CC BY-NC-ND 4.0. Desert Rose Ranch may use any photos for any purpose.

I have covered small communities for years, and something like Desert Rose Ranch is a one-off in my journalism (now retired) career. It really is. Local schools would be wise to tour it, if they don’t already. It really is a Comstock treasure.

Walking a short distance with Amanda, I was pleased to see a first-class donkey riding arena stocked with rescued BLM burros. The donkeys all had names and stories, Amanda said. (I would like to do a full feature or two on Desert Rose Ranch, so I’ll save what I learned for a more thorough and formal interview, so I get the names and stories accurate, if Amanda and Paul are willing.)

Carriages purchased from the Amish.

Nearby is the gentle giant Big Ben Franklin ~ a huge but gentle and Mammoth donkey ~ plus chickens, rabbits and really friendly goats.

“All donkeys but our Mammoth Jack Donkey have been adopted from the Bureau of Land Management, gentled and trained to pull wagons,” they noted on their website. “We have a smooth path that meanders around the ranch that our donkeys pull a wagon on. This is a safe, contained space to experience a wagon ride with your family and learn a little about donkeys, wagons and the Ward Mine that is also on the property.”

And those wagons? Ordered from the Amish in Pennsylvania. No, kidding. Quite amazing, isn’t it? What a special place.

Julia Bulette.

When I was there, I also saw goats, chickens and bunnies.

“All of our farmyard animals were adopted, rescued or donated and provided a safe and loving existence here at the Ranch,” they noted. “All of our small barn animals were born and/or raised around people and are very gentle. There is an intimate small barn corral where the pigs, goats, chickens and bunnies enjoy being petted and fed. The animals like to be petted and fed to each person’s comfort level.”

That corral is the perfect place for anyone of any age to go in and interact with traditional farm and/or ranch animals. Worthy of school trips, for sure.

In terms of gold prospecting, Paul found a piece of ore with some gold and gave it to me. He kindly looked at some rocks I had gathered earlier on Six Mile Canyon Road, and he said they had gold in them. He was able to tell by a small magnifying glass, but I couldn’t see it because of my eyesight. But I am sending the rocks to my twin grandsons.

The V&T, always a welcome site.

He also demonstrated how to break ore down, so be sure to ask him to show you how to do that.

Their commentary on the website also explains why such ore can be found: “We are located on a mountain of old mine tailings and overburden piles that contain quartz crystals, placer gold and a vast assortment of other rocks and minerals,” they noted. “We provide a small kit, rock identifier map of the Ranch and instructions on how to prospect on the Ranch. It is self-guided, and we are bordered on all sides by BLM land, so you have an unlimited area to explore. It is not hard to find assorted minerals including gold, but it does take some intention and patience, but it does pay off. Yes, gold is found and yes you get to keep all that you find.”

“Placer gold is a form of naturally occurring gold that has been eroded from its original hard rock (lode) source through weathering, water flow, or glacial action, and deposited in loose sediments like riverbeds, stream gravels, or alluvial plains,” according to Grok AI. “Unlike lode gold, which remains embedded in quartz veins or ore bodies, placer gold appears as flakes, nuggets, or dust in these unconsolidated deposits, making it easier to extract without heavy machinery.”

Paul is also a talented woodcarver who carved the beautiful wooden sculpture of Julia Bulette at the yummy Virginia City Canvas Café. There is an excellent Press-Democrat article about Paul that is worth reading. You may also view some of his sculptures on his Instagram page.

Virginia City's Savage Mansion Victorian Splendor

© GTFS. CC BY-NC-ND 4.0. 2019.

(Reprint from Silver State Backroads, 2019)

by Glenn Franco Simmons

Hidden below the main street of Virginia City is an example of Victorian splendor.

It's a refined beauty painted in a beautiful yellow that would make envious two of California's cities with significant preserved Victorian structures — The Victorian Seaport of Eureka and The Victorian Village of Ferndale (located on the isolated Redwood Coast closer to Oregon than San Francisco and where I grew up and worked most of my life).

Rising out of a steep hillside at 146 D  St. in the epicenter of the richest U.S. silver ore discovery is the Savage Mining Building, also known as the Savage Mansion.

"This magnificent 21-room Second Empire Style building was constructed by the Savage Mining Co. in 1861," according to the National Park Service's webpage about what is often referred to as the Savage Mansion.

"The ornate building is an excellent example of the architectural elegance associated with the offices and residences of the mining elite," the NPS states. "The top two floors of the building served as the mine superintendent's residence, while the ground floor was the mine office."

Example: Lincrusta frieze. Courtesy of Wikipedia. Public domain.

The beautifully adorned building is privately owned. I'm not sure of its current status, but it remains well-preserved.

"{It} has been restored with attention to its distinctive architectural features, such as the mansard roof, dormer windows and delicate gingerbread trim," according to the NPS. "The interior boasts 14-foot-high ceilings, a seven-foot copper bathtub, a {Lincrusta} frieze in the main hallway and early Victorian furnishings."

Aside from its architectural important, the Savage building is also historically important — perhaps most notably because a U.S. president once spoke there to a gathered crowd who must have been impressed that so distinguished a person would make a stop in the Comstock capital.

"Ulysses S. Grant is said to have stayed in the house in 1879 and addressed crowds in a speech from the porch. During this time, a Mrs. Monoghan, whose husband had been killed in one of the mines, served as a housekeeper to the superintendent.

"When the mines closed down in 1918, the Savage Mining Co. deeded the land, house and furnishings to Mrs. Monoghan."

In the rough-and-tumble and oft-greedy world of The Comstock Lode, such a gesture was probably not too common.

When I was there in 2019, a very nice woman came out of the building and moved her car for me so I could get some better shots, which I appreciated a lot.

© GTFS. CC BY-NC-ND 4.0. 2019.

"The term 'mansion' has been liberally applied in the Comstock to include any large and vaguely residential building," the NPS sates. "This has been done for promotional purposes and is far from being an accurate characterization. Even the most elaborate dwellings in Virginia City would be considered no more than ordinary houses in any urban setting.

"In the case of the Savage, Gould & Curry and Chollar properties, all referred to as mansions, the term is a complete misnomer, having been applied to buildings that served primarily as offices for major mining companies."

Hmmm. Not where I come from. Call it what you want, it's a true beauty.

Gold Hill's 1937 Ford Dump Truck

An old Ford dump truck in Gold Hill, Nev. CC BY-NC-ND-4.0

"Based on the truck's distinctive features — like the slanted hood line, separate fender-mounted headlights, horizontal-bar grille, suicide-style doors, and stake-sided dump bed — this is a Ford Model BB series heavy-duty dump truck from 1937," according to Grok. "These were common in mining areas like Gold Hill, Nev., often painted yellow for visibility and safety."

If that analysis is incorrect, please let me know in comments. 

An old Ford dump truck in Gold Hill, Nev. © Glenn Franco Simmons. CC BY-NC-ND 4.0.

Rest Easy, Sagebrush Kin

Public domain.

Rest Easy, Sagebrush Kin

Among Virginia City's legendary lore are heroes,

Where silver ghosts whisper through weathered boards,

Beloved banners sway like old miners' flags unfurled,

Against the vast sky's forgiving blue ~

Souls woven in the earth, forever held

In the Silver State's heart, where the wild winds renew.

Rest easy, kin of the sagebrush plains;

Your light endures in this Western town's timeless veins.