60 Years of Camel and Ostrich Racing! Did you even know that there was such a thing? Right here in the good old US of A?

60 Years of Camel and Ostrich Racing!

Camel racing at its best!
Photo Credit: Website/Liz Huntington

60 Years of Camel and Ostrich Racing! on the Comstock is an event that is now almost as historic as the town it calls home, Virginia City, Nevada. Historic Virginia City, Nevada, is known for two things: silver, and quirky special events. The International Camel and Ostrich Races first took place here 60 years ago this September, and the tradition has ingrained itself as a piece of the town’s identity. September 6-8, 2019, celebrate the event that brings camels, ostriches, zebras and a whole host of other critters to this historic mountain mining town, along with the daring jockeys to race them and crowds to cheer them on.

The Races

The first camel race in 1959 was the result of a sort of rivalry between the Territorial Enterprise, Virginia City’s newspaper (which is known for hiring Mark Twain’s for his very first writing job) and the San Francisco Chronicle. It began as a hoax when the editor of the Territorial Enterprise printed a fictitious story about camel races in Virginia City. The editor of the San Francisco Chronicle reprinted the story. The Chronicle editor was not happy about falling for the hoax so the following year he sent a team to race in Virginia City with a camel that he borrowed from the San Francisco Zoo. And so a tradition had begun.

Ride ’em Ostrich boy!
Photo Credit: Website

“Even though this event has lived for 60 years, we see it as more than just a tradition,” Deny Dotson, director of tourism for the Virginia City Tourism Commission, said. “While we continue to improve the event year over year with more shows, more features and more fun for the whole family to enjoy, we don’t want to lose sight of the history of the event and our town.” The International Camel & Ostrich Races take place at the Virginia City Arena and Fairgrounds, located on F Street. For the first time, in 2019, Hot Camel Nights offers a Friday evening race, giving the opportunity to beat the September heat and enjoy Virginia City’s nightlife afterward. Ticket are available now online at VisitVirginiaCityNV.com. Pricing is as follows: Friday, Sept. 6, 2019 General Admission – $12 General Admission – $12 Premium Shaded Seating with wait service – $15 Kids (3-12)/Seniors General Admission – $8 VIP Seating – $55 (includes tent and dinner) Saturday, Sept. 7, (both shows) and Sunday, Sept. 8, 2019 General Admission – $15 Kids (3-12)/Seniors General Admission – $12 Premium Shaded Seating – $25 VIP Seating – $55 (includes tent and lunch/dinner)

Virginia City History

The history and stories of Virginia City are as unique, rich and colorful as the streets and buildings themselves. One must see Virginia City to even remotely understand it. It’s a living, breathing example of America’s fortitude and desire to achieve.

Virginia City was once  a thriving, vibrant metropolis of 25,000 residents. Located about 35 miles southeast of Reno in the Virginia Range and in the shadow of Mount Davidson. Those hills made millionaires. Silver and gold was buried deep beneath her streets and men and women traveled from around the world to live and work. Miners pulled millions of dollars from shafts and tunnels 3,000 feet beneath the thriving town. The spirit of those Comstock “originals” still inhabits the places where they once worked, lived, worshiped, educated and died.

Today, visitors to Virginia City can walk with these past residents. Pack your passion and imagination for this authentic step back in time.

The 19th-century mining bonanza that turned Virginia City into the most important industrial city between Denver and San Francisco, was the result of the Comstock Lode. A rich deposit of silver ore discovered by Henry Comstock, part-owner of the property on which it was discovered, in June 1859. Getting his nickname for only making pancakes for breakfast, Henry T. “Pancake” Comstock was referred to as one of the original finders of gold in Gold Canyon, just south of Virginia City. Comstock was said to have been lazy, employing American Indians on his claims, and was a fast-talker. Since he was on the scene of the original findings, his name stuck almost instantly.

The riches helped finance the U.S. government during the Civil War, as attested by a museum named after General Ulysses Grant. In fact, silver from Virginia City may have helped save the Union. It also helped build empires around the world. Among the finest examples is San Francisco, a city built with Comstock silver.

The Ophir, Gould, Curry and Consolidated Virginia mines — those consisting of the “Big Bonanza” of 1873 — produced at least $300 million in mineral deposits and made telecommunications giant John Mackay a virtual overnight millionaire. The Comstock King spent millions of those proceeds on Nevada’s School of Mines located on the University of Nevada, Reno campus where his namesake adorns many of the buildings on campus including a statue on the quad. In addition to Mackay, Fair, Flood and O’Brien comprised the remaining “Bonanza Kings.” Other notable icons of the Comstock included engineer Adolph Sutro, who later became Mayor of San Francisco, banker William Sharon, entrepreneur George Hearst and the famous Madame Julia Bulette.

While the Virginia & Truckee Railroad transported bullion from the rural highlands of Virginia City to Carson City, the Territorial Enterprise, with literary whiz Mark Twain, delivered news of the day to the vibrant mining metropolis of 25,000. In 1868, Mark Twain reminisced and wrote about his journalism career in Nevada with the Virginia City Territorial Enterprise:

Eat and Drink

Cider House Factory Restaurant in Virginia City, Nevada
Photo Credit: Website

And of course, what kind of locavore would I be if I didn’t include the local food and beverage scene? There’s a lot of things that Virginia City is known for besides 60 Years of Camel and Ostrich Racing!. One is surely their pretense for a fine Bloody Mary nicely paired with a good meal. Travel and good food go hand in hand. Hot dogs to fine dining and pizza to Tex-Mex are designed to satisfy. And for those with a sweet tooth, two words – Grandma’s Fudge.

Belly up to the bar boys! A saloon in Virginia City, Nevada
Photo Credit: Website

Firehouse Grill and Saloon in Virginia City, Nevada
Photo Credit: Website

Back in the day C Street was lined with saloons, numbering 100 in fact. While that’s not the case now, our establishments happily welcome visitors with specialty concoctions, such as the Bloody Mucker, or the standards with a hardy pour. They know a thing or two about spirits of the ghostly and drinking variety. In fact, they have a hometown distilled spirit that’s worthy of the miners that once graced these hills. Cemetery Gin rises to its motto – guaranteed to embalm you while you’re still breathing – with its local estate distilled ingredients including local pine nuts.

If you are headed in the direction of Nevada, or live in the area, be sure to check out this historic city and crazy event. Especially if you want to step back in time to an era long passed.