June 17th, 2023, 11 PM ET – Join us on the second night of this paranormal extravaganza as the Our Haunted Destinations team and special guests continue to explore the hauntings of the wild west at the famed Bonanza Saloon. Streaming live exclusively here on The Spirit Realm Network.
About The Bonanza Saloon
The Bonanza Saloon is another example of one of the older and more colorful establishments of Virginia City. It has served as the home of many different businesses since it was constructed in 1870 and countless numbers of souls have come through its doors over the last 150 years. There have been many reports of people being physically assaulted by unseen forces within its walls. Several employees have quit due to the dark paranormal activity upstairs and an entity that inhabits the basement.
A 19th century artifact known as the Suicide Table, allegedly responsible for the deaths of several men is believed to be responsible for this aggressive activity.
About Virginia City
In the mid-1800’s, Virginia City was one of the most important cities between Denver and San Francisco, due to the wealth of the silver mines and dedication of the miners and prospectors that arrived in the city from all over the world. In 1869 four Irishmen, with little formal education, were brought together when John Mackay and James Fair, Virginia City miners, shrewdly purchased controlling interest in the failing Hale and Norcross mine for $16,600. James Flood and William O’Brien, San Francisco saloon keepers turned stock brokers, were elected as directors and the die was cast for the Big Four. Fair, appointed superintendent, increased production of the mine ten-fold within two years and as production increased, the Firm bought numerous mills for the processing of their ore. Exhausting their ore body by 1871, they looked for other ventures.
The barren Consolidated Virginia Mine lay between two rich producers, the Gould and Curry and the Ophir. Gamblers that they were, they proceeded to obtain possession of this property and in January of 1872, purchased it for approximately $50,000. Fair immediately sank a shaft and within 14 months struck the fabulous “Big Bonanza” 1167 feet below the surface. Their fortunes were made from this ore body which produced in excess of 135 million dollars which today would be a figure in excess of 2 billion dollars. Unknown before their arrival on the Comstock, these four men had now attained wealth, power and influence rivaling the kings of Europe and were themselves given the title, “Silver Kings”. Their fortunes made, O’Brien left for San Francisco and spent most of his time playing cards in a saloon on Kearney street. Flood build opulent mansions in and around San Francisco. Fair became U.S. Senator from Nevada. Mackay laid the First Trans-Atlantic and Pacific telegraph cable and established a trans-continental telegraph company to rival Western Union. John Mackay, the most capable and respected of the four, remains revered and remembered for his great generosity to the Mackay School of Mines at the University of Nevada, which was named in his honor.
