Janice Oberding - Haunted Virginia City

Published by Haunted America

A Division of The History Press

Charleston, SC 29403

www.historypress.net

Copyright 2015 by Janice Oberding

All rights reserved

First published 2015

e-book edition 2015

ISBN 978.1.62585.476.6

Library of Congress control number: 2015946493

print edition ISBN 978.1.62619.947.7

Notice: The information in this book is true and complete to the best of our knowledge. It is offered without guarantee on the part of the author or The History Press. The author and The History Press disclaim all liability in connection with the use of this book.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form whatsoever without prior written permission from the publisher except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

FOREWORD

So, you want a good ghost story? Well, you have come to the right place. Virginia City was named one of the top-three most haunted towns in America. On any given day or night, you will find people who come to Virginia City in the hope of having a ghostly encounter, or they want to share their experience with someone who wont think they are crazy. You can walk down the boardwalk on a quiet night and hear footsteps behind you, only to turn and find no one there. Did you feel a cold, ghostly hand on your shoulder? Dont worryit happens all the time. Almost every building here has its ghost and its stories and tales of those who lived here long ago. Virginia City is not alone in being a living ghost townNevada is full of thembut there is a difference here on the Hill. You can feel it the moment your feet hit the boardwalk: a feeling that will make you want to come back over and over.

Virginia City is home to an eclectic gathering of not only people but also history and legends, all so colorful and unique. The people I have met in this small hillside town have all taken up a spot in my heart, making a beautiful quilt.

There is specialness to this town, and the conversations you have with the people here are like none you can have anywhere else. If you ask where a certain someone is, the unexpected reply might be, Oh, she is off racing camels in Hawaii. There is one particular gentleman who had the best stories about his time on the sharpshooter circuit, and he was also involved in the very last shootout on the streets of Virginia City (many, many years ago). The people come and go, but I think those who have spent time here on the Comstock leave a tiny part of their soul when they go, adding to the color and richness of this town. Perhaps that is why it is so haunted.

I first met Janice some six years ago when my friend Tom and I decided to start giving ghost tours. I had bought one of her books, and after reading it, I knew that if I was going to do ghost tours, I needed to meet her. Among her friends and many fans, she is referred to as the First Lady of Haunted Nevada, and she is truly among the pioneers of the paranormal field. Janice and I share a great love for this town, both its history and ghost stories.

Over the years, the experiences I have had in Virginia City run the gamut of the paranormal. I have seen full-bodied apparitions and seen objects move, and I have had whispers in my earthe list goes on and on. I have interacted with Rosie, the prostitute at the Silver Queen Hotel. She is very nice, especially if we have men on the tour. Tom has had quite a few encounters with the Shadow Man at the Washoe Club, but be carefulhe does like to throw things.

Now, read this book, and then come to Virginia City to have your own ghostly encounter. Were waiting for you.

Debbie Bender

Virginia City historian and the owner/operator of Bats in the Belfry Virginia City Ghost Tours

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Writing is lonely work. The writer works alone, and yet no book would come to fruition without the help of others. There are many people I wish to acknowledge and thank for their help in this book (and other books as well). First, I must thank my lovely mother, Bonnie Harper, who took an old typewriter and a ream of paper and forged a writing path for me to follow. Mamas love of books and writing is part of my earliest and most cherished memories, and her encouragement and guidance have seen me through some challenging days and nights of writing. Thank you to my one-in-a-million husband, Bill, who is always there for me, who understands even when Im antisocial, oblivious and writing; his suggestions and photography are invaluable. Thanks to my beautiful sister Diane Grulke, a writer herself, whose help with research, writing conversations and suggestions are deeply appreciated. Thank you to my dear friend Terri Hall-Peltier, whose friendship I treasure as much as I do her willingness to photograph, share her experiences and explore. Thanks are also due to my dear friend Deborah Carr-Senger for her encouragement, the road trips, writing suggestions and her wit and charm. Thank you to my longtime friend the multitalented Kristin Hamlet, a remarkable researcher historian and Virginia City expert, who always has time to get at the truth. Thanks to my adventuresome friend Debbie Bender, owner of Bats in the Belfry Virginia City Ghost Tours, for sharing her stories, experiences and knowledge of Virginia City. Thank you to my friends of many years, Sharon Leong and Anne Leong, whose beautiful photography has added so much to my work over the years. Thank you to Paula Burris for her wisdom and sense of humor, stories and experiences with a weird clock; Angela Colman, for being a great friend who willingly shared her knowledge and experiences of Virginia City, especially St. Marys Art Center; special thank you to my friend Richard St. Clair of Empathic Paranormal for sharing his time, and his experiences with the paranormal; Reno Apparition Seekers Society (RASS) members Jeff Frey, Jason Ball and Bruce Pollard for sharing ghost experiences and photographs; and Wayne Pierce for sharing his knowledge and experiences ghost investigating in Virginia City. Special thanks to my dear, sweet friend Virginia Ridgway, whose ideas and wisdom have guided me in the right directionmost of the time. Thanks to my daughter-in-law Peggy, who accompanied me on many early Virginia City ghost hunts, and to the many ghost investigators who have shared my enthusiasm for hunting ghosts in Virginia City over the years. Finally, since no book would get published without a publishers go ahead, I want to thank Artie Crisp and the people at The History Press for saying yes to my ideas and for bringing them to viable book form.

INTRODUCTION

Its been said that every place is haunted. This is probably true, especially in Virginia City. Is there a town with more ghosts? I doubt it. Virginia City has the title of being the third-most haunted city in the United States. I disagree. In fact, I would argue that it is the most haunted city in the United States. Thats my opinion; I say it without reservation, and Im not going to change it anytime soon.

The ghost enthusiasts who trek up Geiger Grade to Virginia City regularly will most likely agree with me on this. Along with the ghost enthusiasts come the TV stars and history buffs. Theres a reason for this.

But my bias is showing. You see, Virginia City has always been a special place to me. The first time I saw the town, I was a child. It was midsummer. The heat was intense, and we were here to see where the Cartwrights of televisions