Boomtown Saloons, Archaeology and History in Virginia City by Kelly J. Dixon
This is a delightful study giving a vivid picture of life in a nineteenth century Nevada boomtown – an archaeological history of Virginia City. The author, who participated in the excavation projects, discusses the meticulous work of the modern archaeologist and the technologies involved in analyzing evidence, and what these discoveries tell us about Virginia City's people and their social habits. The evidence reveals that the traditional western saloon had a far more socially and ethnically diverse clientele than previously believed, and that it served a vital complex social and economic role in its community.
256 pages.