The History Of The Comstock Lode (Special Publication

by Grant H. Smith

No aspect of Nevada's history has captured so much attention as the heady boomtown days of the Comstock Lode strike in the mid-nineteenth century. The History of the Comstock Lode, first published in 1943, provided mining investors, engineers, and western historians with the first comprehensive, chronological history of mining operations on the Comstock from 1850 to 1997. Grant H. Smith labored on this project for over a decade to produce a volume that has become a classic in its field and a mainstay in all mining history collections. Of particular note is Smith's progressive record of the ways the mines were developed, the failures encountered, the bonanzas discovered, and the production of the mines. New edition co-published with the Nevada Bureau of Mines and Geology.

Genres: Geology, Nonfiction

344 pages, Paperback

First published July 21, 1998

Reviews

[Erica · Rating 5 out of 5]

A really good thorough book that covers geology, personalities, mine records and production, etc...
It does give a different view of the people, principally Mackay, in painting him in a very good light.
The only thing that really seemed to be missing -that other authors dwell on- was the corruption and law suits. Reading this books made me think that the Comstock wasn't as evil and scandalous a place as it has been purported to be. Best book on the Comstock so far - but was it an accurate portrayal? None will ever know as so many different accounts exists of people's personalities and doings. However, this book made me realize that a lot of what modern authors report as scandalous, was considered at the time completely legitimate and fair.

[Kathy Kernan · Rating 5 out of 5]

This historical account of Virginia City is exciting to read. It really takes you back to what it was like to be sitting on top of the first major silver find in history - the successes, the casualties, and all of the vice that goes along with this kind of power lust. My husband and I are frequent travelers to this area of Nevada. We always make a point of taking a day to visit Virginia City. I took the book on one trip and we walked up a hill and looked over this valley and compared it to the pictures in the book. It was surprising to see much of the diggings and such still as they had been over a century ago. What a town this was!

[Peter Tillman · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a really good book, but it's probably not for the general reader. Written in 1942, the author grew up in Virginia City and has a good, clear, skeptical writing style. He also has great lumps of detail on 1870s-era mining technology that will have a very narrow audience (at best). Pages and pages on stock-market manipulations too. I mean, who cares? Not me. The latter brings to mind Mark Twain's definition of a mine: "A hole in the ground with a liar at the top".

I suppose that mining guys (like me) who read fast and skim the dull parts, will enjoy it. Parts are great, parts very, very dull. Caveat lector!

[Royce Ratterman · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fantastic wealth of information. Detailed, thorough, and a compelling read.
Read for personal research.
Overall, a good book for the researcher and enthusiast.
I found this book's contents helpful and inspiring - number rating relates to the book's contribution to my needs.