Miners Union Hall

Library of Congress

Date Uploaded: January 24, 2024

Permanent Link: http://wnhpc.com/details/habs104154p

Source: Historic American Buildings Survey (Library of Congress)

Source URL: https://www.loc.gov/item/nv0013/

Source Caption: Miners' Union Hall, West side B Street, between Union & Sutton Streets, Virginia City, Storey County, NV

The picturesque Miners' Union and Knights of Pythias Halls are two of the few unaltered false-fronted buildings remaining in Virginia City.

A "Miners' Protective Association" was formed at Virginia City on June 6, 1863, with the central purpose of maintaining the standard wage of $4.00 a day for all work underground. Subsequently, the first demonstration to enforce this rate occurred at Gold Hill on July 31, 1864. Blacklisting of union members and general economic hard times reduced employment in 1864-65; the league disintegrated, and a wage of $3.50 was temporarily established in the spring of 1865. Employment revived, however, and a new miners' union was formed on July 4, 1867. Even after the Comstock was visibly and permanently declining in the late 1870's, the union successfully maintained the $4.00 rate. The original single story, wood meeting hall burned in the great fire of October 26, 1875. Its brick replacement, built in 1876, included an upstairs library. This library, established in 1877, was the only public library in Virginia City and the largest general library in the state. Union families had free access to its 2200 volumes while others paid $.50 a month.

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