It's pretty much impossible not to fall in love with Virginia City. Our liveliest, most tourist-friendly ghost town certainly has its charms, especially in the summertime. However, there's no denying that this area has a pretty dark and complex history. And if you believe the rumors, there are spirits that wander the streets after dark.
Virginia City was founded in 1863, and two years later, it was designated as the new territorial capital of Montana.
This was during Montana's gold rush days, when Alder Gulch had gathered most of the area's population.
Virginia City quickly became a social center and population hub.
At one point, over 10,000 people lived here. At the time, that was huge. Only about 200 people live here now.
This place has always been delightfully charming, but there was certainly a time when it was quite dangerous.
Without sufficient law enforcement, residents were forced to take the law into their own hands, eventually forming the Montana Vigilantes to protect people from robbers along the roads leading into town.
By the 1940s, Virginia City was basically a ghost town.
Charles and Sue Bovey bought up much of the town for restoration and preservation. Eventually, the state of Montana bought it, and now it's our most popular ghost town.
But this area hasn't quite escaped its past.
Not only are several of the buildings here haunted, including a hotel, but there is occasional paranormal activity right in the mining city's streets.
One commonly seen spirit is a tall man with a blue Civil War soldier's coat, who smokes along the town's boardwalks at night.
A woman and a young girl have also been seen strolling the streets after the sun goes down.
Of curse, Virginia City is an absolutely lovely place to visit, day or night.
But if you spend enough time here, you're bound to see something that will make you question whether your mind is playing tricks on you.
Have you ever had a paranormal experience in Montana?
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