Virginia City Firehouse A Fascinating Museum
Comstock Fire MuseumThe Comstock Fire Museum is located at 125 South C St. in Virginia City, Nev.
Admission is free, donations are appreciated. The museum is open daily, 10 a.m.-4 p.m., May-October. It is open weekends and as weather and attendant availability are variable.
In the off-season, the museum is closed for annual maintenance. However, off-season tours are available. The museum said “it may be possible to accommodate groups of 10-20 visitors for a guided tour. Please make your plans well in advance by calling: (775) 813-6911.”
“The fire museum gift shop offers a unique selection of fire-related gifts, souvenirs and books for the entire family at reasonable prices including ‘Jump her Lively, Boys! An Introduction to the Fire Department History of the Comstock Lode,’” according to the museum’s website.
The Virginia City building that hosts the Virginia City Firehouse was not always a firehouse.
According to the VisitVirginiaCityNv website, the building has "housed many diverse establishments including a broker’s business, a meat market, a saloon and a brewery."
"It was acquired by Storey County about 1930 and became the Storey County Fire Department until the 1960s when a larger, more modern firehouse was constructed," the website notes. "The building was restored as a firehouse museum in 1979 and contains a collection of fire engines and apparatus used in earlier times."
