Boomtown Saloons: Archaeology And History In Virginia City (Wilber S. Shepperson Series in Nevada History)

Animal bones and saloon meals: a captivating and never before seen view of everyday life in the Virginia City saloons of the Old West. The image of Old West saloons as sites of violence and raucous entertainment has been perpetuated by film and legend, but the true story of such establishments is far more complex. In Boomtown Saloons, archaeologist Kelly J. Dixon recounts the excavation of four historic saloon sites in Nevada’s Virginia City, one of the West’s most important boomtowns, and shows how the physical traces of this handful of disparate drinking places offer a new perspective on authentic life in the mining West. During the second half of the nineteenth century, the Comstock Lode’s mineral wealth attracted people from all over the world. At its peak, Virginia City had a cosmopolitan population of over 20,000 people. Like people everywhere, they sought to pass their leisure time in congenial company, often in one or another of the four saloons studied here. Dixon’s account of the role these four establishments played in the social and economic life of Virginia City offers keen insight into the businesses and people who made up the backdrop of a mining boomtown. The saloons in this study were quieter than legend would have us believe; they served relatively distinct groups and offered their customers a place of refuge, solidarity, and social contact with peers in a city where few people had longtime ties or initially any close contacts. Boomtown Saloons also offers an equally vivid portrait of the modern historical archaeologist who combines time-honored digging, reconstruction, and analysis methods with such cutting-edge technology as DNA analysis of saliva traces on a 150-year-old pipestem and chemical analysis of the residue in discarded condiment bottles. The book is illustrated with historical photographs and maps, as well as photographs of artifacts uncovered during the excavations of the four sites. Dixon’s sparkling text and thoughtful interpretation of evidence reveal an unknown aspect of daily life in one of the West’s most storied boomtowns and demonstrate that, contrary to legend, the traditional western saloon served an vital and complex social role in its community. The image of Old West saloons as sites of violence and raucous entertainment has been perpetuated by film and legend, but the true story of such establishments is far more complex. In Boomtown Saloons , archaeologist Kelly J. Dixon recounts the excavation of four historic saloon sites in Nevada's Virginia City, one of the West's most important boomtowns, and shows how the physical traces of this handful of disparate drinking places offer a new perspective on authentic life in the mining West. During the second half of the nineteenth century, the Comstock Lode's mineral wealth attracted people from all over the world. At its peak, Virginia City had a cosmopolitan population of over 20,000 people. Like people everywhere, they sought to pass their leisure time in congenial company, often in one or another of the four saloons studied here. Dixon's account of the role these four establishments played in the social and economic life of Virginia City offers keen insight into the businesses and people who made up the backdrop of a mining boomtown. The saloons in this study were quieter than legend would have us believe; they served relatively distinct groups and offered their customers a place of refuge, solidarity, and social contact with peers in a city where few people had longtime ties or initially any close contacts. Boomtown Saloons also offers an equally vivid portrait of the modern historical archaeologist who combines time-honored digging, reconstruction, and analysis methods with such cutting-edge technology as DNA analysis of saliva traces on a 150-year-old pipestem and chemical analysis of the residue in discarded condiment bottles. The book is illustrated with historical photographs and maps, as well as photographs of artifacts uncovered during the excavations of the four sites. Dixon's sparkling text and thoughtful interpretation of evidence reveal an unknown aspect of daily life in one of the West's most storied boomtowns and demonstrate that, contrary to legend, the traditional western saloon served an vital and complex social role in its community. Available in hardcover and paperback. The image of Old West saloons as sites of violence and raucous entertainment has been perpetuated by film and legend, but the true story of such establishments is far more complex. In Boomtown Saloons, archaeologist Kelly J. Dixon recounts the excavation of four historic saloon sites in Nevada's Virginia City, one of the West's most important boomtowns, and shows how the physical traces of this handful of disparate drinking places, affiliated with a range of ethnic and socioeconomic groups, offer a captivating new perspective on everyday life in the mining West. Boomtown Saloons also offers an equally vivid portrait of the modern historical archaeologist who combines time-honored digging, reconstruction, and analysis methods with such cutting-edge technology as DNA analysis of saliva traces on a 150-year-old pipestem and chemical analysis of the residue in discarded condiment bottles. Dixon's sparkling text and thoughtful interpretation of both physical and documentary evidence reveal a hitherto unknown aspect of material life and culture in one of the West's most storied boomtowns and demonstrate the vital, complex social role that the traditional western saloon served in its community.--Jacket. Introduction : Historical archaeology methods : much more than digging with small tools -- Opening saloon doors : archaeology unearths the real mother lode -- Facades of public drinking : saloon architecture -- Authentic saloon sets : interior fixtures -- Menu items : drinking and dining in Virginia City saloons -- A toast to the artifacts : saloon serving ware -- Desires for diversion : saloon vices and amusements -- Crime scene investigation? : forensic applications and saloon artifacts -- Conclusion : Casting the saloon of the wild West in a new light. Kelly J. Dixon. Based on author's thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Nevada. Includes bibliographical references (p. [167]-212) and index.

boomtown Saloons Has Been Heralded As A Groundbreaking Book On The Historical Archaeology Of The Old West. Its Account Of The Excavation And Analysis Of Four Nineteenth-century Virginia City, Nevada, Saloon Sites Offers A Provocative New Interpretation Of The Role Of Saloons In A Mining Boomtown. Dixon, Who Participated In The Excavation Projects, Discusses The Meticulous Work Of The Modern Archaeologist, The Technologies Involved In Analyzing Evidence, And What These Discoveries Tell Us About Virginia City's People And Their Social Habits. Contrary To The Image, Perpetuated By Films And Legend, Of Old West Saloons As Sites Of Violence And Raucous Entertainment, These Establishments-including One Owned By An African American Businessman That Offered Some Of The Finest Meals In The City-offered Patrons A Place To Relax And Dine With Friends, Participate In Gambling And Other Amusements, And Find Refuge From The Anonymity And Isolation That Often Afflicts A Transient Population. Boomtown Saloons' Sparkling Text And Thoughtful Interpretation Of Both Physical And Documentary Evidence Reveal A Hitherto Unknown Aspect Of The Material Life And Culture Of One Of The Old West's Most Storied Cities. Dixon Persuasively Demonstrates 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.

about The Author:
kelly J. Dixon Is A Professor Of Anthropology At The University Of Montana

Contents......Page 8 List of Illustrations......Page 10 Preface......Page 16 Acknowledgments......Page 18 Introduction......Page 28 1: Opening Saloon Doors......Page 50 2: Facades of Public Drinking......Page 70 3: Authentic Saloon Sets......Page 82 4: Menu Items......Page 100 5: A Toast to the Artifacts......Page 126 6: Desires for Diversion......Page 139 7: Crime Scene Investigation?......Page 163 Conclusion......Page 174 Notes......Page 194 Bibliography......Page 228 B......Page 240 C......Page 241 H......Page 242 O......Page 243 S......Page 244 W......Page 245 Historical archaeology methods : much more than digging with small tools Opening saloon doors : archaeology unearths the real mother lode Facades of public drinking : saloon architecture Authentic saloon sets : interior fixtures Menu items : drinking and dining in Virginia City saloons Artifacts that evoke clinking sounds : saloon serving ware Desires for diversion : saloon vices and amusements Crime scene investigation? : forensic applications and saloon artifacts Casting the saloon of the wild West in a new light. Deals with the historical archaeology of the Old West. This book's account of the excavation and analysis of four nineteenth-century Virginia City, Nevada, saloon sites offers a fresh interpretation of the role of saloons in a mining boomtown. The very notion of archaeology evokes images of a field excavation, with people in brimmed hats bent over a gulf of contiguous pits.