Spending the Night at the Haunted, Abandoned Yellow Jacket Mine in Virginia City

Welcome to Wonderhussy Adventure #273
My friends and I rented an Air BnB in the historic, supposedly haunted mining town of Virginia City, in the mountains outside Reno...and the Air BnB turned out to be a remodeled old miner's cabin that was ALSO supposedly haunted! Turns out it was right next to an abandoned mine shaft where the worst mining disaster in Nevada history went down -- on April 7, 1869, a fire broke out at the 800 foot level in the mine, and at least 35 miners were killed. YIKES! Come with me as I explore the mine, the mill....and the Air BnB itself, to find out once and for all if it is haunted -- or just hype.
Music:
Easy Lemon 60 Second by Kevin MacLeod is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution license (creativecommons.org/licenses/...)
Source: incompetech.com/music/royalty-...
Artist: incompetech.com/
Ambush - The Descent by Kevin MacLeod is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution license (creativecommons.org/licenses/...)
Source: incompetech.com/music/royalty-...
Artist: incompetech.com/
Minor With Cricket by Audionautix is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution license (creativecommons.org/licenses/...)
Artist: audionautix.com/
Photos:
Virginia City photo: CC BY-SA 3.0, commons.wikimedia.org/w/index...
Virginia City historic photo: inkknife_2000 (7.5 million views +) [CC BY-SA 2.0 (creativecommons.org/licenses/...)], via Wikimedia Commons
Miners: Public Domain, commons.wikimedia.org/w/index...
Saloon: By Unknown or not provided - U.S. National Archives and Records Administration, Public Domain, commons.wikimedia.org/w/index...
SF prostitutes by Unknown - www.foundsf.org/index.php?titl..., Public Domain, commons.wikimedia.org/w/index...
Scalawags by Unknown - www.cbsnews.com/news/billy-th..., Public Domain, commons.wikimedia.org/w/index...
Virginia City today: by alvito - Flickr, CC BY 2.0, commons.wikimedia.org/w/index...
Haunted house by Roman Eugeniusz, CC BY-SA 3.0, commons.wikimedia.org/w/index...
Wonderhussy, wonder hussy, virginia city, nevada ghost town, yellow jacket mine, abandoned mine, abandoned mill, haunted mine, ghost town, haunted house, haunted virginia city, haunted air bnb, mining disaster, gold hill nevada

[@debbiemclaughlin4945]

I married my love 26 years ago at the foot of the old courthouse steps there. Happy still. And I have seen and experienced many hauntings

[@tomfrye9037]

Well...that electrical box is what ran that big motor. the presence of electricity and the motor and a comparatively new drive belt...someone was messing around there fairly recently. If I'm not mistaken, there was a compressor in there...so that tank from 1879 may have been used with an air compressor. For all I know, some outfit could have set some gear up (bought used) to see if anything besides silver could be found...then finally just gave up. Or...some outfit just used the mill for a while after the mine closed down because it was there. Whatever...it's fun to run it around the mind a bit(8-). Thanks for the opportunity. Great video. And here's a little love from northeast Missouri.

[@tomfrye9037]

@@GAM1647 Thanks! That answered that...and I think someone else said the same thing a little earlier. So, VERIFIED(8-). That gear isn't super duper old.

[@sherrydee7880]

As far as I can find on the internet search I did by asking "when was electricity available for America?"...was 1882! By 1889 it was readily available for home use. Prior to that, people were using gas to light their homes & businesses. It also appears that electric motors were being patented in the 1822! I learned something new today. Thanks for keeping it interesting.:-)

[@frankperkin124]

It wasn't until after ww1 that electricity became somewhat common in homes located in large cities. In the country, not until the early 1950s.

[@AvengerII]

The infrastructure outside of cities always lags behind. That's a consequence of having less capital ($$$) to invest and being further away from where the technology is developed and financial deals are made. They generally get innovations decades ahead of the country. Suburbs/small towns might get those same things within 10 years. That's why there are generally a lot more satellite dishes in the country. They just don't build cable lines and fiber optic lines outside the city as much. Satellite can be more expensive but sometimes there's no choice or it's the best available. It's a huge deal for Internet now. Cities on the West Coast are standardizing around fiber optic. Most older communities, rural, and suburbs are still reliant on old copper/cable lines. It'll be that way for decades because laying fiber optic is expensive and it's not practical to use it everywhere. In the meantime, they will figure out how to compress information and get more information through a "straw" (existing cable/copper wire). They do that already with hard drives. 7200rpm Hard Drives today move way more information than 7200rpm Hard Drives did 20 years ago! They increased throughput without actually physically increasing the speed of the magnetic drive; it may spool up faster but top RPM's are the same. The speed of the interface and other non-mechanical components have been tweaked to run faster.

[@sherrydee7880]

@@AvengerII Then there was 5G. Killing us slowly this time around.

[@ricochetrabbit4618]

Your work keeps getting better and better as you continue forward...

[@Half.Throttle.adventures.]

You can take a train ride from Carson city to Virginia city and back on an old steam train, that's what those new tracks are.

[@markcantemail8018]

Sarah thank you for the video . I am glad Team Wonder Hussy found a Miners Cabin with out a Pack Rat Nests in it . It might be haunted , The all night long chit chat Possibly spooked the Spook away ? Good plan ! Hey my field trip partner's Grand father was killed about 1905 in a Salt mine explosion . It happens ! We are all not too far away from our History . It looks like a nice place to stay even without the Hot Tub . Please keep safe while feeding us more Exlant Videos .

[@jimkey920]

12:02 looks like an Elevator Controller to the right and lifting mechanism on the left. Behind those devices at 12:30 appears a very large 2 stage air compressor.Judging by the machinery this equipment would date to the mid 1920's and probably operated for years afterward I see a great beauty to such equipment but not at all in competition with you. You are the very best Engineered of all!

[@MaxZomboni]

I think you are close. Hendrie & Boultoff Manufacturing and Supply Company took that name in 1898. They switched over to manufacturing automobile parts in about 1915 -17. So my guess would be that it's from between 1898 and 1917, and shut down about 1942, due to the war effort.

[@danielalamo2075]

Excellent video! My wife and I love this area. But every time we drive around all we find are signs: posted - private property- keep out- no trespassing. Maybe next time we'll find something we can explore. Thank you for showing stuff close to where we like to go.

[@sdwputnam]

Oh my, if I was 30 years younger, I would love to go exploring the old mines and towns with you and your friends. But, I am past my time. Love your video's. Carry on my dear.

[@spacetek1]

SAME HERE TO OLD TO ENJOY ANY OTHER WAY. LOL

[@cnobillbradley9673]

Viscerally, Viscerally a Merrily way we go…

[@tommanion5504]

Couple, three things. I know you said that you couldn't find when the Yellow Jacket eventually closed, but here's a good rule of thumb: if a mine was still producing, all "war essential" mines were ordered closed at the beginning of WW-II (1942). Since neither gold nor silver was considered essential, the mines had to close. After the war, since the price of gold and silver was fixed by the gov't, it was not cost effective to try reopening them. Second, odds are that equipment DID come by train. The Virginia & Truckee was built from Reno to Virginia City by way of Carson City. The first train into Virginia City was in 1870. The V&T was abandoned and the rails pulled up on 1950. In the 1970's, a group of people got together and rebuilt 14 miles of track as a tourist railroad, which is the track that you saw. And they have a working steam engine to pull the trains. And, just in case you're wondering, the "tower" over the mine shaft is called a "headframe". And,yes, it is part of the hoisting mechanism that transport miners and equipment into and out of the mine, and brings the ore out.

[@georgeworley6927]

The last date I could find for the Yellow Jacket Mine being operational was 1942 by an order of the War Production Board. On September 30, 2012 Comstock Mining Inc. returned gold and silver production to the Comstock with its first pour of doré bullion and continues surface mining in lower Gold Hill.

[@barbarakenney8288]

I remember the Gold Hill Hotel near the mine.I loved Virginia city. Thanks for the tour.

[@AmericanExplorer]

Very cool! I really enjoyed seeing all of the old machinery and hearing the history of the place. Thanks for sharing!

[@badapple65]

This was another good one BUT! It scared me near the end when you stood on that cliff top outcrop made of Stone. I was thinking it could break off even though it’s stone. Gave my stomach butterflies

[@desertrose9499]

Love it! Fun old Town to visit. Love you adventures!!!

[@noniehayes6050]

OMG Sarah! I love all your videos!! Always have! You always visit the greatest places and you always have the greatest information about them!!. Thanks for your hard work and sharing with us! I have to tell you though just because it's been fixed up and made cozy or it's even a newer place and it looks cozy and clean, that does not stop any spirits from visiting areas that they've either had a history there or just stopping by to say hi. LOL! You rock girl..!! :)

[@martinlaursen7972]

Great tour. You are an amazing storyteller. This should be on TV.

[@paulagergowicz6304]

Great video! Thank you for sharing. ❤️

[@Viking-xl7zr]

Thanks for the adventure tips. Awesome! Keep up the fantastic job!

[@johnfortes2171]

Another great video! I've been to Virginia City a good number of times -although not lately great little town! Thanks again!

[@greyghostjay]

Loved it. Been their once just for a day and loved it. Especially the wild horses . Great video!

[@kurtbaker4078]

Another awesome video. Really enjoy how you do the research of a area before hand. Thanks for the come a long.

[@kurtbaker4078]

Whoa! Have you like doubled your subs in the past few months? Very Cool.

[@jimschroeder1808]

another awesome video Sarah you are so good at doing this subject !!

[@chefzilla314]

My wife and I spent a few days in the old manager's office for the Yellow Jacket mine several years ago. On the first day unloading the car. The screen door kept getting locked behind me. I really didn't think any of it until on the second day. When I went to the hotel front desk and ask for fresh towels. They told me that they had tried to get into the room but the deadbolt was locked. I had specifically left the deadbolt open for housekeeping. I tole the frond desk this and they chuckled telling me that the ghost of the manager always locks doors.

[@Jmat40]

This is very interesting. You got some great shots Sarah. Nice work. Love the cowboy hat and hair down btw.

[@riverbender9898]

Another great adventure with this fascinating woman.Thanks WH.

[@TomSpurlock]

Keep it coming, love your tours to the past.

[@carlmayne3519]

Durham England ... Just a half hour drive from me, Small world it surely is, Another great video - Keep em coming!! :D

[@rogerdavies6226]

I really enjoy your work. If I am not having the best of days, all I have to is tune into what you are doing and I quickly feel better. Thanks love HUGS

[@jerrysmith9315]

There is a Virginia City in Montana also....Tourist Trap these days...... your background on the history and video is great......you go Gurl ! 🥰. Adventuresome Hussy....

[@tomfrye9037]

HAH! Adventuresome Hussy(8-).

[@royramey5659]

@@tomfrye9037 I've been there. They hung 6 guys at same time there.I've been to there graves It was in the mid 60s.

[@tomfrye9037]

@@royramey5659 Hmmm, they must have had a special deal going there...or just saved up horse thieves and claim jumpers 'til they have enough to make building a gallows worthwhile. Folks were pretty thrifty back then(8-).

[@royramey5659]

@@tomfrye9037 No i think they were one gang

[@tomfrye9037]

@@royramey5659 Really?!? Wonder what they were up to that got the to the end of a rope.

[@thehoofersclub]

Love staying at the Silver Queen Hotel. Lots of orbs show up in my pictures. Also enjoy checking out the cemetery for Freemason's. I dig how's there's two cemeteries, one for the regular folks and one for Mason's.

[@MsNevadakid]

very kool "huss" ! welcome to my hometown diggs! there are many old mining shafts thru out the "comstock".. stay out of the mines! every year people go polking inside some of the mines, and don't make it out. (lack of oxygen).. yea i don't believe in the spooks, but it makes it fun.. i noticed y'all in the bucket of blood saloon ,entertained by the comctock cowboys.. happy y'all had a great time.. ....happy trails...

[@100inthewind]

That was a great tour WH! Thanks!

[@tracyphillips3325]

Great video Sarah. 🌷

[@tyrelli001]

You could make 100+ videos on Virginia City. A person in the late 1800's could walk from VA City to Silver City underground. At the bottom of Gold Hill on a bad rainy day 100+ wagons and horses slid into a massive pileup due to the mud. Gold Hill (in the video before you) used to be lined with THREE story row houses like you see in England. The 3-4 story fire station at the top of that road (station 'bell' monument at top of road) used to be at top of road. The top of the hill to VA City was called the 'Divide' back in the day. People used to walk VA City to the divide, spend the night and make the rest of the journey the next day to Silver City / Gold Hill. A 200+ foot train tressel used to span further down that road. It was HUGE. Lots of history and stories 100's

[@arthurc1971]

You are the most interesting and entertaining explorer on the web. I love your videos and the history you share with us.

[@mobiltec]

Two books you might want to pick up and take with you on your mine and camp explorations. "Drills And Mills". Precious metal and mining methods of the frontier west. And, "The Mining Camps Speak". A new way to explore the ghost towns of the American West. These two books will prove invaluable when exploring old mines and mining camps. You will learn quite a bit about mining equipment and how people survived in the old mining camps and towns.

[@seagrave7336]

Excellent history lesson about 19th Century mining in Nevada. Fascinating stuff!

[@getaylor70]

Check out Silver City in Idaho and stay at the old hotel in town. I know a few people who stayed there and actually saw some paranormal activity. There's two ghost towns up in those Owyhee Mountains

[@casedoumasr656]

Very TRUE Idaho Hotel silver city Idaho been going up there 12or 13 years in a row boy do I have story's 💥🇺🇸😷👍🤔 cjd wash state .hotel very True story's

[@ricfly52]

Excellent video. I was there 2 years ago. We Live in Vegas, but every summer our travel trailer gets nervous so we get it out and go for a three or four week trip. Virginia City was on order then. It is a cool place. So is that old mine. Keep the cool vids coming!

[@beepseatsfindingfoodtreasu8756]

As usual Sarah! Yikers!! What a cool place to spend the night! But if there's any ghost's in the area one look at you and they are as calm as kittens 😋👍. You would think by now they would have recovered the unlucky guys in the mine. Guess it must be pretty unsafe to leave them like that.

[@dougalexander7204]

Thanks for sharing. Stay awesome!

[@richardyoung4616]

Great job as usual!

[@keithcope8113]

Cool looking headframes on them old mine shafts big timbers interesting place. Thanks for sharing stay safe

[@rrrobeltnest7295]

Very well put. the cemetery is cool too nothing haunted up there.THANKS for the tour

[@saltzen961]

Careful Hussy , some of those old rotting timber mines and buildings can be super dangerous !!!

[@jeffnotti9932]

nice tour.. in fact nice tours of all the deserted and desert places ..

[@ytSuns26]

Don’t know why but that noose made me think Clinton , go figure! 😅😂😃😀

[@dannyr.edwards4721]

Now, but I've watched you for a while I use to hang in Las Vegas, and west yellow stone 4 about a yr. Wish I had met you then I would have went exploring with you, love them out door,s I know yall have a blast... but you keep me in touch with nature by what you do

[@goosexploring]

Cracking video wonderhussy ❤them👍👍

[@genechronister7085]

Great vid,Sarah! From topaz lake

[@SCSlimBoiseID]

I love old mines but I don't go into them - unless they're the kind that have guided tours. Electric motors capable of running tools have been around since the late 1830's, so it's hard to say just how long those belts and pulleys were electrically powered; however, it's probably a safe bet to assume that electrically powered heavy machinery capable of industrial use (as in hard rock mining) wasn't widely used until around the turn of the 20th century. My hat's off to you for finding the most interesting places to visit for your vlog! Cool stuff. Cheers.

[@LetYrLiteShine]

Great vlog once again!

[@reddevilparatrooper]

Awesome place to visit in the day. Very spooky at night when you walk through the streets when its almost deserted. I was just there last year in November.

[@kevins1114]

Back in 1991, I did a "tour" of supposedly haunted places in Nevada, Arizona, and California. Some turned out to be quite "interesting". But, Gold Hill wasn't one of them. I had the same results as you. If the opportunity arises, try the Chollar Mine in Virginia City. I heard some really weird sounds there.

[@kenp8704]

I really like the opening music and great video!

[@miketurner8624]

Cool vid. WH! Have you ever broke a bone on you adventures! I thought about that when your friend was with you with on crutches...Have fun!!

[@jeff9104]

Great stuff WH !

[@BIGBADWOOD]

Wow beautiful country ...Always 5 star videos to view thanks ! Be Safe !

[@tedebear108]

Well hello. It's Ted from Texas. Excellent video. I've stated a lot of so-called haunted bed-and-breakfast is myself. Most of them in Gettysburg Pennsylvania. Some of those were questionable on what was happening. So cold spirits. And a couple of places the only spirits that were there with me drinking. Anyway I will definitely check this place out on my next trip away.

[@kurtbaker4078]

Lived and explored Gettysburg quit a bit. It's almost impossible not to experience something. I was a total skeptic until then.

[@debbiemitchell6055]

I believe in haunted places, and happily, I have not witnessed/experienced the phenomenon myself! : )

[@gordbaker896]

You look so happy and carefree at the time of this video. Get it back! Carry an old CD disc so you can reflect sunlight down those shafts.

[@phonecards1]

Great video. Thanks.

[@RalphGuest]

I’m with you as far as haunted places goes. Ghost… schmost… lol. It’s only as haunted as your mind makes it to be. It’s psychosomatic. But what is really ‘haunting’ is the actual story of the disaster. What an absolute hell it must of been for those poor souls whom perished in that mine under such grizzly circumstances! Only one survivor, James Dunlevy lived to tell the tale

[@tracym1284]

Loved the vlog ❤️ ❤️ ❤️

[@unclelar819]

Everything is "haunted" these days. Looks like a cool place to stay though! Thanks for another great vid!

[@uptownsquirrel1846]

I remember Adam making frequent trips to Virginia City to make cattle deals but we never saw any cattle. Maybe Hop Sing got a little action too. But of course Ben and Hop Sing may have had a Broke Back Mountain thing.

[@dezertraider]

Thank you WH,Great video.73s

[@tracksmokentrapper1178]

Looking good hussy.

[@williampugh6699]

The RR tracts are used every weekend and most holidays. My wife and I ride the V&T every year.

[@dugwolfe]

It's a dream just watching you. You will never be boring. Love you Sarah.

[@ronniecardy]

Very good video! Shame no ghost came to see you oh well that's life

[@Idahoguy10157]

Reprocessing the tailings of the Comstock Lode mines was done for decades. Much more so than any new mining there. That would explain the newer than 19th century equipment your looking over.

[@mikewarner2285]

I remember little joe he got beat up in Virginia city

[@jimkey920]

He got the girl though.

[@mikewarner2285]

@@jimkey920 o ya think she turn out to be a hussy

[@jamesscott1932]

Jarrold Bates Hoss spanked Little Joe.

[@journeyman4328]

When a Cartright married a girl it was a death sentence, usually within 2 episodes.

[@liyah1234321234]

that's creepy!

[@natedampier7746]

Nice place, Wonderhussy.

[@waitaminute-vw9hf]

I love all that old machinery and I don't know what most of it is either but the old tank may be a steam deaerator which removes air bubbles from the steam boiler feedwater. Anyways, your vids always make me smile!

[@darrellroninson3476]

Great job!

[@danielyoung6630]

Careful going to get colder keep up good work WONDERHUSSY!

[@tyrelli001]

All the water for VA City / Gold Hill / Silver City comes from Marlette Lake, just next to lake Tahoe. Pumped and gravity 18+ miles.Built in the late 1800's. Very clean. Open sluices used to carry it over, but it was covered in the late 1950's. Drinking some pure water there. Ground water is contaminated with Mercury there.

[@stephenoshaughnessy2279]

You just lucked out on the no ghost issue. Prior to your arrival, they had scheduled appearances at Tombstone and rode a cloud to get there.

[@jonathanhansen3709]

Sara (aka Wonderhussy) you are the Female (and Gorgeous) version of Huell Howser. I love all the interesting places you constantly find and research. I will never get tired of watching you!💫

[@drkwolfhere]

You should come down here to Idaho in july though possibly earlier usually when the road is passable. We have a little town Called Silver City. I would love to come and camp out with you so hope you let me know if you ever decide to come and take a look. I would be happy to lead you in.

[@timotdoggtrammell4160]

Wish you would do a trip to Missouri. Maybe the Boone Terre mines. Bad ass underground mine they do trips thru. Its very cool. I know some cool places other then that also. Like the Off Sets in Fredericktown Missouri. A Quarry. It has caves and the water is crystal blue.

[@johneason6540]

Back in the early sixties I use to go there with my family and you could still go into some of the mine shafts. Most everything then was collapsing to dust. The only thing I remember operating was the silver dollar saloon? Is it still there.

[@lisaloyaga573]

Oh yes

[@lisaloyaga573]

Visited about a week ago and stayed at Silver Queen Hotel

[@MrGaryRoberton]

Life expectancy then(1800's) was only 45 -50. Saw some pictures from Britain of the factory workers about 1900, and the women looked like they were in their 70's at 40 years. people died from things now we consider an inconvenience, colds, flu, pneumonia was a death sentence. Harsh world for the average person then. Thanks for the tour WH !!!

[@emmamcdonald3410]

well im so sorry u see pneumonia as an inconvenience and that ur ignorance prevails but people still die of pneumonia and flu so shut up if u dnt know what ur talking about. i hope u see this first hand soon. karma.xxx

[@frigginpos]

The Wood family started the first retail lumberyard in the state of Arizona. It was in Bisbee Arizona, and it supplied the Phelps-Dodge Mining Co. oak logs to support the mine shafts roofs from collapsing in. The name of the company was "Bisbee Lumber Company". I am proud to say that the man who started it was my great grandfather. -Carl Wood- And by the way, Bisbee is about 13 miles from Tombstone. If you get a chance, look up the lynching in Tombstone, by the Bisbee mob.

[@KatieRaeRae]

Love that area down there. Tombstone was a trip. Bisbee was one of my fave spots. I'm thinking of wintering down there next year.

[@machobunny1]

Small point in the "mill" building...they also didn't have electric motors quite that good in the 1870s. And at ~12:32 that looks to be a hit-or-miss gasoline engine. Don't think it's steam...hard to tell, but it's old and those things can fetch a darn good price among collectors. Looks like there are two of them side by side connected to a generator....OR -- maybe I got it backwards and the "hit-or-miss engines" are actually pumps run BY an electric motor....via the belt you like so much. In any case, the time line and the condition of this stuff is pretty interesting. Wish you took more images of the name plates on machinery like that. But...I can tell you had a great time there. I would have, for sure. Thanks for the video.

[@jamesleckenby1067]

I grew up in Durham! Unfortunately the last of the metal works in the area closed a few years ago. How random though!

[@miker252]

thanks for your contribution in the eternal quest of the creepy

[@tinabowbinathebroncolady3937]

Awesome scenery.

[@jamesyates2331]

The cemetery, in Virginia city called boot hill is very interesting ,old graves, no trees, no grass , just rocks, dirt & tombstones... no tour of VC is complete without a walk through boot hill

[@richardkeen5828]

I grew up in Carson City in the 60s ran around all over them hills Went to VC all the time had friends that lived in gold hill and even worked there for a time never saw or heard one ghost ever. VC is world famous. Worked with a guy from Bosnia that thought it was the coolest thing that I grew up there.

[@gordbaker896]

#18 didn't look at all Creepy compared to some places you have taken us. A very interesting Mining Operation and remains. 'Hi' to Sis. That was quite an old Salamander heater you had on the trip. Hope you weren't inside with it.

[@kurtshepherd5348]

Plane and simple, good like your shows , areas you visit would like to be along with you exploring all the sites you visit.

[@Idahoguy10157]

The last big attempt at reviving the mining of the Comstock Lode was in the 1920’s at American Flat. However.... reprocessing mining tailings to extract gold and silver missed is still going on.

[@Edward2092009]

Room 11 & 12 in the Hotel we did a "my ghost story" on both rooms, and twice we stayed in the cabin, along with the Ghost Adventures crew.

[@johneason6540]

You need to come up to the Empire mine in Nevada city. You can still go down into mine on the carts that would take miners down and up and carts that hauled ore out.

[@tazmod7272]

It amazes me the design of all of the structures.

[@oldminer5387]

That's just ole White Boots rattling around in his mine, and checking out his claims. He may scare the crap out you, but for the most part, I have found he really won't hurt you.

[@martingindulis5310]

love you videos very good entertainment