Virginia City vs Bonanza: A Tale of Merging Histories

Bonanza, a popular television series, brought Virginia City, Nevada, to the forefront of households around the world, but it took on a life of its own beyond the boundaries of real-life Virginia City. Monette Bebow-Reinhard explores select history from the shows legendary storylines and compares it to the real history of nineteenth-century Virginia City, emphasizing the impact television had on shaping how we remember the Old West. Virginia City vs Bonanza examines the politics, environmental damage, and social and cultural settings that made Virginia City unique, including silvers inevitable collapse, the advent of tourism, the natives, diversity, violence, and today, the fun.

Format: Hardback
Length: 330 pages
Publication date: 21 April 2024
Publisher: Rowman & Littlefield

Bonanza, a classic television series that aired from 1959 to 1973, brought the small Nevada city of Virginia City to the forefront of households around the country and into many parts of the world. The show was so popular that it went on to air for thirteen years and even spawned a theme park. However, historical accuracy was of great import to the show's creator, and as the series evolved, it took on a life of its own beyond the boundaries of real-life Virginia City. In Virginia City vs Bonanza: A Tale of Merging Histories, Monette Bebow-Reinhard explores select history from the shows legendary storylines and compares it to the real history of nineteenth-century Virginia City. Readers will learn why gambling is so prominent in Nevada, how Virginia City was not necessarily developed as a cattle town, and much more, ultimately understanding how and where Bonanza got its history right. Through her analysis of history versus fiction, Bebow-Reinhard emphasizes the impact television had on shaping how we remember the Old West. From the beginnings on Sun Mountain to the new technology created for Virginia City's mines to keep up with the demands of the labor force—hungry for more wealth—Virginia City vs Bonanza examines the politics, the environmental damage, and the social and cultural settings that made Virginia City unique. Readers will witness it all: silvers inevitable collapse, the advent of tourism, the natives, the diversity, the violence, and the legacy of the Comstock Lode.

Weight: 640g
Dimension: 159 x 235 x 29 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781538188927