Together, the Nevada Department of Commerce and Travel Nevada have implemented a Destination Development Design (3D) program to through which they assist rural communities in Nevada where it has been challenging to generate economic development. One such project we completed with the 3D program was a project focused on the Virginia City Landmark Historic District. Itwhere it was unlikely that industry would locate there, yet there was a project with a story unlike any other. This was the area where the world’s largest lode (?) of silver was discovered, that didn’t just fuel Nevada’s rise, it reshaped the entire global currency system. A plan to move this historic site on a path to renewed economic vitality featured world-class preservation and the ability to make historic structures economically viable and sustainable. The plan included:
Transforming 13 historic structures into economically productive space.
Showcasing the rich legacy and engineering marvels developed in the region that revolutionized mining worldwide
Elevating the Virginia City Landmark Historic District to a World Heritage Site
A program to appeal to the 22 million residents who live with a six hour drive of the site to visit