Dry Gulch Junction, now Virginia City, was open from the mid 1960's until 1981 and was the third largest attraction in Virginia at the time. It was abandoned in 1981 after Interstate I-77 diverted traffic from the area. We purchased it in 1999 and are restoring the town as a living museum. Sadly there are no longer trains and daily gun fights. We now do the gun fights once a month. But, there is still lots to do at Virginia City! Virginia City has since been visited by folks from 48 states and 13 foreign countries. Virginia City is located on Big Walker Mountain off Highway 52 ten miles north of Wytheville. We are open to the public 10am to 6pm from April 14th through October 31st.

Our Frontier Town

Virginia City, formerly Dry Gulch Junction Railroad, has 20 restored buildings including the General Store, the Covered Stage, Town Hall, the Grist Mill, the Jail & more! Take a tour of our historic town and see shops and countless photographic opportunities. There is a Gem Store and the beginnings of our Gem & Mineral Museum. We have covered picnic tables and the gem sluice is covered as well. The view of Jefferson National Forest is panoramic & breathtaking! Ample parking is available for buses, RV's, bikes and horse trailers. Our facilities are handicap friendly!

Admissions

There is no admission charge to Virginia City, but donations help our restoration and are greatly appreciated. Prices for mining gems and panning for gold are provided below.

Groups and Gatherings

For a special event, you can reserve our space! Book our revived historic town to host events of all sizes, from birthdays to family reunions, from weddings to parties. Schools groups will find fun learning opportunities at Virginia City. We offer guided tours through the buildings and landscape of our exciting town. For more information on reservations for your group or gathering visit the Reservations page.

Our monthly Second Saturday Series, Cowboy Days will be held this year on June 14th, July 12th, August 9th, Sept. 13th, and Oct 11th. Plan to come at high noon and stay until 6p.m. or so. We provide western music, cowboy shootouts, old time western movies and concessions. Vendor spots will be available. There is a $5.00 admission (13yrs+) for the entertainment. Anyone who shows up in full western dress (not just a cowboy hat) will receive a $2.00 discount on admission. As always there will be no admission charge for the sluice mine.

Old West reenactors will stage shootouts various times throughout the day. There will be food and drink available at the concession stand. Bring lawn chairs and jackets. Vendors and crafters are welcome to bring their wares. Kindly keep the old time theme for crafts and merchandise being sold. Contact us with questions about selling food, crafts, and merchandise via Jeanne Davis available at 276.223.1873 or with this form

7th Annual Halloween Haunted Town (2007)

VIRGINIA CITY will be Halloween Haunted this year the last two weekends of October (Oct. 24/25 & Oct. 31/Nov. 1), from 6:00 p.m. until 10:00 p.m. We'll have lots of games, pumpkins to carve, and face painting, all for free! There will also be free contests, so wear your Halloween best, and win one of our many prizes. Small guided tours of Town begin at dark and are by donation, $5 suggested, benefiting the Virginia City Restoration Fund.

Mine for Gems

Try your hand at mining for gems at Virginia City. Buckets contain at least a dozen different gemstones. The bucket prices are $10.00 for a medium bucket, $25.00 for a large bucket, $50.00 for a deluxe bucket, and $100.00 for a rockhound bonanza bucket. Groups of 10 or more receive a 20% discount. Reservations for groups are required for the group discount. Check out the Reservations page.