America’s first large silver lode was discovered in Virginia City, earning Nevada the title of “Silver State.” The city sprung up virtually overnight around the Comstock Lode in 1859 and had over 25,000 residents by 1873. In 1876, it was the source for the majority of the country’s precious metals. Although the town’s boomtown days are long over, it is still a popular tourist attraction due to its mining heritage. One of the testimonies to the town’s past is the Silver Queen, a 15-foot-by-8-foot painting that hangs in the boomtown-era Silver…
