The Old Blog in the Desert

A short distance from a now-viral TikTok capturing alleged racist harassment against a Black man stands a state historical marker that tells a lesser-known story—one of African American resilience and achievement in the heart of Virginia City.

The marker, “African Americans and the Boston Saloon,” commemorates William A.G. Brown, a freeborn Black man who owned and operated the Boston Saloon from 1866 to 1875. The establishment was more than just a bar; it was a symbol of the rich cultural and social contributions of Black Nevadans during the state’s early years.

The Boston Saloon, adorned with intricate gas lamps and crystal goblets, offered an upscale experience different from the typical rough-and-tumble saloon image of television and movies. Though the saloon burned in the Great Fire of 1875, the historical marker serves as a reminder of the significant role African Americans played in the development of Virginia City and Nevada.

Virginia City, fueled by the 1859 discovery of the Comstock Lode, was home to the state’s first sizable Black population. By 1860, all 44 Black Americans in the state resided in Virginia City and Storey County, which grew to around 100 by the 1870s, according to U.S. Census data.

These Black pioneers were not just laborers and service workers; Virginia City was also home to esteemed figures like W.H.C. Stephenson, Nevada’s first Black doctor, and civil rights leader George D. Cottle, who fought for Black equality.

Despite these achievements, the city was far from a racial utopia. Black residents faced systemic racism, including laws passed by the Nevada Territorial Legislature in 1861 that banned them from marrying white people, voting, or testifying in court. This racism earned Nevada the nickname “the Mississippi of the West.”

However, Virginia City’s boom was short-lived. By the 1880s, following the collapse of the mining industry, the city—and its Black population—dwindled. By 1900, census records showed only nine Black residents in the surrounding county. Today, the town’s Black population is 12.

Virginia City served as a small-scale representation of Nevada’s overall cultural and economic growth. The story of William A.G. Brown and the Boston Saloon serves as a reminder of the contributions of Black Nevadans in Virginia City.