The historic town of Virginia City celebrates the holiday season with festive events scheduled throughout the month of December. Bundle up the kids for the Parade of Lights and Christmas Tree lighting ceremony on December 5.

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Law enforcement memorabilia displays evolution of U.S. police work

Cells that once housed criminals in an 1876 jail now showcase one of the nation’s finest U.S. law enforcement memorabilia collections at the Silver State Peace Officers Museum in Virginia City.

Instead of being torn down, the musty cells, unused for years at the old Storey County Jail, were transformed into inviting displays of early law enforcement officers’ guns, badges, batons, uniforms, restraint devices, vintage police cars, photographs and much more. There’s even a hollow baton that housed a flask for a few nips on the job, when such perks were permitted.

Enough of the “real” jail was preserved to let visitors glimpse what it was like to be locked behind bars. There’s also an interactive Kids Station with flashing police lights and other playful equipment to amuse the youngest visitors.

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Northwestern Nevada has a major new attraction with the long-awaited opening of the historic Virginia & Truckee Railroad, rebuilt after 71 years to carry passengers between the famous mining town Virginia City and Carson City, the state capital, 30 miles south of Reno.

Rides began Aug. 15 and will run Saturdays through Oct. 31, offering an opportunity to step back in time and experience rail travel as it was a century ago, aboard vintage cars pulled by a steam engine.

The newly rebuilt railroad, known as the V&T, carries passengers one way or round trip, chugging across 12.9 miles of mountainous high desert landscape. Watch for the legendary wild horses that roam the mountains and catch a glimpse of 19th century cemeteries and abandoned stamp mills that once crushed gold and silver ore.

Round trip passengers depart from the Carson City depot at 10...

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Virginia City is throwing a big birthday bash in celebration of 150 years of rich history that began with the discovery of the fabulous wealth of silver and gold in 1859. The 19th century mining town’s Comstock Lode yielded more than $400 million in gold and silver that actually funded the building of San Francisco. Join in the sesquicentennial celebration starting Friday, June 5 with events scheduled throughout the summer months.

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All through the month of December you can celebrate the holidays in Virginia City. The annual Christmas on the Comstock starts December 1 and continues until Christmas day with events sprinkled throughout.

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