Attention to detail is the archaeologist’s claim to fame, and this book neatly proves that point. Not for the amateur Nevada historian, this work is a serious and thorough glimpse at many of the artifacts uncovered in four Virginia City saloons during recent archaeological digs. Among the historical detritus were tobacco pipes, animal bones and coins. An excellent reference tool for anyone interested in saloon artifacts, architecture and patronage, author Kelly J. Dixon makes Virginia City and its historic taverns come alive in this interesting volume. Filled with photos of various finds, it will not only give the reader a better sense of Virginia City’s life and leisure, they will also get a decent introduction to the archeologists’ compulsion to seek, repair and recreate history with the relics they find on their digs.
Boomtown Saloons: Archaeology and History in Virginia City
