Step back in time to gold rush Montana in this immersive episode exploring the turbulent, haunted history of Virginia City! Meet legendary prospectors Bill Fairweather and Henry Edgar, whose lucky escape from Crow Indians led to one of America’s biggest gold strikes. Experience the rise and fall of outlaws and vigilantes, including Sheriff Henry Plummer (remember from our Bannack episode) and the infamous Jack Slade, whose fate and fiery wife Virginia still echo through local legend. Learn how the town’s historic buildings, lively businesses, and ghost stories blend the Old West with modern life. Perfect for history buffs, curious travelers, and seekers of true stories from America’s frontier days.

Sources for This Episode

• Virginia City, Montana – Legends of America (legendsofamerica.com), accessed July 2025
• Montana Vigilantes – Legends of America (legendsofamerica.com), accessed July 2025
• Henry Plummer – Wikipedia (en.wikipedia.org), accessed July 2025
• Gold, and a Crow War Party – Montana Pioneer (montanapioneer.com), accessed July 2025
• The Hanging of Jack Slade, A Rowdy Drunk – Points (pointshistory.org), published August 2023
• Joseph Slade – Hanged By Vigilantes – Legends of America (legendsofamerica.com), accessed July 2025
• Virginia Slade – Ghost Stories – Southwest Montana (southwestmt.com), accessed July 2025
• A Distinct Lack of Robbers at Robbers Roost – Southwest Montana (southwestmt.com), accessed July 2025
• The Strike in Alder Gulch – Montana Gold Claims (wildlil.com), published March 2009
• Virginia City: Montana's First Incorporated Town – University of Montana (umt.edu), accessed July 2025
• Historic Preservation – Virginia City MT (virginiacitymt.com), accessed July 2025
• Bill Fairweather – Montana Moments (ellenbaumler.blogspot.com), published August 2012