Past Events

Join us for an exciting lecture brought to you by The Comstock Foundation and Piper's Opera House! Alexander Parker Crittenden – Comstock Inside Trader and Philanderer, Nevada Mining Lawyer, Adventurer, Confederate Partisan. A.P Crittenden, a lawyer and an adventurer, was an early 49’er who travelled by the southern route from Texas through Mexico to San Francisco. With strong Southern sympathies during the Civil War, he left his successful practice in California avoiding political and loyalty conflicts and migrated to the…

Join us for an exciting lecture brought to you by The Comstock Foundation and Piper's Opera House. All aboard for a new lecture by Jim Clark, Hollywood’s Train Man.Jim is a veteran of over 250 major motion pictures, an engineer and train production coordinator. This lecture will feature some of his biggest films with behind-the-scenes stories that are sure to amaze. Coupled with Q&A plus film clips of action sequences from “The Lone Ranger”, “Wild Wild, West“, Lethal Weapon 4”,…

Please join us for another evening of entertainment at Piper's Opera House. In this talk, CW Bayer and The Honky Tonk Bums will thrill listeners with some old-time jug band music. Outlines the rise of razzmatazz ragtime and traditional jazz that helped define Virginia City’s music scene from the 1940s into the 1980s. Bring your memories as this chapter of local history has yet to be completed. The talk features rare recordings and photos. Lecture starts at 7 pm; Doors…

Join us for an exciting lecture brought to you by The Comstock Foundation and Piper's Opera House! "Tahoe Tidbits" by Jim Bonar This presentation is of little known or unknown historical features around Lake Tahoe. It consists of a collection of old photos, film, and information of Lake Tahoe in the early days, showing early roads, early railroads, and early steam traveling around the lake. Those interested in the early history of Lake Bigler will certainly enjoy the old pictures,…

Join us for an exciting lecture brought to you by The Comstock Foundation and Piper's Opera House! Elizabeth (Libbie) Bacon Custer was an American author and public speaker, and the wife of Brevet Major General George Armstrong Custer, United States Army. She spent most of their marriage in relatively close proximity to him despite his numerous military campaigns in the American Civil War and subsequent postings on the Great Plains as a commanding officer in the United States Cavalry. Left…

Reno Now and Then The significance of Virginia City and the Comstock Lode played an important part in the creation of Reno. A town where gambling, divorce, and much more put Reno on the national and international stage. A combination of Neal’s "Reno Now & Then" books 1&2, featuring opposite pages of now and then photo comparisons provide a unique look back in time.  Descriptions and historical facts, side notes on problems or adventures in the process. Most cities when…

Author Robin Holabird presents readings and images from her new book “Around the World in 80 Movies” combining bucket-list destinations with must-see movies about those regions. In a highly imaginative blend of film locations, memories, and colorful travel essays, Robin Holabird offers an extensive and entertaining exploration of film locations far and wide, close to home, and everywhere in between. She explores heights at a summit of Machu Picchu and King Kong s adventures at the top of the Empire…

“Charley Parkhurst” - Known as one of the premiere “whips” of all stage drivers, One-Eyed Charley Parkhurst came to the West from Rhode Island during the Gold Rush era of the 1850s.  At times Charley worked with famous local stage driver Hank Monk who was known as the “Jehu of the Sierras”.   Charley’s route was at one time through Carson Valley between the California gold fields and the Comstock. Hop on board Charley’s coach and take the ride of your…