Documentary History of American Water-works

Nevada

Virginia City

Gold Hill, Nevada

Gold Hill was incorporated in 1862 to avoid being annexed by neighboring Virginia City.

The Gold Hill Water Company was formed at some unknown time and was merged into the Virginia and Gold Hill Water Company on May 12, 1863. The Gold Hill Water Company may have been the Gold Hill Water Tunnel Company, which was formed in August, 1860.

Nothing is known about the Gold Hill company prior to its 1863 merger, and after that it became, and remains, an integral part of Virginia City's water system.

Water is provided by the Storey County Public Works Department, which buys water from the State of Nevada.

References
1860 Daily Alta California, 15 August 1860, Page 1.
A company has been formed at Gold Hill, and is now actively engaged in driving a tunnel for the purpose of collecting the water contained in the basin, between the mountain ranges. It is known as "the Gold Hill Water Tunnel Company," and was projected by Mr. Sabine, who is preparing powerful machinery for developing the undertaking. W. McMurray, C.E., has been appointed engineer of the work, and as a commercial speculation, it cannot fail to be highly remunerative.

1866 Map of the State of Nevada, U.S. General Land Office. Shows location of Gold Hill in Storey County.

1876 Map of Virginia and Gold Hill Water Company's Lots, Gold Hill, Storey County, Nevada

1877 Sanborn maps for Virginia City and Gold Hill, Nevada shows locations of water pipes and hydrants.

1879 United States Annual Mining Review and Stock Ledger: Containing Detailed Official Reports of the Principal Gold and Silver Mines ... for the Year 1879
Page 155-156: Virginia and Gold Hill Water Company. Gold Hill and Silver City are also supplied by the same company, as are all the mills situated along the line of the Comstock.

1882 Virginia City, Engineering News 9:156 (May 13, 1882) Mentions Gold Hill being served.

1888 "Virginia City, Gold Hill, and Silver City," from Manual of American Water Works, Volume 1.

1890 "Virginia City Gold Hill, and Silver City," from Manual of American Water Works, Volume 2.

1891 "Gold Hill," from Manual of American Water Works, Volume 3.