Comstock group dedicates first plaque

VIRGINIA CITY - Friends of the Comstock were on hand Tuesday morning to dedicate their first historical plaque. The bronze plaque mounted on the building that currently houses the Virginia City Convention & Tourism Authority and Virginia City Chamber of Commerce memorializes its past uses.

Prior to its present use, the building was home to the Banner Brothers, who began a clothing store there in 1868. Victor & Marcus Banner rebuilt it after the great fire of 1875 and continued operating until the late 1880's when E.J. Dwyer took it over. Dwyer ran it until the 1920s.

The building, located on the Northwest corner of C & Taylor streets came into prominence in the mid 1930s when the Marks family took it over, and moved the Crystal Bar into it from the Old Washoe Club. For over 60 years Bill and Margaret Marks made the Crystal world renown with their popular Mint Julip, and their first-hand knowledge of the Comstock they shared with their many customers from around the world.

Bill Marks died in 1994, Margaret in 1998. The building sat vacant for two years until the VCCTA purchased the building from the Marks' heirs and moved their operations there in 2000. The Chamber of Commerce came later, moving from the old V&T Railroad Mail & Bullion Car on C Street.

The Friends of The Comstock is a group of Virginia City business owners who promote Virginia City and preserve Comstock history. A group known as the Visioneers with about 12 members financed the Banner Brothers plaque, and have interested other businesses in becoming involved with this worthwhile project. Andrews Video of Reno is also donating funds through the sale of the Virginia City video "A Trip Through The Town Trapped In Time."

Virginia City resident Tom Gray has volunteered to install all the plaques for this project and has been instrumental in obtaining other Virginia City businessmen to sign up for plaques on their buildings. Tom, with his father Bob, operate the Virginia & Truckee Railroad during the summer months in Virginia City.

The plaques will be numbered chronologically and with the year they are dedicated by The Friends of the Comstock. Virginia City business & building owners wanting a plaque for their building can call Jay O'Conner at 847-4455, or Bernie Jassmann at 847-7008 for information.