Reviews the sequential growth, decline, and regrowth of Virginia City, a historic mining town in Nevada. Discusses the consequences of the influx of tourism created by the Bonanza television series. Today the historic place is really a series of layers, each scattered throughout the same location yet each speaking to a separate era in Virginia City history. Recognized as a National Historic Landmark by the federal government, the town still struggles to allow the freedom to make money on tourism while also maintaining the legacy of the past, which is its major tourist attraction. Existing within a state and a local culture hostile to planning and control by government, Virginia City presents a classic confrontation in which both historic preservation and development are in the clear self-interest of the private sector. It is a constant search for balance.