Virginia City, Nev., named No. 1 old west town by True West Magazine, brings in twice as many tourists as Tombstone each year, but it's open half the time.

Is there a message in Virginia City's success that could help Tombstone?

One explanation comes from historian Don Taylor, manager of the O.K. Corral.

"People don't know it's a real town," said Don Taylor. "They confuse (Tombstone) with Tucson Studios."

Both cities boomed in the 1800s with the discovery of silver and gold, and thrived on the cowboys who ran the towns.

While Tombstone had a historic gunfight that seems to frame most views of the town, Virginia City does not have just one single event that represents its city.

With a broad range of events, a restored railroad track and stamp mill, preserved buildings and five exquisite museums, Virginia City is able to draw in tourists even during harsh economic times.

Compare that with Tombstone. The courthouse – the town's museum — isn't open year-round and now that the state is passing over its control to the town, no one knows if that will change. Tombstone's historic buildings – like City Hall and the Schieffelin building – are in horribel shape and city officials have made no credible movement in gaining funding to prevent them from slipping into further degrees of decay.

Office Manager Cory Wood from the Virginia City Convention and Tourism Authority describes Virginia City as "little town where you can literally step back in time when you come here." She points to Virginia City's silver and gold mining history and its numerous events – from chili cookoffs to mountain oyster feasts to many parades — as tourism draws.

Virginia City focuses on entertaining the families who come back to visit each year, said Daniel Caravallo who works at the Virginia City Visitor's Center.

At the Comstock Gold Mill, visitors are taken through an interactive process of mining gold and silver in the country's only working stamping — rather than grinding —mill. The mill is part of the mine that works just for show to demonstrate the procedure of how gold was mined. It was restored to its original working condition from the 1800s, said Wood.

Tombstone has one underground mine tour, without a working mill.

Although Virginia City's attractions are closed for half the year, officials strive to attract new and returning visitors starting in the spring through early fall. A train shuttles tourists between Carson City and Virginia City, making up a large percentage of the yearly visitors.

"Tourists have told me that Tombstone is too commercialized," Caravallo said. "People love [Virginia City]. The gold mining history is amazing."

Wood also commends the Virginia and Truckee Railroad Co. for the "huge draw."

Just a year ago, when restoration was completed, the train was only running once a week, an hour and a half from Carson City to Virginia City, bringing 140 tourists each trip. With an additional three trips per week Wood expects their success to improve beyond those numbers.

Visitors who do not come by the newly restored train come from San Francisco, Reno, Lake Tahoe and Sacramento, said Wood.

Wood believes the old west town has an advantage being 26 miles from the nearest major city (Reno), while Tombstone is 76 miles from Tucson, the closest large city. Tombstone's closest major airport is an hour and a half away.

Wood's advice to Tombstone is to make everything family friendly. "People are looking to do things with their kids; if their kids are bored or they have to pay for a babysitter, they won't come back," Wood said.

Virginia City has one regularly playing 30-minute gun fight show, not based on any historical event.

By no means does Virginia City sell itself on its city's history alone. Instead, it holds roughly nine major events, which bring in 5,000 to 10,000 tourists per event.

Tombstone relies on three events to bring in a majority of its tourists:
Helldorado Days, Founders Day/Rose Tree festival, and the Vigilante Days.

Virginia City did not advertise with True West Magazine last year when they won the No. 1 title. Officials spent roughly $8,000 a year on advertising on television and radio stations right before each event takes place, Wood said. Virginia City has done a respectable job of preserving its structures from the 1800s.

"Nobody around here has money to put in these buildings," Wood said. All restoration is funded individually by grants.

The town also has an opera house where concerts are held. Tombstone has none.

Officials of Virginia City encourage preservation and activity to keep tourists coming. "If you have a lot going on, you will have a lot of people," said Caravallo.

Tombstone:
• April: Founders Day and Rose Tree Festival
• August: Vigilante Days
• October: Helldorado Days

Virginia City:
• March: Mountain Oyster Fry
• April: Grand Prix
• May: Chili Cook Off and Cinco De Mayo Celebration
• July: 4th of July Spectacular
• Aug: Railfest
• Sept: Camel Races and Civil War Reenactment
• October: Stinky Days, Long Johns and Bloomers Contest, Outhouse Races
• Dec: Christmas on Comstock
• Other events include, Pet Parade, Hippie Parade, Concerts at Piper's Opera House, Comstock Cowboys, many more