Thursday, May 7th with Taylor Hamby “Drunk History: The Spirited History of Drinking in Virginia City, NV“
We are pleased to continue the 2026 Lecture Series!
Dinner starts at 4:30 p.m. and lecture starts at 7:00 p.m.
Description:
They say Virginia City was born from a broken bottle of whiskey, and the town hasn’t dried out since. In this special “Drunk History” session, Taylor C. Hamby pours out the intoxicating truth behind the Comstock Lode’s liquid legends. The talk traces the town’s origins from “Old Virginny” Finney’s accidental christening to the arrival of “Professor” Jerry Thomas, the father of American mixology, who tended bar at the Delta during the boom. Discover the whiskey-soaked habits of Mark Twain at the Territorial Enterprise, explore the rowdy reality of 1860s saloons, and see how Lucius Beebe and Charles Clegg resurrected the era’s elegance with mid-century martinis and champagne. Pull up a stool for a journey through the booze that built the West—straight up history, with a twist.
Bio:
Taylor C. Hamby is an award-winning journalist, Comstock historian, and the current Barmistress of the historic Gold Hill Hotel & Saloon. Formerly a reporter for OC Weekly and Executive Director of the Friends of Sutro Tunnel, Taylor has spent her career excavating the cultural undercurrents of Nevada’s history. As a dedicated biographer of Lucius Beebe and Charles Clegg and the founder of their fan society, she combines archival rigor with the practical wisdom of a Nevada bartender. Whether she’s pouring a pint or researching 19th-century tabloids, Taylor lives by a mantra of the Comstock: work hard, and party like it’s 1859.
Lecture starts at 7:00 p.m. and costs $10 per person.
Come early and enjoy dinner before the lecture! We Serve dinner before the lecture at 4:30, 5, & 5:30
Please fill out this reservation form to sign up for this spirited lecture:
