James "Old Virginny" Finney

Field Notes from Davey Diggins

Every now and then when I'm studying old mining history, I run across a story that reminds me just how far the roots of Virginia prospectors really reach.

One of those stories belongs to a man named James "Old Virginny" Finney.

Finney was a prospector originally from Virginia, back when our state was already well known for its gold belt and early mining operations. Long before the big western rushes, Virginia miners had experience working creeks, digging shafts, and chasing quartz veins.

Like many miners of the 1800s, Finney eventually headed west looking for opportunity. By 1859, he found himself in the mountains of what is now Nevada during the early discovery days of the Comstock Lode.

That discovery would grow into one of the richest mining districts the United States ever saw.

According to mining camp stories passed down over the years, Finney—known among the miners as "Old Virginny"—suggested naming the growing camp Virginia during an early celebration after the discovery.

The other miners added "City," and the name stuck.

That small camp soon became Virginia City, one of the most famous mining towns in American history.

Now whether every detail of that story was written down perfectly or not, one thing is clear:

A Virginia prospector left his mark on one of the greatest mining booms the country ever saw.

As someone who still spends time walking creeks and studying the land here in Virginia, I like thinking about that connection.

Prospectors from this state have been chasing gold for a long time… and every now and then one of them helped shape mining history along the way. ⛏️