Black and white image of three children involved in the Vacation Reading Club at the Boulder City Library. At the time of this photograph, the library was housed in the basement of the city's municipal building.

Small temporary museum room at the "Lost City" reconstructed houses site to be abandoned and inundated.

Black and white image of a group of children participating in a summer reading program at the Boulder City Library. The children are all holding certificates possibly applauding them for their reading achievements.

Typed onto a piece of paper attached to the image: "Contemplative smile. Here, Howard Hughes seems in rapt thought during one of the numerous speeches extolling his feat. Probably thinking of the "men who designed and perfected to its present remarkable state of efficiency, the modern American flying machine and equipment." (The quote is from his own official statement to the press.) Credit Lines (ACME) 7/15/38."

The mountains near Virginia City, Nevada. Virga can be seen falling from the clouds. Like many cities and towns in Nevada, Virginia City was a mining boomtown; it developed virtually overnight as a result of miners rushing to the Comstock Lode silver strike of 1859 on the eastern slopes of Mount Davidson. But, Virginia City far surpassed all others for its peak of population, technological advancements developed there, and for providing the population base upon which Nevada qualified for statehood. The riches of the Comstock Lode inspired men to hunt for silver mines throughout Nevada and other parts of the American West. At its peak, Virginia City had a population of over 25,000 residents and was called the richest city in America. Dominated by San Francisco moneyed interests, Virginia City was heralded as the sophisticated interior partner of San Francisco. “San Francisco on the coast and Virginia City inland” became the mantra of west coast Victorian entrepreneurs. Early Virginia City settlers were in large part the backwash from San Francisco and the California Gold Rush, ten years before. Mine owners who made a killing in the Comstock mines spent most of their wealth in San Francisco.