Virginia City, Texas facts for kids

Virginia City was once a small town in Bailey County, Texas, United States. Today, it is known as a ghost town. This means it was a place where people used to live and work, but now almost no one lives there. It is located in the southwestern part of Bailey County.

What Was Virginia City?

Virginia City was a planned community that never quite took off. It was located about two miles southeast of where Farm Roads 298 and 1731 meet today. This spot is about 25 miles southwest of a town called Muleshoe.

How Virginia City Started

The town was officially planned on March 13, 1909. Two men named Matthew C. Vaughn and Samuel D. McCloud laid out the town's design. Their plan included special areas for important buildings. There was a spot set aside for a courthouse, and other areas for schools, churches, and even a park.

In the same year it was planned, a land company from Iowa bought the townsite. They started telling people about the new town to get them to move there. To help visitors, a hotel was built. Several stores also opened up, hoping to serve new residents.

Why Virginia City Didn't Last

There was even a road built for a railroad to pass through the town. However, some people wondered if this railroad construction was real or just a trick to make the town seem more important.

Sadly, the plans for Virginia City did not work out. The town was not successful, and people started to leave. By 1913, only four years after it was founded, Virginia City was completely abandoned. It became the ghost town we know today.