The 2004 Virginia City Camel Races Are September 10 - 12, 2004! Tickets Can Be Bought At The Gate!!!

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Though camels were first reintroduced into America by the U.S. Army as early as 1856, they were actually brought to the Comstock Lode in September, 1861 as salt carriers for the silver reduction mills. In 1876 camels faded from the Virginia City scene. Townspeople and horses had been repeatedly frightened by the unfamiliar camels and so eventually a law was passed which stated that camels were not allowed on state highways between dawn and dusk.

In 1959, Bob Richards, who as the editor of The Territorial Enterprise, wrote a fictitious account of the city's Camel Races to fill in some unwanted white space. The following year, he informed his readers of the upcoming races and was challenged by the San Francisco Chronicle, who had taken his article seriously. Also challenged were the Pheonix Gazette and the Indio Chamber of Commerce. Camels were leased from the San Francisco Zoo and the first race was held on C Street. This unique event gained immediate notoriety because Marilyn Monroe and Clark Gable, who were nearby filing The Misfits, joined director John Huston for a day at the races. The San Francisco Chronicle's camel, piloted by John Huston, collected the trophy in the first ever Virginia City Camel Race.

By 1962, camel races were established as an annual event and ostrich races were added in 1964. In 1987, the races were moved to a permanent home, an arena located south of F Street. The races became International in 1987, when Australia's champions from Alice Springs took up the challenge to compete for the world's title. The world title race is held in Virginia City every other year. The world title race will be held again in Virginia City next year.