John Mackay, William Sharon and the Fight for Comstock Bonanzas

John Mackay and William Sharon were the wealthiest of the men to emerge from Nevada’s fabulous Comstock Lode. They were also the most influential. Mackay, who rose from poverty, was the hero of Virginia City, respected by its miners and mine owners, idolized by its children. Sharon, the brains behind the “Bank Crowd,” was generally perceived as a villain: when Sharon ran for the U.S. Senate, Nevada’s leading newspaper, the Territorial Enterprise, characterized him as a “hyena.” Makley will tell of how these two Comstock Kings battled each other, amassed their fortunes, and how they used their wealth.

The presentation is part of the park’s Ferris Family Speaker Series, named in honor of the family of Margaret Ferris Dangberg, the wife of ranch founder Heinrich F. Dangberg. The series is sponsored by Bently Ranch, SoaringNV, The Record-Courier, Douglas County, Alpen Sierra Coffee Company, and the Frances C. and William P. Smallwood Foundation. Alpen Sierra Coffee Company is providing complimentary coffee for visitors throughout the series.

Michael J. Makley is the author of seven books on Western History, including five published by University of Nevada Press. The Infamous King of the Comstock won Foreword Magazine’s 2008 silver award for biography. This book will be available for purchase on the day of the event. Booklist called A Short History of Lake Tahoe, “a polished gem,” commenting: “Makley’s work could serve as a blueprint for writing relevant and engaging regional history.” Regarding his latest book, Saving Lake Tahoe: An Environmental History of a National Treasure, the Western Historical Quarterly commented, “Makley [has] done Tahoe scholarship an important service by bringing this fine work to publication.”

This is a free outdoor event. The park is located at 1450 Hwy 88, ¼ mile north of the Carson Valley Veterinary Hospital. Visitors are encouraged to bring a lawn chair or use one of the park’s chairs. Dogs are not permitted in the park, with the exception of certified service animals. For more information, visit dangberghomeranch.org or call 775-783-9417.