The Flag on top of Mt. Davidson

The flag pole on Mt. Davidson (Sun Mountain) was first placed there in 1863 to commemorate the birth of our great nation by one of the local fire departments.  At the time there numerous fire departments protecting the Comstock.  Eagle Engine Company No. 3, Virginia City pursued the idea to place the flag pole at the top of Mt. Davidson.  Local Fire Chief Tom Peasley and his brother Andrew were instrumental in the maintaining of the pole and flag placement until into the 1880s.  After that point the Exempt members (retired) of the local fire departments continued with flag placement until into the 1920s.  The Virginia City Paid Fire department then took it over from that time and continued raising the flag on the 4^th of July.  The tradition has been passed on since through various members of the Fire Department.  After the inception of the Liberty Engine Company No. 1, Comstock Firemen’s Museum, in 1979, its members and the members of the Virginia City Fire Department continued the tradition of placing the flag up on Mount Davidson every 4^th of July to commemorate the birth of our nation.

 

Unfortunately, in recent years, the flag pole has become damaged from vandalism and high winds and has become unusable until it can be repaired which will be difficult.

It has always been considered an honor to be one of the members privileged to group the mountain and place the flag before sun-up on the 4^th.  Since the pole became out of service the old timers of the Department have been disappointed that they are unable to place the flag on the 4^th.

 

The flag has traditionally been run up over the last 140 years or so.  A succession of members of the Department have taken it upon themselves over the years to gather a couple of associates and go up to the 7,775 foot peak of Mt. Davidson before dawn and raise the flag.  For many years it was also raised on Labor Day, which was another popular celebration on the Comstock.

 

In Dan DeQuille’s book, “Big Bonanza”, he notes on page 107;  “Where we stand, on the narrow circle of granite forming the apex of the mountain, is planted a tall flagstaff on which, upon each recurrence of the natal day of the nation, the Stars and Stripes are unfurled.  The flag is run up during the night by a man who is annually sent to the top of the mountain on this errand, and those who turn their eyes toward the peak on the morning of the 4^th of July will always see the flag of their country floating there through “the dawn’s early light”.

 

The mountain was given its present name in honor of Donald Davidson, of San Francisco, who in the early days was an investor on the Comstock.  On one of his trips to Virginia, Davidson accompanied a party of men to the summit of the mountain.  On their return to the town it was unanimously agreed that the tall peak that they had that day scaled should be called Mount Davidson (Territorial Enterprise, Dan DeQuille).

 

It now seems sad that this tradition cannot be continued for damage to the pole.  Another tradition of history seems to have died.     C.L.Y.  see ya on the hill