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Platted by the Central Pacific Railroad in 1868 and named after the Italian composer, Verdi straddled the Truckee River at a strategic lumber-mill junction feeding timber to the Comstock mines. In the 1870s sawlogs roared down flumes from the Sierra to be loaded onto railcars here, while emigrant wagons and telegraph lines made Verdi a lively frontier crossroads just west of Reno.
Why this site matters to the film: Verdi, Nevada, is a crucial location for our story, as it is the site of the Overland Express robbery, setting the stage for the narrative. Known for being the location of the "first train robbery in the West," Verdi is situated at the base of the Sierra Nevada range and offers diverse scenery, including rivers, aspen trees, pine trees, and potentially snow in the fall months. Located approximately 20 minutes west of Reno and about 45 minutes north and west of Virginia City, Verdi provides an authentic backdrop for filming scenes where actual historical events
Silver struck in 1859 turned this hillside camp into the “Richest City on Earth.” By the late 1860s its 25,000 residents boasted gas-lit streets, newspapers printed on roller presses, and the Virginia & Truckee Railroad hauling ore to the mills. Though the big bonanza waned after 1874, the town’s opulent theaters, saloons, and brick blocks (rebuilt after the 1875 fire) still echo with the clang of stamp mills and the clatter of stagecoaches.
Why this site matters to the film: Virginia City offers a wealth of opportunities for filming, as it remains rustic and true to its historical period. The town features numerous actors dressed in 1800s attire, maintaining the authentic look and feel of the era. Many buildings and structures in Virginia City are well-suited to the "Death in Convict Canyon" story. The outskirts of the town are dotted with popular mines from the past and remnants of historical significance. Additionally, there are tourist mines available that could be utilized for mining scenes, should they become important to the movie.
Virginia City Cemetery: Laid out on the slope north of town in the mid-1860s, this multi-plot necropolis holds miners, madams, Civil War veterans, and fraternal lodges, each fenced by ornate ironwork. Weathered cedar headboards and marble angels tell hard-luck stories of an 1870s boom-town where life—and death—came fast.
Why this site matters to the film: the cemetery is a key location for filming the procession of our madam to her final resting place. This site is significant because it retains its historical authenticity, with minimal modernized elements. The cemetery remains much as it was in the 1870s, providing an ideal backdrop for setting up a prop headstone with the inscription "Wells Fargo Never Forgets." It also serves as a poignant location for capturing scenes of the townsmen weeping over the death of their beloved madam.
Virginia City Courthouse: Rebuilt in ornate Italianate style after the fire, the 1876 courthouse housed Nevada’s busiest court docket during the silver bonanza, hearing everything from claim-jumping suits to stage-robbery trials. Still in service today, its brick façade and wrought-iron cells evoke the era when fortunes—and freedoms—were decided daily on C Street.
Why this site matters to the film: the courthouse could be an excellent location for filming scenes where characters are sentenced to the Nevada State Prison. This setting is historically significant, as Virginia City was home to Mark Twain and his place of employment. Although the actual sentencing took place in Carson City or Reno, this courthouse offers a more authentic and visually appropriate backdrop for the film.
Virginia City Schoolhouse: Opened in 1876, the four-story “Palace of Education” schooled nearly 1,000 children of miners and merchants in its first year. Steam heat, indoor bathrooms, and gas lighting made it one of the most advanced public schools west of the Mississippi—a proud symbol of Comstock wealth rising from the 1875 Great Fire’s ashes.
Why this site matters to the film: the schoolhouse is a perfect setting to depict our confused Sunday school teacher, Chapman, preaching about temptation and the hypocrisy of doing good deeds. Its historical charm and authentic atmosphere provide an ideal backdrop for capturing the essence of this character's internal conflict.
Silver Queen Saloon and Hotel: Erected in 1876 as ore fortunes peaked, this three-story brick hotel and saloon catered to miners flush with “Comstock silver.” Its namesake is a 15-foot portrait inlaid with 3,261 Morgan dollars—one for every foot of the deepest mine shaft of the day—making the Silver Queen both a watering hole and a glittering shrine to boom-town excess.
Why this site matters to the film: The Silver Queen Hotel may be the best place to shoot the bar scenes, as it has less modern lighting compared to other bars. While some of the Chapman scenes are set in Reno, the Silver Queen Hotel offers an excellent location to depict where Chapman lives, including his single set of clothes in the closet. If we are already filming in the saloon, it makes sense to utilize the hotel rooms upstairs for additional scenes. This approach ensures continuity and maximizes the use of this historic setting. The hotel/saloon is also a great location to replace the Lake House in Reno, where Chapman and the men plan the robbery.
Carved from its own sandstone quarry in 1862, the prison was a self-contained fortress of the Comstock era—until 29 inmates overpowered guards on Sept 17, 1871. Many were caught immediately, but several fled over the Sierra. The ensuing manhunt ended at Monte Diablo Creek (now Convict Lake), cementing the prison’s place in Western lore and directly sparking the events dramatized in Death in Convict Canyon.
Why this site matters to the film: The Nevada State Prison holds significant historical importance as the site of the largest prison break in United States history at the time, which also resulted in the death of the prison's warden. Established in 1862 and still in operation today, the original portion of the prison provides an authentic and appropriate setting for our prison break scene.
Initially established as an outpost in 1852, and then formally founded in 1862 when silver was struck on nearby Blind Spring Hill, Benton boomed into a bustling way-station with assay offices, blacksmiths, and stage service linking Mono County mines to the Comstock. After a hard day freighting ore, teamsters soaked in 140-degree mineral pools amid sage-covered hills—a frontier spa that drew travelers well into the 1870s and still steams beneath weather-beaten false-fronts today.
Why this site matters to the film: Benton Hot Springs is an ideal location for shooting scenes featuring Robert Morrison and Mono Jim, as it was there home and the actual site of significant historical events. It is also the location of the mercantile store where Morrison lived and worked. While the modern tile in some hot tubs presents a drawback, plans are in place to modify these tubs and the mercantile store to better reflect the 1870s era. If suitable tubs cannot be used, there are numerous options in the surrounding prairie areas, including many in Nevada. This picturesque setting is located about 10 miles from Benton and approximately 4 miles from the site where Morrison was killed… Mt. Morrison and the smaller Mono Jim are the pointed mountains in the background.
Arcularius Ranch and Alpers Ranch, California
Arcularius Ranch and Alpers Ranch, California
Long before ski condos, these lush meadows were a 19th-century stock-route rest-stop: a homesteader built the first cabin in 1860, watering cattle on the spring-fed Owens headwaters. Tim Alpers’s grandfather bought the land in 1906, converting it into a working cattle spread and, later, a trout-fishing retreat famed for ten-pound rainbows. Just upstream, the Arcularius family grazed sheep and cattle by 1919 and added a fishing resort in the 1930s, but the landscape still feels like the open range investors would have ridden through in the 1870s.
Why this site matters to the film: These iconic ranches evoke the rich history of cattle ranching in California. In recent years, they have gained recognition as expansive private fishing camps. The ranches offer an ideal setting for filming scenes that require mountainous and picturesque landscapes, featuring stunning rivers, lush trees, and vast high desert terrain. With Mount Morrison visible in the background, the ranches provide a dramatic backdrop that could serve as a potential stopping point for convicts or members of a posse.
Ringed by craggy marble peaks, this glacial lake was Paiute‐named Wit-sa-nap until the convicts broke out of Nevada State Prison in September 1871 and holed up here. A posse’s gun-battle left two lawmen dead, and the place was rechristened “Convict Lake”; nearby Mount Morrison and Mono Jim Peak honor the fallen. In the 1870s freight teams and cattle drives still rattled along the dusty Benton road below, while prospectors eyed the colorful strata that make the canyon so cinematic today.
Why this site matters to the film: This is a crucial location for filming, particularly for capturing backdrops, as it represents one of the most significant highlights of our story where a hero meets his unfortunate end. Known for its stunning beauty, Convict Lake is one of the most scenic spots in the Eastern Sierra. This area is renowned not only for its incredible landscapes but also for its history of tragedy, making it an ideal setting for pivotal scenes in our film.
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