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CultureGrams
States Edition
2014
Nevada
The Silver State
Established 1864
36th State
Nevada takes its name from a Spanish word meaning “snow-capped.”
Nevada became a state on Halloween (31 October) in 1864.
Camels were used as pack animals in Nevada until around 1870.
Las Vegas didn’t even exist until the beginning of the 20th century.
Las Vegas has more hotel rooms than any other place in the world.
Nye County is the third largest county (in terms of area) in the United States.
Mark Twain began his writing career as a reporter in Virginia City.
Nevada produces more gold than any other state in the country.
Hoover Dam contains more than 3 million cubic yards of concrete.
Gambling was legalized in Nevada in March 1931.
The federal government owns more than 80 percent of the land in Nevada. Federally-owned land includes
mountains, deserts, forests, rangeland, and national parks.
Nevada has just two area codes, one for the majority of the state, and one for the Las Vegas area.
Climate
Nevada is the driest state in the country, with an average of only about 9 inches (23
cm) of rain a year. A major reason for this is that clouds dump most of their moisture on
the Sierra Nevada mountain range before moving into the state. In the south, summers
are long and hot. Temperatures average about 80°F (27°C) and often exceed 100°F
(38°C) during the day. Winters are short and mild. In the desert, temperatures can
change dramatically between night and day. It might be 100°F (38°C) during the day
and close to freezing at night. In the northeast, the climate is much different. Winters
are long and cold. Summers are short and hot.
Average Seasonal High and Low Temperatures
Spring: 65/36°F
Summer: 90/53°F
Fall: 68/36°F
Winter: 47/22°F
Geography
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Nevada is the seventh largest state, with an area of 110,567 square miles (286,369 sq
km). The largest geographical region in Nevada is the Great Basin. The Great Basin
spans several states. It is shaped like a large bowl and is made up of desert valleys and
mountains. Nevada also includes a small part of the Sierra-Cascade Province. The
Sierra Nevada mountains stretch from north to south along the lower western corner of
the state. More than one hundred mountain ranges spread across Nevada. The state’s
main rivers are the Humboldt, Truckee, Carson, Colorado, and Walker. Lake Tahoe, on
the border with California, and Lake Mead, on the border with Arizona, are popular
tourist destinations.
Resources and Economy
Mineral wealth has often played a significant role in the economy of the Silver State, but
less so today. Still, Nevada is the leading producer of gold in the United States.
Mercury, magnesite, turquoise, and silver are also valuable to the state’s economy.
However, the most important industry now is tourism. People go to Nevada to gamble
and to enjoy the entertainment offered in casinos and nightclubs. In Las Vegas alone,
there are around 40 million visitors each year. Tourists also go to resorts and recreation
areas. As a result, many Nevadans are employed in service industries such as casinos,
restaurants, hotels, and ski resorts. A significant number of people work for the
government. Another important part of Nevada’s economy is raising livestock (cattle,
sheep, and horses). Ranching is concentrated mainly in the northeast. To feed their
livestock, farmers grow hay, a leading crop in the state.
Time Line
Various Native American tribes, such as the Pueblo, Paiute, Washoe,
and Shoshone, live in present-day Nevada prior to the arrival of
European explorers and settlers
AD 1700
AD 1776
Spaniard Francisco Garcés is the first European to see Nevada
1800
1826
Explorers Peter Ogden and Jedediah Smith arrive in Nevada
1830
The Old Spanish Trail cuts across Nevada on the way to California
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1843
John C. Frémont reaches Nevada
1848
The United States obtains Nevada from Mexico
1851
Mormons establish Genoa, one of the first permanent settlements in
the state
1859
The Comstock Lode, a rich deposit of silver and gold, is discovered
1861
The Nevada Territory is created
1864
Nevada becomes the 36th state
1869
The first transcontinental railroad crosses northern Nevada
1900
1931
Nevada legalizes gambling
1936
Hoover Dam is finished
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1951
The U.S. government begins atomic weapons testing in Nevada
1986
The Great Basin National Park, Nevada’s first national park, opens
2000
2002
The federal government selects Yucca Mountain as the primary place
to store the nation’s nuclear waste
2007
Nevada, California, and Arizona sign a water-sharing pact, agreeing to
conserve and share their limited water resources
2010
Nevada has the highest population of illegal immigrants in the United
States
PRESENT
Native Americans
Some of the first people to occupy Nevada were the Pueblo, Paiute, Washoe, and
Shoshone tribes. These tribes tended to be nomadic (people who travel from place to
place without any permanent homes). They lived in small groups and built huts made of
sticks and wooden poles. Because of Nevada’s dry climate, which made it difficult to
raise crops, these native inhabitants spent much of their time in search of food. They
lived on pine nuts, berries, roots, and small animals. Some even ate grasshoppers. The
tribes that lived near water sometimes ate fish.
Early Exploration
Because of its desert heat and imposing mountains, Nevada was one of the last places
in the West to be explored. Fur trappers were some of the first white people to visit
present-day Nevada. In 1826, Jedediah Smith explored southern Nevada, and in the
same year Peter Skene Ogden came into the area from the northeast. Both were
looking for beaver pelts that could be sold and made into fashionable hats. Although
Smith and Ogden had limited success in finding beaver, their trails were invaluable
when people made their way through Nevada in search of gold in California in 1848.
Another early explorer was John Charles Frémont, who was sent by the federal
government in 1842 to map the area between the Rocky Mountains and California. He
reached Nevada the following year. Frémont was the first person to make a map of
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Nevada.
Comstock Lode
Between 1848 and 1859, Nevada was a stop along the trail for thousands of treasure
hunters on the way to California. Few people went to Nevada and stayed, so there were
only about a thousand settlers by the beginning of 1859. But all that changed with the
discovery of silver in June of 1859. Prospectors discovered a large vein of silver on Mt.
Davidson in the Virginia Range. The discovery became known as the Comstock Lode.
Shortly thereafter, prospectors flooded into the area from California and the eastern
United States. By 1863, Virginia City grew from being a small tent camp to a town of
15,000. This was more than three-fourths of the population of the entire territory. The
Comstock Lode was the richest silver deposit found in the United States.
Hoover Dam
In 1936, the construction of Hoover Dam on the Colorado River was finished. The dam
took five years and 7 million tons of concrete to build. When completed, it was 70
stories high—one of the largest dams in the world. Because of its size, people called it
the Eighth Wonder of the World. Hoover Dam stores water in Lake Mead for recreation,
irrigation, and for use in homes and businesses in Nevada, Arizona, and California. The
dam also converts waterpower into electricity. Many nearby cities and towns depend on
the benefits Hoover Dam provides.
Nuclear Testing
In the early 1950s, the federal government decided that Nevada would be a good place
to set up a testing area for atomic bombs because large parts of the state were
uninhabited. They chose a site in southern Nevada. Spectators used to watch the huge
mushroom-shaped clouds that were created when the bombs exploded. But many
began to wonder about the dangers to people’s health and to the environment as a
result of these tests. To limit some of the possible harmful effects of the explosions, the
tests were moved underground in 1963. Although atomic testing was discontinued in
1992, there is still great concern about the long-term effects of nuclear radiation.
Population
Nevada was one of the fastest growing states in the 1990s and still is. Clark County, which includes Las Vegas, grew
350 percent between 1975 and 2000. Much of this growth has come as people have moved to Nevada from other
states. In fact, the vast majority of today’s Nevadans weren’t born in the state. Hispanics are one of the fastest growing
segments of the population. Nevada's Hispanic population tripled between 1990 and 2000. At around 20 persons per
square mile (8 per sq km), the average population density is one of the lowest in the United States. The national
average is 77 persons per square mile (30 per sq km). Most people live in one of two major urban (city) areas—Las
Vegas or Reno.
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Government
Capital: Carson City
State Abbreviation: NV
Governor: Brian Sandoval (Republican)
U.S. Senators: 2
Dean Heller (Republican)
Harry Reid (Democrat)
U.S. Representatives: 4
Republicans: 2
Democrats: 2
State Senators: 21
State Representatives: 42
Counties: 16, plus one independent city
The governor can’t serve more than two terms.
Nevada’s legislature meets in odd-numbered years.
Famous People
Andre Agassi
Andre Agassi — Tennis champion
Charisma Carpenter — Actress
Kit Carson — Frontiersman
Walter Van Tilburg Clark — Author
Henry Comstock — Prospector and mine owner
Sarah Winnemucca Hopkins — Activist for Native American rights
Jack Kramer — Tennis player
Wayne Newton — Entertainer
Pat Nixon — First lady of the United States
Liberace — Pianist
Harry M. Reid — U.S. senator and Senate Majority Leader
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Sarah Winnemucca
Hopkins
Pat Nixon
Liberace
Native America
The Paiutes, Shoshone, and Washoe were the three major tribes living in Nevada
before Europeans arrived. The Paiutes were divided into northern and southern groups.
These two groups were distinct, spoke different languages, and had little contact with
each other. The Northern Paiute lived around what is now Pyramid Lake, while the
Southern Paiute lived in what is now the Moapa Valley. The Shoshone lived in
northeastern Nevada, while the Washoe occupied the area along the present-day
Sierra Nevada Mountain Range.
The Washoe were fishermen who also relied on hunting small game such as rabbit, and
gathering nuts and berries to survive. The Northern Paiute hunted larger game and
traveled frequently, following deer and elk herds. The Southern Paiute were hunters as
well but did not travel as much. They grew crops such as pumpkin, melons, and beans,
and were known for their beautiful baskets. The Northern Paiute and the Shoshone
interacted peacefully with each other, but were united against their Washoe neighbors.
By the time Europeans arrived, the Paiute had effectively conquered the Washoe. Early
settlers displaced the native tribes, and several battles were fought over land and food
supplies. Disease killed many of the natives, and when the U.S. Army stepped in, the
rest were forced to live on reservations.
A little more than 1 percent of Nevadans are Native American. There are close to 30
different federally recognized tribes who make Nevada their home today. For many
years, conditions were very poor on the state reservations. As a result, many natives
chose to move to cities to find work and better living conditions. The areas where they
settled became known as Indian Colonies. In some cases, the government granted
them the land they occupied. These colonies were different from the reservations in that
they were often home to members of multiple tribes rather than just one. Several of the
colonies still exist today.
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Cowboy Poetry
Cultures of many kinds are celebrated in Nevada. For example, for more than 20 years, the city of Elko has hosted the
annual National Cowboy Poetry Gathering, where modern cowboys come to share stories and poems about the West,
both past and present. Cowboy poetry is a uniquely American art form stemming from a time when cowboys and ranch
hands would gather around the campfire at night and tell stories. Though it can also be written down, originally cowboy
poetry was recited orally or performed live. The poems usually involve the life of someone who works with livestock or
on the land. They are sometimes humorous and sly, sometimes lilting and beautiful. The week-long National Cowboy
Poetry Gathering attracts poets, musicians, and photographers from all across the West.
Basque Festival
The National Basque Festival, held in Elko each year, honors a group of people who came to Nevada from Spain in the
1880s to herd sheep. The Basque people are native to an area of northern Spain and southern France. They speak a
language also called Basque, which is older than most other modern languages spoken today. Fleeing persecution in
Spain, many Basques came to North and South America, setting up communities where they could live in peace. Every
year, Elko hosts the festival, which includes traditional dancing, food, musical performances, and the exciting running
from the bulls. Organizers let loose a herd of Mexican fighting bulls while participants run as fast as they can away from
the sharp horns of the charging bulls. Festival goers also enjoy many competitive activities, from bread making to wood
chopping, as the Basque way of life is celebrated to the hilt.
State Symbols
State Bird
Mountain bluebird—Officially adopted as the state bird in 1967, the bluebird is found in
Nevada’s highlands.
State Tree
Bristlecone pine (pictured) and single-leaf piñon—Both of these trees are official state
trees.
State Flower
Sagebrush—Sagebrush grows in the deserts of the western United States and provides
food for sheep and cattle.
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State Animal
Desert bighorn sheep—The desert bighorn can live in mountainous deserts because it
doesn’t need much water.
Other Symbols
Colors: Silver and blue
Fish: Lahontan cutthroat trout
Fossil: Ichthyosaur
Precious Gemstone: Virgin Valley black fire opal
Semi-precious Gemstone: Nevada turquoise
Grass: Indian rice grass
Metal: Silver
Reptile: Desert tortoise
Rock: Sandstone
Song: “Home Means Nevada”
State Motto
All for Our Country—The origin of this motto is uncertain, but it may refer to Nevada's loyalty to the Union during the
Civil War.
Pro Sports Teams
There are currently no professional sports teams in Nevada.
For More Information
See www.nv.gov or contact the Nevada Commission on Tourism, 401 North Carson Street, Carson City, NV 89701;
phone (800) NEVADA-8; web site www.travelnevada.com.
© 2014 ProQuest LLC and Brigham Young University. It is against the law to
copy, reprint, store, or transmit any part of this publication in any form by any
means without strict written permission from ProQuest.
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