Nevada

History: The first people to come to Nevada date back to over 14,000 years ago. The Washoe and Western Shoshone tribes were living in the area prior to European exploration. By 1519, the area had been claimed for Spain; then controlled by Mexico following independence from Spain in 1821. At the end of the Mexican-American War, the United States gained control of Nevada. The discovery of gold and silver in 1859 brought thousands of settlers to the area. Nevada came into statehood on October 31, 1864, as the 36^th state.

Economy: Most of the economy in the early days was tied to mining, but in more recent decades, to tourism. Three big contributors to Nevada’s economy today are; tourism, mining, and cattle ranching. About three-quarters of the gold mined in the U.S. today is mined in Nevada.

Climate: Nevada is mostly desert and semi-arid regions. Winters in northern Nevada can be long and cold, the winters in the southern part of the state tend to be short and mild. Most parts of Nevada receive very little precipitation (rainfall) throughout the year.

Geography: Most of Nevada is in the Basin and Range Province, with many mountain ranges running north to south. Nevada is the second most mountainous state in America. (Alaska is first) Lush forests can be found in the mountain ranges, high above the desert plains.

Fun Facts:

Nevada is the driest state in the U.S. with less than 10 inches of rain each year.
Known to live in Nevada’s Death Valley, the Kangaroo Rat can live its entire live without drinking one drop of water.
Nevada is the number one gold producer in the U.S.
Las Vegas, Nevada’s largest city gets more than 40 million visitors a year.
State Route 375 is named the “Extraterrestrial Highway, because many people claim to have seen extraterrestrials (aliens) and UFOs along there.
Nevada is called “The Silver State” because of the discovery of silver at the Comstock Lode in 1858.

Points of Interest: