History of Nevada

Nevada became the 36th state on October 31, 1864, after telegraphing the Constitution of Nevada to the Congress days before the November 8 presidential election (the largest and costliest transmission ever by telegraph). Statehood was rushed to help ensure three electoral votes for Abraham Lincoln's reelection and add to the Republican congressional majorities. Nevada became the second of two states added to the Union during the Civil War (the first being West Virginia) and became known as the “Battle Born State” as a result of when it achieved statehood.

Prior to European contact, Native Americans of the Paiute, Shoshone, and Washoe tribes inhabited the land comprising the modern state. The first Europeans to explore the region originated from Spain. They gave the region the name of Nevada (snowy) due to the snow which covered the mountains at winter. The area formed part of the Viceroyalty of New Spain, becoming part of Mexico when that country gained independence in 1821. The United States acquired the territory in 1848 following its victory in the Mexican-American War, and the area was eventually incorporated as part of Utah Territory in 1850. The discovery of silver at the Comstock Lode in 1859 led to a population boom that became an impetus to the creation of Nevada Territory out of western Utah Territory in 1861

Nevada's harsh but rich environment shaped its history and culture. Before 1858 small Mormon settlements along the Utah border sustained their communities through faith, but the secular western section stumbled along until the great silver strikes beginning in 1858 created boom towns and fabulous fortunes. After the beginning of the 20th century, profits declined while Progressive reformers sought to curb rampaging capitalism and its attendant miseries. They imagined a civilized Nevada of universities, lofty idealism, and social reform. But an economic bust during the 1910s and disillusionment from failures at social reform and a population decline of nearly one-fourth meant that by 1920 Nevada had degenerated into a "beautiful desert of buried hopes.” The boom returned when big time gambling arrived in 1931, and with good transportation (especially to California metropolitan areas), the nation's easiest divorce laws, and a speculative get-rich-quick spirit, Nevada had a boom-and-bust economy that was mostly boom until the worldwide financial crisis of 2008 revealed extravagant speculation in housing and casinos on an epic scale.

Nevada is largely desert and semiarid, much of it located within the Great Basin. Areas south of the Great Basin are located within the Mojave Desert, while Lake Tahoe and the Sierra Nevada lie on the western edge. Nevada is also home to the Hoover Dam, which was the single largest public works project in the history of the United States, and Lake Mead, the largest reservoir in the country. 

Quick Facts About Nevada

Date of Statehood: October 31, 1864

Capital: Carson City

Population: 2,770,551 (2010)

Size: 7th largest state, 110,572 square miles

         87% is federal or tribal land

         17 counties, 27 recognized tribes

Nickname(s): Battle-Born State; Sagebrush State; Silver State

Motto: All for Our Country

Tree: Single-Leaf Piñon and Bristlecone Pine

Flower: Sagebrush

Bird: Mountain Bluebird

Temperatures: High:118F

                       Low: -50 F

Interesting Facts: Fourth most seismically active state in the U.S.

                           400,000 acres burn annually – Third highest in the U.S.

                             12 of the world’s largest hotels are in Las Vegas

Nevada's 17 Counties

Carson City
Churchill County 
Clark County 
Douglas County 
Elko County
Esmeralda County 
Eureka County 
Humboldt County 
Lander County 
Lincoln County 

Lyon County
Mineral County 
Nye County 
Perishing County 
Storey County

Washoe County 
White Pine County

Nevada's 27 Recognized Tribes

  1. Duckwater Shoshone Tribe of the Duckwater Reservation, Nevada
  2. Ely Shoshone Tribe of Nevada
  3. Las Vegas Tribe of Paiute Indians of the Las Vegas Indian Colony, Nevada
  4. Lovelock Paiute Tribe of the Lovelock Indian Colony, Nevada
  5. Moapa Band of Paiute Indians of the Moapa River Indian Reservation, Nevada
  6. Paiute-Shoshone Tribe of the Fallon Reservation and Colony, Nevada
  7. Pyramid Lake Paiute Tribe of the Pyramid Lake Reservation, Nevada
  8. Reno-Sparks Indian Colony, Nevada
  9. Shoshone-Paiute Tribes of the Duck Valley Reservation, Nevada
  10. Te-Moak Tribe of Western Shoshone Indians of Nevada
    Four constituent bands:
    1. Battle Mountain Band
    2. Elko Band
    3. South Fork Band
    4. Wells Band
  11. Summit Lake Paiute Tribe of Nevada
  12. Walker River Paiute Tribe of the Walker River Reservation, Nevada
  13. Winnemucca Indian Colony of Nevada
  14. Yerington Paiute Tribe of the Yerington Colony & Campbell Ranch, Nevada
  15. Yomba Shoshone Tribe of the Yomba Reservation, Nevada

Several states:

  1. Confederated Tribes of the Goshute Reservation, Nevada and Utah
  2. Fort Mojave Indian Tribe of Arizona, California & Nevada
  3. Fort McDermitt Paiute and Shoshone Tribes of the Fort McDermitt Indian Reservation, Nevada and Oregon
  4. Washoe Tribe of Nevada & California
    1. Carson Colony
    2. Dresslerville Colony
    3. Woodfords Community
    4. Stewart Community
    5. Washoe Ranches