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The land that is now Nevada was once inhabited by the Paiute, Mojave, Shoshone, Goshute, and Washoe
peoples prior to European exploration. Spain controlled the region until the early 19th century.
Mexico gained independence from Spain in 1821 and claimed much of the modern Southwest.
Jedidiah Smith and Peter Skeen Ogden explored the Nevada area in the 1820’s. Eventually other
explorers and trappers ventured forth into the area. With the discovery of gold in California in
1848, the region witnessed extraordinary migrations of fortune seekers. The Pony Express crossed
through Nevada during the latter half of the 19th century. Also in 1848, the United States acquired
from Mexico what is now Nevada, as well as California, Colorado, Wyoming, Utah, and parts of Arizona
and New Mexico. Nevada resided in Utah Territory. The discovery of the Comstock Lode of silver
brought more prospectors. Mining towns flourished. Many Mormons populated the Utah Territory,
whereas non-Mormons ventured into Carson Valley to settle. Following the discovery of precious ore
near modern Virginia City, the Nevada Territory was created by Congress. On October 31, 1864, Nevada
became the 36th state, with the capital of Carson City. Nevada’s modern boundaries were established
in 1866.
Because of its reliance on mineral wealth, Nevada both flourished and fell, with miners becoming
ranchers as silver’s value collapsed. The latter decades of the 19th century witnessed economic
hardships and harsh winters.
The 20th century brought new ore discovery to Nevada, which aided the state’s economic growth, along
with railroad expansions and irrigation farming. Nevada became known as a place for lawlessness.
Eventually, Reno and Las Vegas began to build businesses around gambling. The advent of military air
bases to these cities around World War II added economic growth. Following the war, copper and lead
experienced value decline, leading to the closure of several mines and to the expansion of gambling and
entertainment in the two cities. Gaming and shows became highlights for drawing tourism to the state,
and to Las Vegas and Reno in particular, a heritage that remains in place today.
During the 1950’s, Nevada gained a notoriety of a different sort, with the Cold War leading to the
state’s being chosen for a nuclear weapons test site. This led to additional economic growth for the
state.
Today, Nevada is still known for its gaming industry and its resorts, especially for skiing near
Lake Tahoe. The state has experienced phenomenal population growth. Increasingly, the state must
evaluate the subsequent environmental detriment resulting from this growth. However, with its
tremendous potential in technological and scientific industries, Nevada seems assured to overcome its
challenges and further increase its remarkable success.
Many famous personages have called the Silver State their home. Among these are prospector Henry
Comstock; actors Abby Dalton, Michele Greene, Edna Purviance, Ben Alexander, and Hobart Cavanaugh;
politicians Paul Laxalt, James Hubert Bilbray, Henry Fountain Ashurst, James A. Gibbons, and Harry M.
Reid; authors Walter Van Tilburg Clark, Robert Laxalt, David Derek Stacton, and Sarah Hopkins
Winnemucca; tennis players Andre Agassi and Jack Kramer; painter Robert Caples; aviation inventor
William Lear; first lady Thelma "Pat" Nixon; cartoonist Lute Pease; and golfer Patty Sheehan,
among others.
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