Last updated on January 23rd, 2024
51. One of the largest cultural events in the U.S., the Burning Man festival (the symbolic ritual burning of a large wooden effigy), takes place each year in the Black Rock Desert, nearly 100 miles north of Reno. The festival draws upwards of 67,000 attendees and was first held in 1986.
52. “Way out in the land of the setting sun,” is the first line of a song written by Bertha Rafetto in 1932. In 1933, the Nevada State Legislature adopted Bertha’s song, entitled “Home Means Nevada” as the official state song.
53. Because sagebrush is indigenous to Nevada, it has become their official State Flower. Natives from Nevada use it for medicinal purposes, and weave mats are made from it.
54. In the high country of Nevada is the beautiful mountain bluebird. It was adopted by the people of Nevada in 1967 to be their official State Bird.
55. More than 300 couples are getting married daily in Las Vegas, Nevada. It is one of the most popular wedding venues in the US and the world.
56. To hula hoop in Fremont Street, Downtown Las Vegas, is illegal if it’s over four feet in diameter. The law is meant for street entertainers performing to earn money.
57. In 2009, fishermen got quite scared when they reeled in an alligator at Sunset Park. Alligators are generally not from the desert life in Nevada.
58. State Route 375 in Lincoln and Nye Counties, Nevada, was renamed the Extraterrestrial Highway in 1996. That is due to the many claims of UFO sightings.
59. Off route 375 in Nevada, there is an Alien Mailbox where alien hunters can leave a message. The black mailbox has fascinated many UFO hunters through the years.
60. The first Air Mail flights started in Nevada early in 1920. That was after the US Air Mail service was established in 1918.
61. The highest temperatures ever recorded worldwide were in Death Valley, Nevada. A hot 134 degrees Fahrenheit was recorded on 10 July 1913 at Furnace Creek.
62. The smallest desert in the US is the Mojave, located in the southern parts of Nevada. It spans over neighbouring states of Nevada and is about 50,000 square miles wide.
63. As the driest state in the US, Nevada receives only about ten inches of rain each year on average. The Southern parts of the state have the lowest rainfall of fewer than five inches.
64. The darkest night-time skies in the US are in Tonopah, Nevada. Most nights, you can see more than 7,000 stars with the naked eye.
65. The lake’s Rubicon Trail Lighthouse is still one of the world’s only such structures located at high elevation. The lighthouse at Rubicon Point has the highest elevation (more than 6,000 feet) of any American lighthouse.
66. The tallest free-standing observation tower in the US is the Stratosphere in Las Vegas, Nevada. The tower has its name because of a reference to its height.
67. The atrium of the Luxor Hotel in Las Vegas is one of the largest enclosed, open spaces in the world, measuring approximately 29 million cubic feet.
68. The brightest light beam on Earth is Luxor Light in Las Vegas, Nevada. The light from 39 xenon lamps is focused in a narrow, upward beam.
69. In Las Vegas alone, there are in excess of 15,000 miles of neon lights.
70. The Las Vegas strip in Nevada can be seen from outer space.
71. Reno is nicknamed, “The Biggest Little City in the World.”
Lake Tahoe
Tap water in the Lake Tahoe area is known for its good taste and purity. The clear tap water recently was named “Best Drinking Water in America.”
Lake Tahoe is sooo big! (How big is it?) It’s so big that each month it loses nearly 12,000,000,000 (that’s billion) gallons of water to evaporation. It is also one of the deepest lakes in the world.
Known for having some of the most beautiful sunsets on earth, Lake Tahoe has been around for more than two million years, according to geologists. That comes out to 730 million gorgeous sunsets.
The original name of the area was “da ow a ga,” which translates to English as “edge of the lake.”
Hikers love Lake Tahoe’s rim trail because of its natural beauty and challenging paths. In all, the trail is broken up into eight giant segments that stretch 170 miles in combined length.
The Hoover dam
When work on the Hoover Dam began, the U.S. President was Herbert Hoover, and it was going to be named after him. When he lost the 1932 election to Franklin Roosevelt, project planners changed the name to “Boulder Dam.” After FDR’s death, the name was changed back to Hoover Dam in honor of the former chief executive.
Containing an incredible 2.5 million tons of concrete, Hoover Dam took about five years to complete and went into operation at the height of the Great Depression, on March 1, 1936.
The amount of concrete in Hoover Dam is shockingly great. An entire two-lane highway could be built with it, running all the way from San Francisco, California, to New York City.
Besides being a national historic landmark since 1985, the Hoover Dam provides massive amounts of electrical power to three states: Nevada, California, and Arizona.
Artists Gordon Kaufmann and Allen True used an art deco style to design the exterior of Hoover Dam.
Food facts about Nevada
A traditional dessert after a nice meal is the peach cobbler, much loved in Nevada. It is an iconic dish you’ll find anywhere in the state.
You’ll find many creative sushi dishes all over Nevada with exciting ingredients. Many unique recipes have been used with this Japanese dish adopted by Nevada residents.
Another famous food type in Nevada is onions, and especially the snack onion rings. Various red, white, and yellow onions grow in this region.
Prime rib is the leading comfort food in Nevada, but mainly in Las Vegas. The classic dish is served in most eating places around the city and the state.
Another snack food in Nevada is chicken wings, which you will find all over the state. It is served with all types of seasonings and sauces for an interesting variety.
One of the most popular dishes in Nevada is the shrimp cocktail, first created in Las Vegas in the 1950s. It is often served as an appetizer or mid-day snack.
Another favorite of Nevada for the sweet tooth is glazed doughnuts. Its name comes from the thin glazed layer covering the surface in many colors and flavors.
A type of beef tenderloin known as Basque-Style Chateaubriand became popular in Nevada in the 1950s. It is paired with mushroom sauce and red wine for a unique experience.
It may be famous worldwide, but Thai food has a special place in Nevada. In Nevada, you’ll find a wide variety of vegetarian Thai foods. So, make a list of the delicacies you want to enjoy in Nevada, before you pack your luggage for this extraordinary place.
About the Flag of Nevada
1. Design and Symbolism
The flag of Nevada has a blue field with the state emblem in the upper left corner. Within it is a silver star that represents the old mining industry and the nickname “Silver State.”
Under the star is the word “NEVADA,” while above it is a scroll that says, “BATTLE BORN.” This motto highlights that Nevada attained statehood during the Civil War in 1864.
At the bottom of the emblem are two sprays of sagebrush — the state flower, Artemisia tridentata, known to grow in the semi-arid conditions of the Great Basin.
2. Adoption
The adoption of the current state flag happened on July 25, 1991. It is Nevada’s fourth official flag.
3. Technical Details
The rectangular flag has a proportion of 2:3. The field’s exact hue is cobalt blue.
4. History
The First Flag
In 1905, Nevada adopted the first state flag with a dark blue field — the same shade of blue found in the US flag. It focused on natural resources with the words “SILVER” and “GOLD” at the top and bottom, respectively. At the center is the state name in large bold letters. Between the words are two rows of silver and gold stars.
The Second Flag
In 1915, Nevada started to use a second flag. It has a cobalt blue field and two arcs of stars. In the middle, you will find a stylized shield with images found in the state seal.
It depicts the mountains of the Sierra Nevada in the background and a bustling town in the foreground. The word “NEVADA” appears on top, while “All for our country” is below the shield.
The Third Flag
In 1926, the government announced a design contest for a new flag design. Louis Shellback III won, but the two houses of congress could not agree on the placement of “Nevada.” The state legislature found a compromise and rearranged the state name.
In 1929, the third flag became official. It resembles the current flag with a blue field, scroll, and sagebrush. However, the letters in “NEVADA” are arranged clockwise around the star, with “N” at the top. It indicates the state’s northern position in the civil war.
The Fourth Flag
In 1991, a new law simplified the design by placing “NEVADA” as a single word under the star, making it much easier to read. It has a slight curvature, just like the motto “Battle Born.”
5. Other Flags
The Governor’s Flag
A variant flag features the state emblem at the center, while the four corners have one star each. It serves as the flag of the governor of Nevada.
The Vetoed Flag
In 1953, people complained that the state flag was expensive to produce. They wanted a new one with a simple and more affordable pattern. The proposed tri-color design featured the map of Nevada in the middle, with the motto “Battle Born.” Under it is the state name. It passed in the legislature, but the governor did not go along. He vetoed the bill it saying that the new flag lacked dignity.
Quick facts and state symbols – Nevada
| State Abbreviation | NV |
|---|---|
| State Capital | Carson City List Of 50 U.S. States And Their Capital |
| Largest City | Las Vegas |
| State Size | Total (Land + Water): 110,561 sq miles; Land Only: 109,826 sq miles |
| Population | 3,194,176 (Estimate July 1, 2023 from United States Census Bureau) |
| Statehood | October 31, 1864 |
| State rank by population | 32nd |
| State rank by date of formation | 36th |
| State rank by area | 7th |
| Number of Counties | 17 Complete list of 50 states and number of counties in each |
| Demonym | Nevadan |
| Bordering States | Arizona, California, Idaho, Oregon, Utah |
| Official Language | None |
| Highest Point | Boundary Peak 13,147 ft (4007.1 m) |
| Lowest point | Colorado River at California border 481 ft (147 m) |
| Mean elevation | 5,500 feet above sea level |
| Length | 492 miles (787 km) |
| Width | 322 miles (519 km) |
| Governor | Joe Lombardo (R) |
| Lieutenant Governor | Stavros Anthony (R) |
| Electoral Votes | 6 |
| State Motto | All For Our Country |
| Slogan | “The Battle Born State” |
| State Nickname | Sagebrush State; Silver State; Battle Born State |
| % Water | 0.72 |
| Famous people | Thomas Dekker (Actor) Matthew Gray Gubler (Actor) Jena Malone (Actress) |
| State animal | Desert bighorn sheep |
| State Bird | Mountain Bluebird |
| State fish | Lahontan cutthroat trout |
| State Fossil | Ichthyosaur |
| State reptile | Desert Tortoise |
| State Flower | Sagebrush |
| State Insect | Vivid Dancer Damselfly |
| State mineral | Silver |
| State rock | Sandstone |
| State Semi-Precious Gemstone | Nevada Turquoise |
| State Tree | Bristlecone pine |
| Longitude | 114° 2′ W to 120° W |
| Latitude | 35° N to 42° N |
| Time Zone | Pacific Time Zone, Mountain Time Zone |
| Website | www.nv.gov |
| Area Codes | 702, 775 |
| Table last updated | December 21, 2023 |