Daily Dose - Day Two: All About Nevada

As you can imagine, I did a lot of research when writing Gambling on the Outlaw, and a lot of that research was about Nevada, where the story takes place.

I'd be willing to bet that most of us don't know much about states we don't live in.

Because I'm kind of a nerd in general, I just like to learn new stuff. So all this new info I discovered about Nevada hit the nerdy sweet spot for me!

Sandwiched between California and Utah

For those of you who don't know much about Nevada, here's some really cool stuff about the state:


1. The first European explorers to the state were Spanish, and called the place Nevada (which means snowy, or snow-covered) because of all the snow on the mountains.  Cool, huh?

And you thought the whole state was a desert...

2. Paiute, Shoshone, and Washoe are the tribes native to the Nevada area. One of the main characters in Gambling on the Outlaw is a Paiute woman named Nellie. She'll be the heroine of book four!

3. Nevada is known as the Silver State because of the importance of silver to its history and economy. The characters in Gambling on the Outlaw discover a gold mine in the course of their adventures. For many years, gold and silver were valued the same by the U.S. government, until silver was devalued because of a glut on the market.

4. The capital of Nevada is Carson City. (My grandparents lived there for many years).

5. The state is ranked 7th in total area of all U.S. states, but ranked 35th in population.

6. Claimed by the Spanish as the first Europeans to explore it, the area became part of the Spanish Empire. Nevada then became part of Mexico, when it gained its independence from Spain. After the Mexican-American war, the United States annexed the area in 1848. Nevada became the 36th state in October 1864.

7. Nevada is the only U.S. state where prostitution is legal (except in Las Vegas and Reno). One of the characters in Gambling on the Outlaw is a former prostitute. Her name is Daisy, and she'll be the heroine of book three!

8. The "official" pronunciation of Nevada, as preferred by natives of the state, is that the first "a" is pronounced like the "a" in "bad."

9. Nevada is the driest state in the United States.

Okay, a lot of it is desert.

 10. Nevada has the most liberal divorce laws in the country. It's also pretty easy to get married there, too (hence all the quickie weddings in Las Vegas).

11. Over 80% of the state's area is owned by the federal government.

12. The August 2010 issue of The Economist is quoted as saying: "Nevada was founded on mining and refounded on sin."

Luckily, what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas, right?

13. Nevada's primary agricultural outputs are cattle, hay, alfalfa, dairy, onions, and potatoes. One of the characters in Gambling on the Outlaw is a cattle baron, greedy for the heroine's land.

14. Nevada does not have an income tax, either personal or corporate.


15.  State animal:  Desert bighorn sheep 
 

       State bird:      Mountain bluebird
 
       State colors:  Silver and blue
       State flower:  Sagebrush
 
       State motto:   "The battle born state"
       State gems:    Black fire opal and Nevada turquoise 
 

       


Nevada's a fascinating place, isn't it? I hope you enjoy reading about it in Gambling on the Outlaw.

~Margaret