Nevada - The Silver State

Capital City:

Carson City

Nickname:

The Silver State / Sagebrush State / Battle Born State

Motto:

All for our country

Statehood:

October 31, 1864 (36th)

Origin of State's Name:

From the Spanish "Sierra Nevada," or "snow-covered mountain range"

Largest Cities:

Las Vegas, Reno, Henderson, North Las Vegas, Sparks

Border States:

Arizona, California, Idaho, Oregon, Utah

Land Area:

109,806 sq. mi., 7th largest

State Bird:

Mountain Bluebird

State Flower:

Sagebrush (artemisia tridentata)

State Tree:

Single Leaf Piñon and Bristlecone Pine(pinus monophylla / pinus aristata)

State Song:

Home Means Nevada

Nevada's name comes from the Spanish word meaning "snow clad"--a reference to the snow-covered peaks of the Sierra Nevada. The discovery of the Comstock Lode, a massive deposit of silver, in 1859 brought many fortune seekers. Statehood followed shortly afterwards in 1864, when Nevada was admitted as the 36th state. Nevada is in a mountain region that includes semiarid grasslands and sandy deserts, and is the most arid (dry) state in the nation. Like oases in the desert, Nevada's two main cities--Las Vegas and Reno--attract fortune seekers from around the world hoping to strike it rich in the many casinos located there. The capital is Carson City, and the state flower is the sagebrush.