10 Quirky Facts About Nevada That Sound Made Up, But Are 100% Accurate

So, you love Nevada and think you know just about everything there is to know about the state, maybe even some of the crazy Nevada laws on the books. But we have a handful of random, quirky facts about Nevada that even the state’s biggest trivia buff may think we made up ourselves. But, trust us when say, it’s all true. 

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While Nevada is east of California, the city of Reno is actually west of Los Angeles and San Diego - and, in fact, half of the state of California.

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The Spanish gave Nevada its name in the 1800s, in reference to the mountains that border much of the state. Nevada comes from a Spanish word meaning "snow-covered" and Sierra means mountain range.

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In 1859, as people were searching for gold in Nevada, they discovered a big lode of silver, eventually known as the Comstock Lode.

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Long after the gold rush, gold is still discovered in Nevada. The state is the largest producer of gold in the United States, responsible for approximately 75 percent of the gold production in the country. It is also one of the larges sources of gold in the entire world.

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Almost half of all of the wild horses in the country call Nevada home, more than live in any other state.

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State Route 375 coming out of Las Vegas is known as the Extraterrestrial Highway and is chock full of all things alien, from a UFO-themed bars and cafes, the Alien Research Center, giant alien statues, curio shops, the "Black Mailbox" where you can leave special messages, and more. Oh, and of course, Area 51.

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This massive feat of engineering is considered by most to be the biggest public works project in the United States. It is over 726 feet tall, weighs over 6.5 million tons, and contains over three million cubic yards of concrete. Yeah, that’s a lot.

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Nevada takes being a desert to a whole new level, only getting an average of 10 inches of rain each year, less than any other state in the country.

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The remains were found in the so-called "Spirit Cave." The mummy is said to have been a Native American man about 40 years old when he died.

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Prior to being adopted as a state, Nevada had to send its official constitution. Time was of the essence with an election coming up and mail would have taken too long, so the document was sent by Morse Code, which took a total of seven hours, the longest Morse Code message ever sent.

Among other things, these cool facts about Nevada add to this state’s uniqueness, don’t you think? Did you know all of the facts on our list? We would love to hear which ones surprised you the most! And if you are hungry for more, here are 10 things that Nevada did first.

Some People Don’t Know That Nevada Was The First State To Do These 10 Things

Feeling proud to be from Nevada? You should! Wear your state pride on your sleeve with this unique apparel from Wear Your Roots. And don’t forget to watch this stunning footage of the famous Valley of Fire Drive: