Everything you ever wanted to know about the Silver State could very well reside here. Documenting such a glossary will by no means ever be complete, but we can try and try we shall. This resource is intended as a sister resource for my very successful website, Nevada Landmarks. Here on the Silver State Wiki, I challenge readers and fellow contributors to test the waters and dive into the many secrets of what very could be "the most interesting state in America."
Why Nevada?[]
So what makes "Nevada" that mysterious, wedge-shaped mass on the map? What's with all that "emptiness" in between the Sierra Nevada and the Wasatch Range? Since its admittance into the Union, October 31, 1864 (yes, you read that right ... Halloween), Nevada has always faced mountains of criticism. Doubters even wanted to relinquish its statehood at one point, yet the state did exactly what it set out to do -- "never say die." It's quite possible this same mentality rings true in every corner of this great state. Over 39 million people visit Nevada for the neon glitz mostly concentrated in Las Vegas alone, yet very few people, let alone actual Americans, actually know anything about the real essence of the state outside of its cheap buffets, legalized gaming, and "get-rich-quick" façade.
Nevada holds many secrets, quirks, geographical wonders, and very rich history in its sagebrush ocean, many of these treasures still undiscovered. The state's harsh exterior often deters people from its beautiful interior of wild beauty and rare treasures.
So then -- "Why Nevada?" Why was a point, or "tail" added onto the southern portion of the state? Why do we find an abandoned airplane in front of a legal brothel? Then again, why does Nevada even allow the notion of legalized prostitution anyway? And what's up with that gaming lingo? What's the difference between a "George," a "John," a "Tiger," and a "Bear?" What are the only two reasons why Nevada isn't the lowest-populated state in America? From state geography, natural wonders, state critters, notable Nevadans, towns and communities (past and present) to gaming, mining, and geographical terms, no stone has been left unturned in this comprehensive, desert, habit-forming Wikia. It's my hope that through this comprehensive resource, Nevada is seen more than as just a state, but moreover, an important and endangered "state of mind."
Welcome to Nevada.