Friday, October 31, 2014

Nevada: Running with the Wild Horses

This Day in History: October 31, 1864

Nevada, The Battle Born State, The Silver State, The Mining State, The Sagebrush State, The Sage-hen State

"As the cowboys throw loops over two stallions, the friction between equine energy and human calm crackles." ~Beatrice Hodgkin at the Financial Times

http://www.ft.com/cms/s/2/8bba616c-ed87-11e3-abf3-00144feabdc0.html#slide0

Horses on the plains at Mustang Monument (Kristi Johnson)

What does Nevada mean?

The name Nevada comes from the Spanish Sierra Nevada (which is also a mountain range in Spain), or snow-covered mountain range. "Nevada" is the Spanish feminine form of "covered in snow."

Nevada boasts several nicknames with The Battle Born State being the official state slogan. It recalls that Nevada was admitted to the union in 1864, during the Civil War. This slogan also appears on the Nevada State Flag. The Silver State dates from the Nevada silver rush days of the mid 1800s. At that time, silver was literally shoveled off the Nevada ground. Heavy gray crusts of silver had formed on the surface of the desert over millions of years and were polished by dust and wind to the dull luster of a cow horn (called "horn silver"). Since silver is one of the state's most important industries, Nevada is also referred to as The Mining State. Wild sagebrush is abundant in Nevada, thus, the nickname The Sagebrush State or "Sage State". Because of its abundance, sagebrush is Nevada's official state flower and is found on the Nevada state flag. Being a true bird of the West, the sage hen or sage grouse, once very plentiful in Nevada, gives us the nickname, The Sage-hen State.

Aerial America: Nevada

Nevada is known as a Wild West state that's still a little wild, but there's more to this ancient desert land than the City of Sin. This aerial tour highlights Nevada's vital role in the shaping of America, from the mines and ghost towns of its gold and silver rush, to its icon of American ingenuity: the Hoover Dam. Discover the highs and lows of Nevada's history, and the booms and busts that have defined it as the land of big builders and bigger dreamers.

Nevada's harsh but rich environment shaped its history and culture. In the 1820s, trappers and traders entered the Nevada territory. In 1843–1845, John C. Frémont and Kit Carson explored the Great Basin and Sierra Nevada. The U.S. obtained the region in 1848 following the Mexican War, and the first permanent settlement was a Mormon trading post near present-day Genoa. In 1859, Nevada was made famous by the discovery of the Comstock Lode, the richest known U.S. silver deposit. Nevada became the 36th state on October 31, 1864, after telegraphing the Constitution of Nevada to the Congress days before the November 8 presidential election (the largest and costliest transmission ever by telegraph).

Nevada is a state in the Western, Mountain West, and
Southwestern regions of the United States.

Nevada State Flag

Nevada State Seal

http://www.statesymbolsusa.org/Nevada/bird_mountain_bluebird.html

Nevada State Bird: Mountain Bluebird

Nevada designated the mountain bluebird as the official state bird in 1967 (also the state bird of Idaho). A small thrush found on ranchland and other open areas of the American West, the mountain bluebird lives in Nevada's high country. It prefers more open habitats than other bluebirds and can be found in colder habitats in winter.

The Mountain Bluebird
sings with a clear, short warble.

Desert bighorn sheep in Hellhole Canyon
Image Source: en.wikipedia.com

Nevada State Animal: Desert Big Horn Sheep

Nevada State Reptile: Desert Tortoise
Image Source: en.wikipedia.com

http://www.statesymbolsusa.org/Nevada/tree-bristleconepine.html

Nevada State Tree: Bristlecone Pine

Nevada State Flower: Sagebrush
Close-up of sagebrush flower - photo © Kim Bryant on Flickr

Nevada State Fish: Lahontan Cutthroat Trout

For all State Symbols of Nevada click HERE!