Driving through the Silver State

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1
Mar

RV cocktails

The Grand Tour holidaymakers drive their modified RVs across Nevada... “in comfort or a near approximation of it”.

If asked what Nevada is famous for, the answer is, approximately 50% of whatever the United States is noted for. Apart from being the major centre of entertainment in the United States, Nevada is overwhelmed with urban legends and mysterious places. To name a few: Area 51 and Extraterrestrial Highway, the Hoover Dam being a tomb of dead  workers, Tessie the Monster living in magnificent Lake Tahoe, the water babies of Paiute tribe and a brokenhearted mermaid living in the beautiful Pyramid Lake, ghost of Elizabeth haunting room 109 in the Goldfield Hotel, La Palazza Mansion haunted by a demon, the Gold Hill Hotel haunted by dead miners, the haunted halls and staircases of Ballys Casino, the haunted swings at Foxridge Park in Henderson, an evil spirit stalking newly enrolled students of Dell H. Robinson Middle School in Las Vegas, the haunted hot ponds in Jackpot, the screaming ghost of Jack Davis in Six Mile Canyon who protects his gold there, and many many others.

 

Mural – prehistoric cave paintings in Nevada. Credit: PDPhotos
Mural – prehistoric cave paintings in Nevada. Credit: PDPhotosa

 

Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area lies in the Mojave Desert. It is not known when people started to inhabit Nevada but petroglyphs – up to 14,800 years old rock carvings are found on the area.

 

Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area in Nevada desert. Credit to esudroff
Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area in Nevada desert. Credit: esudroff

 

For several thousands of years, Native American tribes, including Paiute, Washoe, and Shoshone lived on the land, which was claimed by Spain in 1519. However, this area was part of Mexico when Mexico gained its independence from Spain in 1821. At the end of the Mexican-American War, the United States took over the land in 1848.

 

Rhyolite Ghost Town in Beatty, Nevada. Credit: Brigitte Werner
Rhyolite Ghost Town in Beatty, Nevada. Credit: Brigitte Werner 

 

In 1859 gold and silver were found in the area. Although California is known as the Golden State, three-quarters of all of the gold mined in the US come from Nevada. However, silver ore caused a silver rush and hence its nickname the Silver State. Nevada’s mineral resources, apart from gold and silver, also including copper and the world’s best black opals, made it attractive during the Civil War, making it the Battle Born State. Nevada became the 36th state in 1864.

 

A welcome sign to Sin City, Nevada. Credit: skeeze
A welcome sign to Sin City, Nevada. Credit: skeeze

 

All tourists desire to post a photo of the place sign on their social media. The iconic welcoming sign was created by 35-year-old graphic designer, Betty Willis in 1959 who called it her “gift to the city”.

 

even Magic Mountains by Swiss artist Ugo Rondinone located in the desert outside of Las Vegas. Credit to Rudi Nockewel
Seven Magic Mountains by Swiss artist Ugo Rondinone located in the desert outside of Las Vegas. Credit: Rudi Nockewel

 

There is hardly a person in America or anywhere in the world who has never wondered about the mysterious Area 51. A top secret US military base in the Nevada desert is synonymous with UFOs and creatures from other worlds. One of the biggest urban legends in the world teases the imagination of millions. Theories have suggested Area 51 houses aliens that crashed in the famous Roswell incident in 1947. Whatever it is, Area 51 is in Nevada.

 

Area 51. Credit: Martin Str
Area 51. Credit: Martin Str

 

In December 2002 the original version of well-known saying “What happens here, stays here” was first used in Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority ad campaigns. Extremely convenient policy for any visitor of Sin City.

 

Caesar's Palace in Las Vegas. Credit: Michelle Maria
Caesar's Palace in Las Vegas. Credit: Michelle Maria