1. In 1859, the first silver claims were discovered in Virginia City, Nevada, marking the beginning of the mining boom that would transform the state's economy and attract thousands of migrants to the region.

2. In 1866, the Pony Express, a mail delivery service that operated between Missouri and California, made its final run through Nevada before being replaced by the transcontinental telegraph.

3. In 1930, the Hoover Dam, one of the largest and most iconic engineering feats of the 20th century, was completed on the Colorado River on the border between Arizona and Nevada. The dam provides hydroelectric power and irrigation water to millions of people in the Southwest.

4. In 1984, the Reno Hilton became the first casino in Nevada to offer a state-sanctioned sportsbook, paving the way for a multibillion-dollar industry that now dominates the state's gaming landscape.

5. In 2014, Cliven Bundy, a rancher from Bunkerville, Nevada, became the center of a national controversy when he refused to pay federal grazing fees and challenged the Bureau of Land Management's authority over public lands. The standoff between Bundy and federal agents attracted armed vigilantes and sparked a heated debate about constitutional rights and land use in the Western United States.