1. In 1862, the state of Nevada was officially admitted to the United States as the 36th state.

2. On December 20, 1950, the infamous Mobster Benjamin "Bugsy" Siegel was shot dead in Beverly Hills, California. Siegel owned several casinos in Las Vegas and was responsible for much of the city's early development.

3. In 2001, the largest hotel in the world at the time, the MGM Grand, was opened in Las Vegas. The hotel has over 6,700 rooms and is one of the most iconic landmarks of the city's skyline.

4. On December 20, 1985, the USS Nevada, a battleship that was commissioned in 1914, was struck by two nuclear bombs during a military test off the coast of Hawaii. The ship was eventually scuttled and now rests at the bottom of the ocean as a dive site.

5. In 1855, the town of Genoa, located in Douglas County, was established as the first settlement in what would become Nevada. Today, the town is known for its historic buildings and charming downtown area.