1. In 1869, a group of prospectors discovered silver ore in the Comstock Lode of Virginia City, Nevada. This discovery would lead to a silver rush that transformed the economy of Nevada and the entire western United States.

2. In 1941, the US Army Air Corps established the Tonopah Army Airfield in central Nevada as a training base for bomber pilots during World War II. The airfield was later used for nuclear testing during the Cold War.

3. On June 2, 1983, the MGM Grand Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas suffered a horrific fire that killed 85 people and injured over 600. It remains one of the deadliest hotel fires in US history.

4. In 1990, the Nevada State Legislature passed a bill legalizing casino gambling in the state's capital, Carson City. The move was seen as a way to boost tourism and revenue for the city.

5. In 2008, Democratic Senator Barack Obama won the Nevada Democratic Caucus, marking a key moment in his eventual presidential campaign. Obama went on to win the presidency in November of that year.