|
Nevada was discovered in 1826 by a man named by Jedediah Strong Smith. At this time, the territory we now know as Nevada still belonged to Mexico.
The first settlers in Nevada were those people who had come west in search of gold and silver, during the 1849 California Gold Rush. In 1850, the United States Congress established the Utah Territory and this vast expanse of land encompassed Nevada. In 1861, this area achieved territorial status and formally adopted the name of Nevada.
Nevada became the 36th state on October 31, 1864 and the first governor was Henry Goode Blasdel, who served from 1864 to 1871.
|