No matter how obvious they may seem, Nevadans are asked a variety of, shall we say, interesting questions by non-Nevadans. Here are 13 of those questions only those who are from Nevada—or those who have lived here for a while—can answer. How many do you know?
1. On which "holiday" did Nevada officially become the 36th state?
Nevada gained its statehood on 31 October 1864. Therefore, Halloween. Trick or treat, anyone?
2. Are there really slot machines everywhere?
In a word, YES.
3. What is the Nevada state fossil?
Nevada's state fossil is the Ichthyosaur, and Berlin-Ichthyosaur State Park is the place to see the largest collection of Ichthyosaur fossils.
4. What does Nevada have more of per capita than any other state in the U.S.?
Hotel rooms. In Las Vegas alone, there are over 160,000 hotel rooms, making it the city with the most hotels per capita in the US. And this figure doesn't include the over 13,000 rooms in Reno as well as rooms across the rest of the state.
5. What is Nevada's state song?
"Home Means Nevada" by Bertha Rafetto. Written in 1932 and adopted by the state legislature in 1933, her title is now the slogan on new state license plates.
6. Why is Nevada's nickname "The Silver State" really a misnomer?
While Nevada is known for its impressive silver production (Comstock Lode anyone?), it is actually the country's largest gold producer and the world's fourth largest.
7. What is this, and where is it located?
This white mailbox (formerly the black mailbox) is located in Rachel, near Area 51. It became the hub of alien chasers and is now a state landmark. If aliens are receiving mail, this is where it will go.
8. By what creative method did Nevada deliver its Constitution to the U.S. Congress for approval?
Via telegraph. Because of the Civil War, Nevada wanted to ensure its Constitution was approved before the November 1864 presidential election. The entire 16,543-word text was sent via telegraph over two days and at a cost of $4,303.27. President Abraham Lincoln declared Nevada a state on 31 October, and one week later Nevadans were allowed to vote. Lincoln won in a landslide.
9. Where can I get a shrimp cocktail?
Um, everywhere as the shrimp cocktail is one of Nevada's most iconic foods. For a list of the best shrimp cocktails in Nevada, take a look at
this article.
10. What is the Stratosphere Tower's claim to fame? (And bonus points if you can name the lesser known factoid.)
At 1,149 feet, it is the tallest free-standing observation tower in the U.S. Also, during its construction, builders thought there was an error in one of the legs and tried to "fix" it. Realizing they, instead, made a mistake (and being too late to unpour the concrete), the builders made another "adjustment" resulting in the Tower's east leg being visibly crooked.
11. Who owns the majority of Nevada's land?
The federal government owns around 87 percent of Nevada's land.
12. What does, "but it's a dry heat" mean?
Nevada is the most arid of the states with an average annual rainfall of only seven inches. Thus, the lack of humidity makes the ridiculous 100-plus degree summers a dry heat (as opposed to, say, Florida that feels like a sauna.) Let's face it though: hot is hot, dry or not.
13. What's the difference between northern and southern Nevadans?
Just ask a northern Nevadan.
There you go folks: 13 questions only those from Nevada can answer. Can you think of any other “only from Nevada” questions? Please comment below.
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