It’s no secret Las Vegas is the gaming capital of the world; in fact, the city has more slot machines than people. But Nevada isn’t all about fun and games. Located on the illustrious Gold Rush trail, the Silver State boasts a proud, multifaceted history.
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1. Drop a Quarter or Two
Nevada is the birthplace of the slot machine. In 1899, Bavarian immigrant
Charles Fey invented a slot machine named the Liberty Bell, according to the All Slots Casino website. The device became the model for all slots to follow.
2. Hotels Make History
Nevada long has been considered one of the top destinations for luxury hotels and resorts. That multi-million dollar industry is a significant part of the area’s history. The Imperial Palace on the Las Vegas strip, for instance, is the nation's first off-airport airline baggage check-in service,
allowing guests to check and go, according to Kent State University’s “Nevada Facts and Trivia”.
Another tidbit: Bugsy Siegel named his Las Vegas casino "The Flamingo" for the long legs of his showgirl sweetheart, Virginia Hill.
3. Las Vegas Showgirls
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The longest running show in Las Vegas is the Follies Bergere at the Tropicana Hotel and Casino.
The Nevada stage show opened in 1959, KSU said. The production numbers in "Showgirls" were written specifically for the Paul Verhoeven film and shot in the Horizon Hotel at Lake Tahoe. The bulk of the movie used locations located at the Luxor and the Forum Shops at Caesars.
4. There’s Always Room at Our Inns
Say goodbye to no vacancy signs. Las Vegas has enough rooms for everyone. The city holds the record for the most hotels rooms in the world, with
132,605 rooms counted in 2007, according to Vegas Today and Tomorrow.
5. Equal Rights for All
Nevada is all about freedom and equality. The Silver State was the first to ratify the 15th Amendment,
giving black men the right to vote, on March 1, 1869, according to History.com. Nevada also was one of the first states to support LGBT contests and parades.
6. Climbing the Mountain
Nevada lives up to its namesake as a snow covered mountain. The Silver State has more mountain ranges than any other state, with its highest point at the 13,145-foot top of
Boundary Peak near the west-central border, History.com said.
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7. Nevada’s Odd Shape
Back when Nevada was just a territory, it needed 60,000 people to become a state, rather than the 39,000 it had, according to History.com. But Nevada’s statehood was pushed through in 1864 by President Abraham Lincoln, who was concerned he’d lose the election and he wanted to pull in those votes. The odd squiggly shape at the bottom of Nevada came about because Congress took land from Arizona to give Nevada a water supply – and the legislators did so because Arizona took the South’s side during the war, History.com said. In dry terrains, it’s often all about the water.
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