Travel to Nevada
When planning Nevada travel, you will discover that there are a wide variety of options for Nevada tourism. At 110, 540 square miles, Nevada is the seventh largest state in the U.S. It is a state of contrasts and contradictions. While being one of the most mountainous states in America, Nevada is also one of the most urban states, with 80% of its population residing in either Las Vegas or Reno. Some people spend their Nevada vacations enjoying the state’s natural environment, while others enjoy the man-made glitz and splendor of Las Vegas. Due to its diversity of geography and culture, Nevada tourism can center on a number of activities. Whether you enjoy the bright lights of the stars or the colored lights of Vegas, your travels in Nevada will never fail to amuse you.
If you decide to travel by road, you will be able to sample the infinite variety of the State of Nevada attractions. Because of the majestic panoramas created by Nevada’s natural landscapes, the state’s official scenic byways make Nevada travel by road an absolute delight. In some cases, the roads themselves are the highlights of Nevada tourism. For example, Angel Lake Road is referred to as the “highway to heaven.” This beautiful road gains several thousand feet of elevation prior to reaching the spectacular Angel Lake. It’s truly a great way to travel Nevada.
Highway 50 in Nevada is known as The Loneliest Road in America. It parallels the Pony Express Trail, which goes from Silver Springs through the farming town of Fallon. Remnants of the original Pony Express Trail can be seen along the way. In his book Blue Highways, William Least Moon states that “for the unhurried, this little- known highway is the best national road across the middle of the United States.”
While historical sites and natural beauty are excellent reasons for Nevada travel, there are also some odd State of Nevada attractions that add to its appeal. These uniquely bizarre places actually attract a significant amount of Nevada tourism. For example, Groom Lake, also known as Area 51 is a secret military facility 90 miles North of Las Vegas. The site was developed in the 1950s for the testing of the U-2 Spy Plane. Of course, the secrecy of the project was the catalyst for a number of UFO conspiracy theories. As a result, the highway that runs near Area 51 is known as The Extraterrestrial Highway. Apparently, it is one of the most “visited” roads in the United States. If you and your significant other are into the Sculley and Mulder thing, a trip down the Extraterrestrial Road might be a fun way to travel Nevada. Stop in at the A-L-Inn Bar, where you can enjoy specialty drinks such as the “Beam Me Up Scotty,” consisting of Jim Beam and 7UP and Scotch.
While the sites that instigated conspiracy theories are fun to visit, keep in mind that some of the State of Nevada’s attractions have an eeriness that stems from natural causes. If you plan to travel Nevada along the Valley of Fire State Park Roadway, you will see purple, white and deep red rock formations. The rocks are particularly luminous during sunrise and sunset, when the light of the sun gives them a fiery red glow. Colored rock formations and petroglyphs are common throughout Nevada. They represent just one of the exciting State of Nevada attractions.
Queen City of the Northern Hills
Nevada City was originally called Deer Creek Dry Diggins when it was just a mining camp. In the fall of 1849 Dr. A.B. Caldwell opened a general store and the mining camp started resembling a town. The town became Caldwell’s Upper Store. In 1850, the town was looking more like a city, with a cities’ problems. The citizens, under Mexican law, elected a mayor, or “Alcalde,” to establish and keep order.
The new city needed an official name, so, in a canvas hotel at Main and Commercial streets, ballots were taken. The choice of “Nevada” which is Spanish for “Snow Covered” seemed appropriate to the crowd. On September 9, 1850 California was the 31st state to join the Union. In 1851, Nevada City became the County Seat when Nevada County was formed from a section of Yuba County. By 1856, 2081 votes were cast in the City of Nevada, only Sacramento and San Francisco polled more. In 1859, Silver was discovered in the Utah Territory. The first samples were assayed (weighed and assessed for value) at Ott’s Assay Office in Nevada (City). Many of Nevada’s residents headed over the Sierra to search for silver in what became known as the Comstock Silver Rush. Later, in 1864, that part of the Utah Territory was formed into the State of Nevada. In that year, the word “City” was added to Nevada, to distinguish the two for the benifit of all (particularly the Postal Service.)
After the initial gold rush, merchants, bankers and the like came to Nevada City and built homes in the style of the day. This was during the reign of Queen Victoria, and that style of architecture became known as “Victorian”. Colonial, Greek Revival, and “California Gothic” styles of architecture are well represented here as well.
Most of Nevada City burned to the ground on several occasions. Two of the most interesting buildings in the downtown area are fire houses that were built with more than utilitarian style. This also accounts for the prevalance of brick buildings featuring iron shutters.
What accounts for the preservation of Nevada City is the economic downturn it faced when the gold started petering out. By World War II, when the mines in Grass Valley closed, there was not much reason for building or refurbishing of old buildings, and the architecture of the period was spared urban renewal.
WPA projects in the post-war period gave Nevada City the art deco facades of the city hall and court house. In the late 1960s the residents and visitors of the area started recognizing the remarkable charm of the town. City ordinances were revised to disallow the historically inaccurate and downright tacky new storefronts and signage, and the city buried all the power lines littering the downtown area. Gas lights made from original 1800s molds were placed along Broad Street, and the Nevada Theatre was restored. Private restorations followed, and the result is the beautiful little city of Nevada City.
Nevada City is not a museum, it is a hub of activity. Business, arts, sports, and entertainment of every variety occur on and around the streets of the town. There are lots of places to stay, first rate restaurants, and events that draw visitors from far and near. Whether it is for a weekend getaway or a two week vacation, Nevada City is a destination of choice.
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