Nevada Yesterdays

Selma Bartlett made her mark on southern Nevada. When she died recently just before her 98th birthday, she was remembered for doing a lot to build Henderson and Nevada State University.

The story of Nevada's Virginia and Truckee Railroad, built in 1869 to transport Comstock silver. Learn how financier William Sharon bluffed counties into funding "the crookedest railroad in the world," featuring 17 circles down the mountain.

FBI Director William Webster's controversial Nevada legacy: Operation Yobo stings, mob prosecutions, and the impeachment of Judge Harry Claiborne divided Las Vegas.

Lake Mead became America's first national recreation area in 1964, drawing millions of visitors. However, Nevada had to wait until 1986 for its first national park—Great Basin National Park—after decades of battles with ranchers and mining interests who didn't want to give up the land.

In 2025, Rancho High School celebrates. But is it celebrating its seventieth birthday, or its seventy-first?

Liberace was called Mr. Showmanship. He may have invented the term … or maybe the term was invented for him.

June 21, 2025 marked a significant anniversary. On that day in 1950, Hank Greenspun took over a newspaper that became the Las Vegas Sun. Greenspun and the Sun have played a significant role in shaping our past and present.

The 54-year history of Las Vegas' legendary Desert Inn casino - from Wilbur Clark's 1950 vision to Steve Wynn's 2004 demolition.

Lyle Rivera died recently. His story is worth telling, and so is a bigger story he was part of.

Norm Clarke died recently. He covered Las Vegas legends, and became one in his own right.

Recently, an anniversary passed unnoticed: when Senator Joseph McCarthy of Wisconsin became part of the national consciousness with his anti-communist crusade. Nevada was part of its beginning, seventy-five years ago.

On New Year’s Day 2025, the California Hotel and Casino in downtown Las Vegas turned 50. That meant it was also the fiftieth anniversary of Boyd Gaming. Both of them are success stories.

No president lived as long as Jimmy Carter, or was an ex-president longer. He died late in 2024 at age 100, almost 44 years after leaving the White House. He left a great legacy, from Habitat for Humanity to the Camp David Accords. He also had some interesting ties to Nevada history.

Did you enjoy the World Series? There are plenty of Nevada connections to the Fall Classic, from Tuscarora native Wheezer Dell pitching in the 1916 series for Brooklyn to Greg Maddux pitching for Atlanta in the 1990s.

Husband-and-wife political teams have been unusual in Nevada, but then again, the Goodmans weren’t expected to be one of those teams.

Discover 150 years of University of Nevada, Reno history. From legendary football coaches Buck Shaw and Chris Ault to Colin Kaepernick's historic 2010 season.