1. On August 17, 1908, the Nevada State Prison officially moved from Carson City to its new location in Rawhide Canyon, near the town of Carson. The new prison was built to accommodate a growing population of inmates, and it became known for its harsh conditions and strict discipline.

2. In 1969, on August 17th, the Stanley Cup trophy was stolen from the Chicago Black Hawks' office in Chicago, IL. The cup was eventually recovered in a ditch near the town of Orillia, Ontario, Canada. It was a bizarre case that involved a ransom demand and a series of secret meetings before the cup was returned.

3. On August 17, 1932, Nevada became the first state to legalize gambling. This decision helped establish Las Vegas as the gambling capital of the world and turned the state into a major tourist destination. Today, Nevada remains one of the few states that allows gambling.

4. The United States Air Force's Thunderbirds flight demonstration team was formed on August 17, 1953, at Nellis Air Force Base in Nevada. The team, which performs aerial acrobatics and precision flying at air shows around the world, is based in Nevada to this day.

5. On August 17, 1827, a group of American fur trappers led by Jedediah Smith became the first white men to cross the Sierra Nevada mountains. They followed a route that would later become known as the Old Spanish Trail, which connected Santa Fe, New Mexico with California. Smith's expedition helped open up new trade routes and paved the way for the westward expansion of the United States.