1. On December 13, 2002, Las Vegas received over five inches of snow in what was considered a rare winter storm. This led to disruptions in transportation and closures of schools and businesses.

2. The Nevada Department of Wildlife was established on December 13, 1947, with the goal of preserving and protecting the state's wildlife resources for future generations. Today, the department manages over 800,000 acres of wildlife habitat.

3. In 1865, on December 13th, Nevada became the 36th state in the United States. Its entry into the Union was significant because it was the first state to be admitted during the Civil War and it provided a crucial vote in passing the 13th Amendment, which abolished slavery.

4. December 13, 1982, marks the day that Las Vegas-based Mirage Resorts opened its first property, the Mirage Hotel and Casino, on the Las Vegas Strip. The Mirage was the first major resort to be built in Las Vegas in nearly a decade and featured a number of groundbreaking innovations, including the use of white tigers in its show.

5. On December 13, 1972, the Hotel El Rancho, which was one of the first major resorts to open on the Las Vegas Strip in 1941, burned down. The fire was one of the deadliest in Las Vegas history and led to significant changes in fire safety regulations.