1. Nevada was officially admitted to the Union on October 31, 1864, but it was on December 4 of that same year that President Abraham Lincoln signed the proclamation making Nevada the 36th state.

2. In 1941, the United States entered World War II after the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor on December 7. Nevada played a crucial role in the war effort as the site of several military training camps, including the Tonopah Army Air Field. On December 4, 1942, the first B-24 Liberator heavy bomber arrived at Tonopah for use in training exercises.

3. In 1984, Reno became the first city in the United States to offer a rapid transit system using electric buses. The Sierra Spirit began service on December 4 of that year and provided free transportation to passengers.

4. In 2010, Las Vegas welcomed the opening of the CityCenter complex, a 67-acre development on the Las Vegas Strip that includes several hotels, casinos, and residential buildings. The project was the largest privately-funded construction project in U.S. history and opened to the public on December 4, 2009.

5. December 4 also marks the anniversary of the opening of the Hoover Dam in 1935. The massive engineering feat on the Colorado River was completed after five years of construction and provided critical power and water resources for the Western United States.