1. In 1859, the first silver-producing mine in Nevada was discovered in the town of Virginia City. This led to a major silver rush in the state, prompting a population boom and a rapid increase in mining activity throughout Nevada.

2. On May 14, 1869, the final spike of the Transcontinental Railroad was driven in at Promontory Summit, Utah, just east of the Nevada border. This marked the completion of the first transcontinental railway across the United States, which greatly improved transportation and trade between the East and West coasts.

3. In 1927, the Hoover Dam project began construction on the border between Arizona and Nevada. The massive dam was completed in 1935 and provided electricity and irrigation to a large part of the American Southwest.

4. May 14, 1948, saw the founding of the small eastern Nevada town of West Wendover. Despite its small size, the town has become a popular tourist destination due to its close proximity to the Nevada-Utah state line, which allows visitors to easily cross over and visit casinos and other attractions in Wendover, Utah.

5. In 1985, the MGM Grand Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas suffered a major fire that killed 85 people and injured over 700 others. It remains one of the deadliest hotel fires in U.S. history and prompted major improvements in fire safety regulations for large public buildings.