1. In 1912, the first automobile race was held in Las Vegas. The race was a 50-mile dirt track event and was won by Louis Chevrolet, the co-founder of the Chevrolet Motor Company.

2. In 1940, the Hoover Dam was completed. The dam, located on the border between Arizona and Nevada, was a major engineering feat and remains a popular tourist attraction today.

3. On October 9, 1994, the MGM Grand Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas caught fire, killing 85 people and injuring hundreds more. The fire caused over $1 billion in damages and remains one of the worst hotel disasters in US history.

4. In 2002, the United States Postal Service issued a commemorative stamp honoring Nevada's state flower, the sagebrush. The stamp featured a vibrant image of the plant, which is common throughout the region.

5. On October 9, 2010, the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV) celebrated its 50th anniversary with a week-long series of events. The university, which was founded in 1957, has since become a leading research institution and a popular destination for students from around the world.