Online Nevada Encyclopedia

A Project of Nevada Humanities

Nevada’s public image is, and has traditionally been, exciting and colorful. From the earliest cowboys to the latest casinos, images of Nevada are recognized around the world. Yet much of what is written about the state is based on myth and misconception. Separating fact from fiction can be a challenge. It has become clear that in a state which attracts 48 million visitors each year, which has welcomed nearly a million new residents in the past decade, and in which few students and even fewer teachers are Nevada natives, the need is great.

Nevada Humanities has been developing and supporting community-based humanities activities for the past thirty years. We have helped create museums, funded research and radio programs, and worked closely with scholars, teachers, and youth. The Online Nevada Encyclopedia builds on that legacy.

Why do we need the Online Nevada Encyclopedia?

The Online Nevada Encyclopedia will provide reliable, up-to-date information grounded in current scholarship, place facts in appropriate historic and regional context, provide a portal for businesses and families thinking of moving to the state, and serve as a multimedia guide for students researching our state’s past and present.

The Online Nevada Encyclopedia will make it possible for all students, whether in urban or rural areas, to have equal access to resources necessary for the study and appreciation of Nevada history.

While encyclopedia entries will be accessible to elementary school students, references and links to recent scholarly work and more in-depth information will be only a click away.

©2004 Nevada Online Encyclopedia

Images are courtesy of the University of Nevada at Las Vegas and
the University of Nevada, Reno Special Collections Departments