The US obtained the Nevada region in 1848 following the Mexican War and was first settled by Mormons. It is the driest state in the US, with an average annual rainfall of only about 7 inches and much of Nevada is uninhabited. Nevada was first made famous by the discovery of the richest known US silver deposit in 1859 but it now mines gold, silver, copper, lead, zinc, mercury, barite and tungsten. Oil has also been discovered in the state.
However by far and away Nevada is most famous for divorces and gambling. For many years Reno and Las Vegas were the divorce capitals of the US but now Las Vegas is the gambling capital of the US. State gambling taxes account of over 35% of general fund tax revenues (no wonder they don't bother to stop people for speeding).
So far in Nevada we've visited Las Vegas and Hoover Dam. We're not sure what else there is to see in Nevada but we could be mistaken.