Home Means Nevada, Part 3

There is probably no one in all of the world who loves Nevada more than our good friend and Elko native Andrea Paris Nevin. To know her is to know the tune of the state song "Home Means Nevada" (hence the name of this series of blogs) and hear her sing it to you on occasion. Here, her and I at outside of her Dad's house near Elko.

Arizona became a state on Feb. 14, 1912. I know this because I interviewed a lot of old-timers when I lived in Yuma. I have no idea what day California became a state, but I remember that it was once a state holiday from an article I saw in an old newspaper. It was never a holiday when I was growing up. Arizona's birthday (or "admission day") isn't a holiday either. Maybe they didn't want to get in the way of Valentine's Day.

Not so in Nevada. Oct. 31 is Nevada Day. That's right. Nevada became a state on Halloween, 1864. I missed the holiday last year, because even though I was here before Oct. 31, the actual holiday is observed on the Friday before that date (unless that day falls on a Friday, as it does this year.) Lots of people get the day off work, high school football games are scheduled for another day, and there is a parade in Carson City. I don't know what else goes on because, obviously, I've never been a part of it. And it looks like I'll have to wait another year to find out ... because tonight Chris and I are headed for Arizona! Thanks to the Silver State for giving us an extra day for our trip. We'll do a toast to you back in the Grand Canyon State.

In honor of mine and Chris' first year in Nevada, here are a few photos of some of our good times across the northern part of the state:

Date night at Circus Circus

Burning up the dance floor at the Paris-Nevin wedding in Lamoille Grove

Locking our love in Lovelock

Throwing away the key in the Truckee River