Nevada

Name: Building Nevada's Highways
Brand: Jennifer E. Riddle
SKU: 9781467134064
Price: 17.49 USD
Availability: InStock

Overwhelmed by the spectacle of Las Vegas, the scope of the Hoover Dam or the import of the Nevada Nuclear Test Site, the quieter pieces of Nevada history often go unnoticed. Paying attention to the drama seems appropriate in a place with “Battle Born” embroidered into its flag. But it is okay to take a break and read about the Virginia and Truckee Railroad or revisit Reno’s heyday before diving back into an account of Area 51 or the Folies Bergere. Enjoy the full range of the Silver State’s heritage in this catalogue of Nevada history books.

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Building Nevada's Highways

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Dayton

$24.99 $17.49 Save 30%

The Ghostly Tales of Virginia City

$12.99 $9.09 Save 30%

Carson City

$24.99 $17.49 Save 30%

Murders, Mysteries, and Misdemeanors of Reno and Northern Nevada

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Ghosts and Legends of the Vegas Valley

$21.99 $15.39 Save 30%

Las Vegas

$24.99 $17.49 Save 30%

Around Boulder City

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Hidden History of Elko County

$21.99 $15.39 Save 30%

Boulder City, Nevada

$24.99 $17.49 Save 30%

Lake Tahoe’s Rustic Architecture

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Sparks

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Lost Restaurants of Henderson, Nevada

$21.99 $15.39 Save 30%

Henderson

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Nevada's Lost City

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Black Rock Desert

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The Nevada They Knew

$28.99 $20.29 Save 30%

Elko County

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Gambling on a Dream

$22.99 $16.09 Save 30%

Casino Sidemen

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Mesquite and the Virgin Valley

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The Chinese in Nevada

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Las Vegas:

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Reno's Riverwalk District

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Nevada Beer

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A Nevada Life

$26.99 $18.89 Save 30%

Graveyards of the Wild West

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The Folies Bergere in Las Vegas

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Ghosts of Goldfield and Tonopah

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Early Carson City

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Lucky to Live in Nevada

$16.99 $11.89 Save 30%

Wise Animal Handbook Nevada, The

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The Curious Life of Nevada's LaVere Redfield: The Silver Dollar King

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Building Nevada's Highways

9781467134064

$24.99 $17.49 Save 30%

Roads are rarely given a second thought yet are indispensable to life. Admittedly, a book dedicated to roadways sounds a bit dry. But behind every double-diamond interchange, every pork chop island, and every type of asphalt is a fascinating history of the traveling public. This book reveals the hidden history of building the Silver State's highways since 1917. The next time you take a road trip across Nevada on the Lincoln Highway (US 50) or the Victory Highway (US 40) or follow a rutted road to a once-booming ghost town think of the ingenious and industrious men and women, surveyors, engineers, chemists, and yes, even the teams of mules that built the roads we still travel today.

Dayton

9781467133265

$24.99 $17.49 Save 30%

Dayton's history begins with Nevada's first gold discovery in July 1849. It started with a California-bound pack train, led by trail guide Abner Blackburn, setting up camp at the mouth of a canyon that drained into the Carson River. While waiting for the snow to melt in the Sierra, Blackburn went prospecting and dug gold from the creek bed. The news of his discovery spread, and prospectors rushed to the site they called Gold Cañon--today's Dayton. In May 1851, diarist Lucena Pfuffer Parsons, traveling with a wagon train, camped at the site and reported about 200 miners living in the canyon. She noted that they were finding enough gold to trade for supplies. In 1859, after working their way up the canyon, miners discovered a large silver and gold deposit known as the Comstock Lode. This discovery led Nevada to statehood in 1864.

The Ghostly Tales of Virginia City

9781467198844

$12.99 $9.09 Save 30%

Ghost stories from Virginia City, Nevada have never been so creepy, fun, and full of mystery! The haunted history of Virginia City comes to life--even when the main players are dead. Wander into Six Mile Canyon, but keep your eye out for the ghost of old Jack Davis. Or check into the International Hotel for a glimpse of guests who checked in but never checked out. Dive into this spooky chapter book for suspenseful tales of bumps in the night, paranormal investigations, and the unexplained; just be sure to keep the light on.

Carson City

9781467160094

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Established in 1858 on the brink of the Comstock Lode discovery, Carson City quickly became a hub for industry and transport in western Nevada. Following the turn of the 20th century, Carson City's proximity to the Lake Tahoe area was attractive for early tourists and recreation enthusiasts, ultimately leading to the establishment of the Lincoln Highway down the city's main street. Carson City's landscape continues to change with new businesses and expanded infrastructure. Alexis K. Thomas is an architectural historian who has worked in Carson City as well as the rest of Nevada.

Ghosts and Legends of the Vegas Valley

9781467153317

$21.99 $15.39 Save 30%

Beneath the glittering façade of the Strip lies a ghostly history. The mob, celebrities, gamblers and travelers have all left their mark on the Vegas Valley. From Bugsy Siegel to Tupac Shakur, famous--and infamous--ghosts mingle with the crowds that flock to Las Vegas. Rumor has it that the spirits of Redd Foxx and Elvis linger in their favorite places, while Liberace is said to appear in all the museums celebrating his life. Paranormal activity abounds within the adobe walls of the Old Mormon Fort, home of the oldest standing structure in Nevada, and the desert wind carries tales of tommyknockers in the mines. Join author Heather Leigh as she shines a light on the dark history behind the Neon Capital of the World.

Las Vegas

9780738569697

$24.99 $17.49 Save 30%

Everyone thinks they know the story of Las Vegas: the showgirls, the gambling, the mob. But Las Vegas has always been much more. Families have lived here since its founding in 1905. After 1931, legalized gaming became the big tourist draw, and following World War II, the town began to market itself as "America's Playground." That is when the famed Las Vegas Strip came into its own and downtown was dubbed "Glitter Gulch." These vintage postcards show how Las Vegas evolved from a dusty railroad town into the "Entertainment Capital of the World," while remaining a city filled with families and pioneering souls.

Around Boulder City

9780738558769

$24.99 $17.49 Save 30%

The original planners of Boulder City, Nevada, did not expect that the community of workers and engineers would outlast the construction of the great Hoover Dam. The subsequent years challenged this assumption, however, as Boulder City continued to grow and thrive even after the dam was completed and the waters of the Colorado River were harnessed. As more families took road trips to visit the dam and other southwestern attractions, Boulder City became a tourism hub. Shops, restaurants, and hotels, including the famous Boulder Dam Hotel, were built, and even more visitors flocked to the nearby Lake Mead National Recreation Area after its establishment in 1964. Elton M. Garrett aptly described the city in the masthead of his newspaper, the Boulder Dam Challenge, in 1936: "Boulder City Carries On With Spirit With Which Boulder Dam Challenged Rio Colorado."

Hidden History of Elko County

9781626199958

$21.99 $15.39 Save 30%

Elko County in Nevada's remote northeastern corner has long attracted independent, spirited individuals determined to carve out lives of their own. Born to former slaves, Henry Harris worked his way from John Sparks's house hand to one of the most respected buckaroos in the region. Pete Itcaina, the unlikely millionaire, once bought a local bar on the spot just to fire the bartender, who mistook Itcaina for a bum and refused to serve him. The beautiful cattle rustler Susie Raper charmed her way out of numerous arrests and trials, despite her trail of dead husbands. Local author Claudia Wines excavates sagas buried in the dust and probes conventional wisdom surrounding local legend.

Boulder City, Nevada

9780738507705

$24.99 $17.49 Save 30%

The Boulder Canyon Project Act, authorized by Congress in 1928, designated funds for the construction of the Hoover Dam. This monumental undertaking affected the interests of seven states and is considered by many to be the most significant American public works project of the 20th century. A project of this scope required thousands of workers, and to meet their needs, the Bureau of Reclamation planned the town of Boulder City, Nevada. Today, the planning of Boulder City is recognized as a significant influence on modern city planning. To a country shaken to its roots by the tumultuous effects of the Great Depression, the Hoover Dam project provided two essentials that were in short supply: work and housing. With the planned community of Boulder City, there was yet another benefit--an oasis in the desert, a city with character and charm. From the hot, barren, cactus-covered land rose green lawns and gardens, workers and their families created a new sense of community, culled from their hard work and the massive dam that was rising before their eyes.

Lake Tahoe’s Rustic Architecture

9781467116541

$24.99 $17.49 Save 30%

Lake Tahoe is the gem of the Sierra Nevada. Those who visit this beautiful "Lake of the Sky" may share Mark Twain's impression of the place as he camped on its shore in 1861: "As it lay there with the shadows of the mountains brilliantly photographed upon its still surface I thought it must surely be the fairest picture the whole earth affords." Twain's quote, from Roughing It, includes the trinity of Tahoe's landscape--sky, mountains, and lake--that people still find inspiring. This explains, in large part, why the man-made environment around the lake is predominantly rustic, a style of architecture noted for its compatibility with its surroundings through the use of natural materials in construction--logs, stone, and wooden shingle--along with muted shades of green and brown. Through its homes, resorts, and other assorted buildings, Lake Tahoe remains "the fairest picture."

Sparks

9781467126489

$24.99 $17.49 Save 30%

In the late 1800s, the area now known as Sparks consisted of ranches and farms. It was not until the early 1900s that Sparks would become the sixth-largest city in Nevada, almost overnight. E.H. Harriman moved the Salt Lake Division of the Southern Pacific Railroad from Wadsworth to swampland four miles east of Reno, and that area would become Sparks. The railroad was the largest and most reliable employer for 54 years, before leaving in 1957. Some railroad employees were transferred and reassigned to jobs outside of Sparks, but many chose to stay. Employment was found in Nevada's thriving hospitality industry, including John Ascuaga's Nugget Casino. Sparks became a major distribution center for national companies like S.S. Kresge and Pacific Freeport, and many manufacturing companies opened after Nevada passed the right-to-work law in 1951. Sparks is now the fifth-largest city in Nevada.

Lost Restaurants of Henderson, Nevada

9781467139373

$21.99 $15.39 Save 30%

The story of long-gone eateries in Henderson is inseparable from the city's unique origin story. Rising from humble beginnings, the population exploded during World War II due to the building of the Hoover Dam and an immense magnesium plant. Restaurateurs rushed in to feed the masses at places like the Swanky Club, famous for its smorgasbord, and Nick's Supper Club. Dante's Drive-In thrived, serving up burgers to hungry locals getting their cars serviced next door, and the Roadhouse was the place to go to unwind after a busy week. Join author Sharon Damon as she brings to life these gone but not forgotten restaurants, diners and casinos beloved by the people who are proud to call Henderson home.

Henderson

9780738520872

$24.99 $17.49 Save 30%

The year 2003 marks the 50th anniversary of the
incorporation of the City of Henderson. This
anniversary is even more of a milestone given the fact that due to Henderson's origins, it was never expected to remain a populated area, let alone grow into the second largest city in Nevada today. From the early 1900s there had been some small scale mining and the occasional ranch house, but the city was really founded on the basis of communities which provided housing for workers on two of the largest federal projects in the West: Boulder (later Hoover) Dam and the wartime Basic Magnesium Inc. Like many boomtowns before it, Henderson seemed likely to fade away after the federal government halted magnesium production there in 1944. Yet the determination of local residents saved the city, and since its incorporation in 1953, growth has exceeded the expectations of even its most optimistic founders.
Documented through historical photographs is the
construction of the BMI plant, the experience of
working there in the war years, living in the community that was built to support the plant (Camp Anderson, Basic Townsite, Victory Village, and Carver Park for African American workers), and the transformation of this temporary federal venture into a burgeoning city.

Nevada's Lost City

9780738593272

$24.99 $17.49 Save 30%

Nevada's Lost City was buried under the sands of the Mojave Desert until its existence was reported to Gov. James Scrugham by brothers John and Fay Perkins from Overton, Nevada. Excavations of the archaeological ruins began in 1924, when archaeologist Mark Raymond Harrington identified the ruins as Ancestral Puebloan (more commonly known as Anasazi), a significant archaeological discovery in Southwestern archaeology. Harrington named the world-famous sites Pueblo Grande de Nevada, but the media dubbed them the Lost City, and the name stuck. Excavation continued into the 1930s, when the National Park Service took over the excavation of the sites using young men employed by the Civilian Conservation Corps. The CCC boys not only helped to excavate but they also built the Lost City Museum, an institution devoted to highlighting the archaeological wonders of the Lost City.

Black Rock Desert

9781467130202

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The Black Rock Desert, located in northwestern Nevada, has been the site of many human activities, from ancient hunters to the arrival of the pioneers to present-day motion pictures, land-speed records, commercial photography, and a weeklong art festival. This book focuses on the art history of the Black Rock Desert playa up until 1990, laying the groundwork for the larger, participatory art events of recent history. Events include art from the Lassen Trail; The Winning of Barbara Worth, starring Gary Cooper, in 1926; and a wild horse roundup as documented by Gus Bundy. Also included are recent works of art such as Doobie Lane and a croquet match in which trucks were used as mallets. Historical images feature the towns of Sulphur and Gerlach, nearby ranches, and the Empire gypsum mine.

The Nevada They Knew

9781634990301

$28.99 $20.29 Save 30%

The Nevada They Knew is the story of a legendary friendship. Robert Caples (1908-1979) was Nevada's leading artist of the twentieth century, Walter Van Tilburg Clark (1909-1971) its leading novelist.
Caples was a private, quiet man, extremely handsome, famously attractive to women, and five times married. Clark was gregarious, a compulsive talker, also handsome, but faithfully wed. Caples' works range from portraits of divorcÃ©es and risque cartoon maps of Reno during the heyday of its divorce mill, to charcoals of Nevada Indians, to profoundly spiritual landscapes - especially of Great Basin mountains. Clark's fame rests on The Ox-Bow Incident, but his finest novel is The City of Trembling Leaves, a celebration of youth based in part on the early years of his friendship with Caples in Nevada. Shafton goes back and forth between the novel and the men's biographies to honor their lives and works, and to understand the contrasting reasons Clark too soon stopped publishing fiction and Caples eventually stopped painting.
This book is also a memoir, of Shafton's friendship with Caples, his attachment to Clark's novel City, and his connection to a land both men taught him to love.

Elko County

9780738558868

$24.99 $17.49 Save 30%

Elko County, located in the northeast corner of Nevada, is the fourth largest county in the continental United States. Miles and miles of sagebrush give way to scenic spots, such as Lamoille Canyon and the Ruby Mountains, and locals are proud of this ruggedly beautiful land. Although the county's area is vast, there are only 2.5 people per square mile, and almost 90 percent of the land is owned by the federal government. The major towns in Elko County were established in the late 1860s, when the railroad arrived and brought ranching and mining jobs to the area. In the 1930s, Elko County began attracting big-name entertainment and also became a destination for gaming, and those traditions continue today. With its rich heritage and unique, high-desert landscapes, Elko County is considered one of the last frontiers of the Old West.

Casino Sidemen

9781634990516

$24.99 $17.49 Save 30%

For casinos of Reno and neighboring cities along the folds of the Sierra, the popularity of stage shows with headliners and large orchestras reached their peak during the 1960s and 1970s. Casinos offered elaborate live entertainment to attract patrons ultimately to gaming floors. In the process, musicians involved in this entertainment settled into a fascinating showroom culture.
Musicians hired as sidemen on casino stages worked to provide accompaniment for prominent singers, dancers, and comedians, but the showroom culture that defined these musicians encompassed so much more. Viewing music just hours before performances, convincingly playing diverse musical styles, facing the "minefield" of live shows, confronting challenges never addressed in conservatories, and efforts to gratify audiences molded the culture under the spotlights. Relationships with peers, conductors, entertainers, and bosses, and struggles to maintain personal and professional standards further distinguished the culture, all within a town that thrived on "sin." Interview subjects blend misgivings, enthusiasm, and humor to describe showroom life and the musical legacies they left behind.

Mesquite and the Virgin Valley

9780738580722

$24.99 $17.49 Save 30%

The lower Virgin River basin is located about 10 miles south of the border junction between what is now Nevada, Arizona, and Utah. Early explorers told of blistering heat, disease-carrying insects, and scarce, evil-tasting water. But in 1877, the valley offered a haven to a small group of Mormon families who sought to live and practice their religious convictions, settling in Bunkerville on the south side of the Virgin River. On the north side, the struggle to establish Mesquite started in 1880. The third attempt in 1894 was successful after years of merciless floods. Residents have survived a hostile environment, geographic isolation, political gerrymandering, and in the middle of the last century, dangerous radiation fallout from atomic testing. Deep sand roads have given way to a bustling interstate highway, and the area has become a golf and gaming destination. After incorporation in 1984, Mesquite experienced a boom and has been named the fastest growing city of its size in the United States.

The Chinese in Nevada

9780738574943

$24.99 $17.49 Save 30%

When the Chinese were asked to help dig irrigation ditches in the 1850s in Genoa and Dayton, Nevada, no one imagined that they would constitute almost nine percent of the state's population by 1880. Although many were attracted by mining prospects, the ability to own land, and work in railroad construction projects, they held a wide variety of jobs, including ranching, sheepherding, logging, medicine, merchandising, and gaming. Their restaurants and laundries could be found throughout the state. The children became acculturated because the state did not require them to attend segregated schools. Federal and state anti-Chinese legislation had a devastating effect upon the population after 1890, but the repeal of the Chinese Exclusion Act in 1943 and other immigration laws brought newcomers who added to the growth of Chinese Americans. The postwar period saw new opportunities opening up that allowed their leaders to be recognized for their contributions to their community and the state.

Las Vegas:

9780738524160

$24.99 $17.49 Save 30%

Whether known as "The Entertainment Capital of the World" or Sin City, Glitter Gulch or even "Lost Wages" Nevada, the dazzling city of Las Vegas has undergone incredible transformation-from ancient watering hole to Mormon fort, from whistle stop to mob-run profit center-to become the fastest-growing urban community in the nation. Home to nearly 1.5 million residents, a melting pot of races and cultures, this great metropolis boasts a thrilling history of vices and virtues but, above all, a steadfast and uncompromising spirit.

Reno's Riverwalk District

9780738596716

$24.99 $17.49 Save 30%

During the mid-1800s, Charles Fuller established the first bridge to cross the Truckee River in Reno. Shortly after, settlers took residence, built a vibrant community, and called the banks of the Truckee River home. From the booming Comstock Lode and the expansion of the Transcontinental Railroad, Reno was a town of growth. By the mid-1900s, Reno showcased some of the state's most historic structures and had become known as the divorce capital of the country. The area of Reno now recognized as the Riverwalk District faced reckless floods, storms, and devastating fires, and yet its rich history and culture has prevailed for more than 98 years.

Nevada Beer

9781467140447

$21.99 $15.39 Save 30%

Nevada's population boomed in the 1800s, ignited by the rush to find gold and silver. Thousands of prospectors, many German immigrants, passed through the up-and-coming mining towns, and breweries popped up in their wake. As the mining slowly wound down, whole towns disappeared, and breweries struggled to survive in the Silver State. Carson Brewing Company was closed in 1948, Reno Brewing Company shut its doors in 1957 and it would be decades before craft brewers like Great Basin, Big Dog's and Revision brought local beer back into the spotlight. Join author Pat Evans as he dives into the rough-and-tumble history of beer making in the Battle Born State and looks ahead to its bright future.

A Nevada Life

9781634993098

$26.99 $18.89 Save 30%

A Nevada Life is the biography of artist Richard Guy Walton, Nevada's "Grand Old Man" of abstract art. Less well known is that Walton the gifted painter was also a prolific author of nonfiction and autobiographical novels. Born in San Francisco when there were still horses in the streets, and raised in the Central Valley, in 1929 at age fifteen he "entered Reno," as he related in his first novel, "got off the train, and was never quite the same." This eccentric and brilliant man was shaped by and helped shape Nevada's cultural history during Reno's heyday and Virginia City's epoch as a bohemian mecca.

A Nevada Life surveys Walton's artworks and writings as it follows the life of this colorful original. The narrative reveals new angles on such icons of Reno's past as Walter Van Tilburg Clark, Robert Caples, Robert Laxalt and the daughters of Judge George Bartlett. Through Walton's first marriage the reader hears the intimate story of a Basque institution, the Etcheberrys' Santa Fe Hotel, and experiences life in a Basque sheep camp. Walton's sojourns in Hollywood bring in composer Bernard Herrmann, writer Norman Corwin, director Alfred Hitchcock and more.

Walton died in 2005 at ninety-one.

Ghosts of Goldfield and Tonopah

9781626199453

$21.99 $15.39 Save 30%

Echoes of prospectors, forlorn widows and politicians linger in the streets and historic remnants of Nevada's former boomtowns. In the throes of early financial disaster, the Silver State had little to entice newcomers or discourage residents from leaving. Jim Butler's silver discovery at Tonopah changed everything. With a subsequent gold discovery near Goldfield, the rush was on, and from these burgeoning mines, Nevada's early leaders amassed their wealth and power. Paranormal historian Janice Oberding shares firsthand accounts of ghostly encounters in the Goldfield and Mizpah Hotels and uncovers the history behind the mysterious cowboy ghost, the haggard hitchhiker and other eerie local tales.

Early Carson City

9780738571584

$24.99 $17.49 Save 30%

Located at the base of the Sierra Nevada Mountains in a high-desert valley of northeastern Nevada, a lone trading post known as Eagle Station formed the early settlement of Carson City. In 1858, Abraham Curry purchased the property named for famous frontiersman and scout Christopher "Kit" Carson and set aside 10 acres for the predicted future territorial capital, which flourished after the discovery of gold and silver at the nearby Comstock Lode in Virginia City. In 1864, at the dawn of the Civil War, a 16,000-word telegram was sent to President Lincoln in Washington, D.C., declaring Nevada a state and Carson City as the permanent capital. Once known as "America's smallest capital," Carson City has persisted through a long, complicated, and mysterious history, which was celebrated during the city's 150th birthday in 2008. Many wonderful reports and never-before-seen photographs came to light during the celebration and are shared here in Early Carson City.

Lucky to Live in Nevada

9780738528021

$16.99 $11.89 Save 30%

What do you get when you cross a read-aloud storybook with a write-in memory book?
Magic moments between kids and adults!
The Lucky to Live in Nevada book is the perfect tool to jump-start meaningful conversations between generations. Read-aloud rhymes set up interesting topics. Then write-in prompts invite children to record their own views to create a personal Silver State keepsake.
The real gift lies in the interactive nature of the book as it offers the perfect opportunity for adults to share their own stories and wisdom about such issues as friendship, community, team spirit, and other topics that help develop a child's social and emotional skills. Customized Nevada content--from favorite local cuisine (paella) to interesting attractions (Hoover Dam)--provides an even more personalized experience.

Wise Animal Handbook Nevada, The

9780738528311

$16.99 $11.89 Save 30%

Read-aloud time is about to get a lot more fun!

The Nevada Wise Animal Handbook offers laugh-out-loud animal kingdom advice for kids of every age! Engaging animal photos entertain while charming read-aloud rhymes help jump-start conversations about practical life solutions.
The Read Together/Do Together? experience continues with pull out coloring pages in the back of the book featuring fun facts about special Silver State animals including the desert tortoise and desert bighorn sheep.
Enjoy the opportunity to share your own practical wisdom with your favorite little one as you read-aloud... and laugh-aloud....again and again.

The Curious Life of Nevada's LaVere Redfield: The Silver Dollar King

9781626197046

$21.99 $15.39 Save 30%

LaVere Redfield was a prolific hoarder. When he died in 1974, his estate was estimated at more than $70 million. Executors found 680 bags of silver coins and 407,000 Morgan and Peace silver dollars in his Reno mansion. A local Reno legend, Redfield gambled regularly in Virginia Street casinos. He survived robbery and burglaries of his home, which contained false walls to store millions of silver dollars. Hating banks and paper money, as well as big government, Redfield opted to serve a prison term for income tax evasion rather than pay his debts from his ample fortune. Join author Jack Harpster for this first book-length study of this unconventional man behind the folklore and the myth.