150th-Anniversary License Plates

Governor Brian Sandoval has announced that the Nevada 150th-anniversary license plates will be available at metropolitan DMV offices beginning July 29, and rural offices beginning July 31. The Governor also announced that as of July 9, DMV offices will begin accepting orders for personalized 150th license plates. The license plate is a precursor to the year-long celebration of the 150th anniversary of Nevada’s 1864 statehood.

"The 150th license plate is an important part of recognizing our state's 150th anniversary," Sandoval says. "The proceeds from the plate will go toward supporting the year-long celebration, and I am thrilled that at the end of this month, motorists will be able to show their support for our great state."

Standard plates cost $33.50, plus a $20 annual fee, and personalized plates cost $68.50, plus a $30 annual fee. Revenues from the Nevada 150 license plates will generate funds to support projects and events related to the Nevada 150 celebration.

Click here for more information on standard or personalized 150th-anniversary license plates.

Discover Your Nevada Launches

Gov. Brian Sandoval and Lt. Gov. Brian Krolicki. Photo by Bob Conrad

Governor Brian Sandoval, Lieutenant Governor Brian Krolicki, representatives of the Department of Tourism and Cultural Affairs, and local media came together at the Wilbur D. May Museum in Reno today to officially launch the new Discover Your Nevada campaign.

Sandoval said the program's main purpose is to encourage visitation within the state. "We're excited about the prospect of Nevadans discovering their own state," he said, after he announced that Krolicki and himself will do some discovering of their own. The governors will make three separate journeys together this spring: one to Gerlach and the Black Rock Desert area, a second to Fort Churchill State Park and the Dixie Valley area, and a final excursion down U.S. Highway 95 and across the Extraterrestrial Highway with a stop in the town of Rachel.

The Governor quipped in making a reference to the "Road to.." movies with Bob Hope and Bing Crosby. Details of those itineraries will be announced on the official Discover Your Nevada website, where Sandoval will maintain a blog. He also promised plenty of Tweets and fun.

The governors' travels are just the beginning of Discover Your Nevada. The campaign also incorporates public participation, in which you can nominate your favorite Nevada treasures online now through March 18. Voting begins March 19, and the treasures will ultimately be dwindled down to six (the number of tourism-designated territories in the state) and announced in early May.

"This is our chance to fall in love again with the State of Nevada," Krolicki said. "Stay-cation is the theme. Nevadans can put the family in the back of the car and hit the open road."

Both Sandoval and Krolicki praised Claudia Vecchio, Director of the Department of Tourism and Cultural Affairs, for spearheading the new program.

So what are you waiting for? Click here to nominate your favorite Nevada treasure.

Sandoval Declares October Nevada History Month

Nevada Magazine’s 75th-Anniversary Edition Now Available

In January 1936, the state highway department introduced Nevada Highways and Parks — known today as Nevada Magazine. In 2011, the state’s official tourism publication celebrates its 75th anniversary. To honor the milestone, the magazine has produced a 192-page special edition, now available for purchase.

Subscribers, history buffs, and general Nevada enthusiasts can order the 75th-Anniversary Edition now at nevadamagazine.com, or, for faster response, by calling 775-687-0603. The edition features 24 re-printed stories from 1936 to 2010 and provides a fascinating historical perspective on Nevada, including the Pony Express, atomic testing, Nevada’s mining legacy, Hoover Dam, wild horses, “Bonanza,” and more. The collector’s editions are $19.95 each, plus $4 shipping and handling. Nevada state employees can get the 75th-Anniversary Edition for $15 by e-mailing pati@nevadamagazine.com or calling 775-687-0633.

Today, Nevada Magazine is a division of the Nevada Commission on Tourism, published bimonthly, and based in Carson City and Las Vegas. Check out old cover images here.

In Nevada Magazine’s January/February 2011 issue

Nevada Magazine’s January/February 2011 issue — the Las Vegas Territory Special Edition — will be available soon on newsstands throughout Nevada. In it are a feature on Las Vegas’ fascinating history, a roundup of Southern Nevada towns, and a Q&A with Brian Sandoval, who takes office as Nevada Governor on January 3. Also highlighted are Southern Nevada’s parks and recreation areas, off-the-beaten-path destinations, main attractions, and a history story about Potosi, the state’s first lode mine.

As part of its 75th anniversary, the magazine is highlighting Nevada’s six “Territories” in 2011, customizing each of the year’s six issues to honor Las Vegas Territory, Reno-Tahoe Territory, Pony Express Territory, Indian Territory, Cowboy Country, and Nevada Silver Trails. The March/April 2011 issue will cover central Nevada’s Pony Express Territory.

Cover photo: Anders Sorensen