It was in 1868 that a little town
in Northwestern Nevada was officially named, Reno (after General
Jesse Lee Reno, a Union officer of the Civil War).
Actually, the town just over the border from California, already
existed before this date. It was first settled by the Washoe Indians
who used the area for festivals and ceremonies. As settlers moved
in, it was known as Fuller’s Ferry, and later, as Lake’s Crossing.
In the mid 1800s, Reno was just another settlement of silver miners.
When the Comstock Lode was discovered in the Virginia City area,
fortune hunters throughout the world came to the area to strike it
rich. Today, they still come to strike it rich at Reno’s glitzy
gambling casinos.
Reno is also a haven for quickie divorces (six-week residency is
required), is known as the biggest little city in the world, the
winning slogan from a contest held in 1929. If you look on a map you
will find that Reno is actually west of Los Angeles.