Statutes of the Territory/State of Nevada: Carson City, title varies, var. state printers, 1861–, series continues. (Nevada began its role within
the United States in 1850, when most of its present area became the western portion of the U.S. Territory of Utah; excepting for the southern S tip,
which was made part of the Territory of New Mexico. In fact, Nevada’s minimal settlements were mere way stations for settlers bound for the new state of
California, few of whom chose to settle in an area dominated by Utah’s Mormons. However, the discovery of gold in 1859, and later the Comstock Lode
silver strike, soon brought the area both attention and a large non-Mormon population influx from California; sufficient that by 1861 the citizens were
able to obtain congressional recognition as the separate Nevada Territory. The first session of the Territorial Legislature was in October of 1861.
Formal statehood came with an enabling act of May 21, 1864, and the first session of the State Legislature met in December of that year. Statehood was a
bit rushed, even though the Territory did not actually meet the population requirements, because President Lincoln needed a few more votes to pass
the 13th Amendment to the U.SD. Constitution. In 1866, Nevada acquired its present boundaries when the southern tip was added and some eastern territory
was acquired from Utah.)(Records that are part of the Early State Records collection were digitized from a microfilm copy of titles originally held
by the Nevada State Historical Society in Reno).
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