What was the exploration of Nevada?

* Francisco Vásquez de Coronado (1540): Coronado's expedition was the first European exploration of Nevada. He was searching for the Seven Cities of Cibola, a legendary city of gold. Coronado and his men traveled through what is now Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, Oklahoma, and Kansas. They never found the Seven Cities of Cibola, but they did explore much of the Southwest United States.

* Juan de Oñate (1598): Oñate's expedition was the first European settlement of New Mexico. He founded the city of Santa Fe in 1610. Oñate's men also explored parts of what is now Nevada, including the Rio Grande Valley.

American Exploration

* Jedediah Smith (1826-1827): Smith was an American fur trapper and explorer. He was the first European to explore the Great Basin region of the United States. Smith traveled through parts of what is now Utah, Nevada, California, and Oregon.

* John C. Frémont (1843-1844): Frémont was an American explorer, soldier, and politician. He led several expeditions to the West, including one that explored the Great Basin region. Frémont's expeditions helped to open up the West for settlement.

* Kit Carson (1847-1848): Carson was an American frontiersman and explorer. He was a member of Frémont's expedition of 1843-1844. Carson also explored parts of what is now Nevada on his own.

Mining Exploration

The exploration of Nevada was also driven by the discovery of valuable minerals. In the mid-1800s, prospectors flocked to Nevada in search of gold and silver. The discovery of the Comstock Lode in 1859 led to a massive silver boom in Nevada. Other mining booms followed in the late 1800s and early 1900s. Mining played a major role in the development of Nevada.