Las Vegas (the meadows) is located in southwestern Nevada. Native American nomads are believed to have traveled through the area for at least 9,000 years before the birth of Christ. The first European to visit the area is thought to have been Rafael Rivera, operating as a scout for Antonio Armijo's expedition out of Abiquiu, New Mexico, in 1830. In 1844, John C. Fremont passed through the area in his exploration of the Great Basin. In 1855 a small group of Mormon missionaries built a fort at Las Vegas to serve as a way-station between Salt Lake City and Los Angeles. In 1864 Nevada was admitted into the Union and, the following year, land in Las Vegas was offered at public auction for $1.25 per acre. At the turn of the century, Las Vegas was linked to the rest of the country by rail. In March, 1931, gambling was legalized by the state legislature and, following World War II, the modern city began to take shape with luxurious lodging, dining and gaming establishments competing with one another for the most outlandish forms of entertainment. Today the city is like nothing else anywhere in the world.
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