After the completion of the 1860 census and the election of President Abraham Lincoln, America imploded. Eleven southern states seceded from the Union in 1861, instigating four bloody years of the Civil War and fundamentally altering the social history of the U.S. The estimates of deaths caused by the Civil War begin around 600,000, but some claim as many as 750,000 individuals died throughout the conflict.

With so many families looking for a new start after combat finally ended and approximately 4 million Black Americans emancipated from slavery, it was time for many Americans to look for a new home to put down roots. The obvious choice for many was to move west, where there was more land to buy, settle, and cultivate. Many traveled by covered wagon, spending months on the dusty trail. Others who could afford better accommodations took a 25-day ride by stagecoach. All of them picked new cities and towns to make their homes, spreading the U.S. population more evenly across different states and territories.

On May 10, 1869, the first transcontinental railroad route across the United States was completed, ushering in a new era of transportation. The project was completed ahead of schedule and under budget, though with the loss of many lives, including those of the many Irish and Chinese immigrants hired to work 12-hour days in the hot western sun. Riding by steam engine, passengers could cross the entire country in four days, enabling waves of Americans and immigrants to quickly occupy land that would otherwise take months to settle.

The years of Civil War reconstruction, coupled with wagon, stagecoach, and railroad passengers finding new lives across the U.S., made the urban development reflected in the 1870 census incredibly interesting. Stacker compiled a list of the biggest cities in Nevada from 150 years ago using data from the U.S. Census Bureau. By transcribing Table XXV of the Ninth Census of the U.S. it’s easy to explore what the urban landscape looked like less than a decade after the end of the Civil War as America healed and grew.

The largest city in Nevada ranked #297 among all cities nationwide in 1870. Keep reading to find out more about the historic metropolitan landscape in your home state or check out the data on your own on our site, GitHub, or data.world.

#4. Carson City, Ormsby County

– Total population: 3,042 (#1,434 nationwide)

—- Male population: 2,313

—- Female population: 729

—- Child population, ages 5-18: 408

#3. Hamilton, White Pine County

– Total population: 3,913 (#845 nationwide)

—- Male population: 3,339

—- Female population: 574

—- Child population, ages 5-18: 296

#2. Gold Hill, Storey County

– Total population: 4,311 (#705 nationwide)

—- Male population: 3,139

—- Female population: 1,172

—- Child population, ages 5-18: 541

#1. Virginia, Storey County

– Total population: 7,048 (#297 nationwide)

—- Male population: 4,725

—- Female population: 2,323

—- Child population, ages 5-18: 1,054

A version of this article originally published on Oct. 27, 2016.

Reno’s most photographed landmark, the Reno Arch, turned 90 last week. But not the kitschy, ’80s-tastic version now on Virginia Street. And not the one before that, now living in Willits, California. It is the modestly lit one, previously known as the Exposition Arch now on Lake Street, that marked the milestone.

It’s worth pausing for a moment to note that, yes, Reno raised three arches in less than 100 years. New metal sheathing and lights will soon update the current Reno Arch, too. Does that count as a new one? No. But maybe we can call it Reno Arch version 3.1.

As with most else in Reno, when people grew tired of one arch, another was built anew. The current arch was built hoping it might inject new life into a flagging downtown, and tourists still flock to it for photo opportunities.

In a city that’s seen so many newcomers, it’s worth revisiting the sometimes-ridiculous history of our iconic arches that welcome all to the Biggest Little City in the World.

Arch No. 1: Party like it’s 1926

In 1926, the Lincoln Highway and Victory Highway converged to create the current Highway 40. Reno became an important stop on the connection between East and West. So naturally, there needed to be an arch commemorating Nevada’s 1927 Transcontinental Highways Exposition.

The arch was constructed in San Francisco and shipped over the mountains to be erected on Virginia Street and Commercial Row.

At the time, it was a huge deal and an impressive arch. Marvin Branch, the sign maker’s foreman, said he built many arches but this one was “by far the most elaborate he has ever put up” because of its size and number of lights, according to an Oct. 20, 1926, article in the Nevada State Journal.

The arch ceremony brought in numerous politicians both state and national, but it also brought more than 1,500 Shriners from the Islam Temple of the Shrine in San Francisco. They were coming to Reno for their own event, but joined the festivities and provided a 150-foot-long illuminated dragon, dancers and several bands. To top it all off, the dedication coincided with the University of Nevada’s homecoming day.

Needless to say, the arch dedication turned into a huge series of parades and parties.

In fact, someone from Iowa wrote an epic account of the night in a letter to the Nevada State Journal almost 40 years later:

• “The party lasted three days and three nights.
• $30,000 worth of whiskey was consumed, all of it supplied free to the revelers
• A Chief Wovoka of Pyramid Lake Tribe had several hundred of his braves performing ceremonial dances
• Reno’s restaurant owners fed the crowd breakfast, lunch and dinner for three days running, absorbing the expense themselves
• In addition to the better known movie stars of the era on hand, there were several hundred others of lesser stature who came in on a train chartered by Death Valley Scott.”

LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — North Las Vegas police are participating in a statewide impaired driving enforcement campaign that runs through February 22, targeting drivers and riders operating vehicles while under the influence of alcohol, drugs, or both.

The North Las Vegas Police Department is conducting saturated patrols as part of Nevada’s Joining Forces initiative, a multi-jurisdictional law enforcement program aimed at reducing preventable crashes, injuries and fatalities on local roadways.

WATCH | Nevada police launch statewide DUI crackdown following Super Bowl weekend

Nevada police launch statewide DUI crackdown following Super Bowl weekend

During the campaign, NLVPD officers will focus specifically on identifying impaired drivers and riders. Officials say impaired driving remains one of the most dangerous and preventable behaviors on Nevada roadways.

For families like Martina Suarez, the enforcement campaign carries deep personal meaning. Four months ago, her son Cristofer was struck and killed by an impaired driver while walking to school.

“There’s a lot of innocent people and a lot of the times which I feel like was my son’s case, people party all night, so you’re not even, you didn’t get drunk at 7 in the morning, you were drunk all night and there’s innocent people going to work. Walking to the bus stop. Kids like my son going to school and it’s not fair,” Suarez said.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, alcohol-impaired driving accounts for approximately one-third of all traffic fatalities in the United States. Even small amounts of alcohol or drugs can significantly impair judgment, reaction time, coordination and decision-making.

Drug-impaired driving including impairment from prescription medications, illegal drugs or cannabis also poses a serious and growing risk to roadway safety.

Police emphasize that impaired driving doesn’t only endanger the impaired driver or rider. It places passengers, other motorists, pedestrians, cyclists and first responders at risk every time someone chooses to get behind the wheel while impaired.

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The Joining Forces program is funded by the Nevada Office of Traffic Safety and supports agencies across Nevada in conducting targeted traffic enforcement. The campaign is part of Nevada’s Zero Fatalities initiative, an ongoing statewide effort to eliminate traffic-related deaths on Nevada roadways.

Officials urge drivers to plan ahead: designate a sober driver or use alternative transportation if impaired. The message is clear if you’re impaired, don’t drive.