# How did the counties of Nevada map get so messy? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [April 11, 2009, 4:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-the-counties-of-nevada-map-get-so-messy/492747 "2009-04-11T16:16:49Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Bearflag70](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Bearflag70](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bearflag70)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2009, 4:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-the-counties-of-nevada-map-get-so-messy/492747/1 "2009-04-11T16:16:49Z")
I was looking at a map of Nevada and I noticed the county lines are all screwy, bearing no apparent reference to geography or anything else. Even states that draw county lines without much reference to geography usually make neat little rectangles on latitude and longitude lines, for the most part. What the hell happened in Nevada? [http://gocalifornia.about.com/library/graphics/nv-cty-at.jpg](http://gocalifornia.about.com/library/graphics/nv-cty-at.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![Captain\_Carrot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f0a364/32.png) [@Captain\_Carrot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Captain_Carrot)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2009, 4:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-the-counties-of-nevada-map-get-so-messy/492747/2 "2009-04-11T16:33:09Z")
Nevada is the norm, not the exception. Apart from Iowa, Kansas, and most of Nebraska, most states draw their county lines with regards to population at the time. ---
**Author:** ![Bearflag70](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Bearflag70](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bearflag70)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2009, 5:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-the-counties-of-nevada-map-get-so-messy/492747/3 "2009-04-11T17:27:53Z")
Looking at [this map](http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://z.about.com/d/geography/1/0/V/B/counties.gif&imgrefurl=http://geography.about.com/library/misc/ncounties.htm&usg=__RhGyEGqP-QJFS_3qmSjCNyGHuMw=&h=535&w=849&sz=62&hl=en&start=1&um=1&tbnid=pC4sIKWSJnYK6M:&tbnh=91&tbnw=145&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dunited%2Bstates%2Bcounties%2Bmap%26hl%3Den%26safe%3Doff%26sa%3DN%26um%3D1) shows that many states have neat little boxes, especially in the east. As you go west, the boxes get a bit more distorted and some lines follow the geography a bit more. However, Nevada seems to have the most arbitrary mixed up jumble of counties of them all, and Nevada seemingly has no distinguishing geographic features to justify it. ---
**Author:** ![JRDelirious](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jrdelirious/32/9531_2.png) [@JRDelirious](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JRDelirious)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2009, 6:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-the-counties-of-nevada-map-get-so-messy/492747/4 "2009-04-11T18:01:45Z")
Precisely, because there are no “natural boundaries” – you just draw the line where it will include what you want in your county. The midwestern/plains states have a nice rectangular grid because it’s based on the old land-township system. In the case of a place like Nevada, as new counties and independent municipalities (Carson City) are incorporated, the borders are drawn around the areas that you want to become part of that new county/community and you take “bites” out of your neighbors. Plus, if you merge counties or municipalities, or annex parts of the jurisdiction next door, which is a common practice in some states, and you can then end up with an odd-shaped map where you used to have two “normal” ones. There’s a table on what counties spun off from which here: [List of counties in Nevada - Wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_counties_in_Nevada). ---
**Author:** ![JRDelirious](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jrdelirious/32/9531_2.png) [@JRDelirious](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JRDelirious)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2009, 6:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-the-counties-of-nevada-map-get-so-messy/492747/5 "2009-04-11T18:07:58Z")
For reference, look here at an 1866 map of Nevada: [Nevada. / U.S. General Land Office / 1866](http://www.davidrumsey.com/maps439.html) ---
**Author:** ![Captain\_Carrot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f0a364/32.png) [@Captain\_Carrot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Captain_Carrot)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2009, 6:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-the-counties-of-nevada-map-get-so-messy/492747/6 "2009-04-11T18:17:53Z")
> [@Bearflag70](#): > > Looking at [this map](http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://z.about.com/d/geography/1/0/V/B/counties.gif&imgrefurl=http://geography.about.com/library/misc/ncounties.htm&usg=__RhGyEGqP-QJFS_3qmSjCNyGHuMw=&h=535&w=849&sz=62&hl=en&start=1&um=1&tbnid=pC4sIKWSJnYK6M:&tbnh=91&tbnw=145&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dunited%2Bstates%2Bcounties%2Bmap%26hl%3Den%26safe%3Doff%26sa%3DN%26um%3D1) shows that many states have neat little boxes, especially in the east. As you go west, the boxes get a bit more distorted and some lines follow the geography a bit more. That map does not show what you think it shows. As I see it, a few states, mostly in the Midwest, are very boxy, and many states have small areas of boxiness, but squiggles are very much the rule. The east coast, being the oldest part of the country with established government, is the most jagged, followed closely by Appalachia and the rest of the South. ---
**Author:** ![Musicat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/musicat/32/20189_2.png) [@Musicat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Musicat)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2009, 7:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-the-counties-of-nevada-map-get-so-messy/492747/7 "2009-04-11T19:00:49Z")
> [@Bearflag70](#): > > I was looking at a map of Nevada and I noticed the county lines are all screwy… You think that’s screwy, take a look at Bullfrog County, NV. ---
**Author:** ![Musicat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/musicat/32/20189_2.png) [@Musicat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Musicat)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2009, 7:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-the-counties-of-nevada-map-get-so-messy/492747/8 "2009-04-11T19:05:16Z")
> [@Captain\_Carrot](#): > > That map does not show what you think it shows. As I see it, a few states, mostly in the Midwest, are very boxy, and many states have small areas of boxiness, but squiggles are very much the rule. The east coast, being the oldest part of the country with established government, is the most jagged, followed closely by Appalachia and the rest of the South. Geographical boundaries, i.e., rivers and coastlines, can explain many of the squiggles, but I wonder if you are incorrectly interpreting artifacts caused by the low map resolution jaggies as squiggles. Many of those squiggles are actually straight lines IRL, like all the county boundaries in Nevada. ---
**Author:** ![Polycarp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/82dd89/32.png) [@Polycarp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Polycarp)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2009, 7:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-the-counties-of-nevada-map-get-so-messy/492747/9 "2009-04-11T19:29:42Z")
> [@Musicat](#): > > You think that’s screwy, take a look at Bullfrog County, NV. Link messed up: [Bullfrog County, Nevada - Wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bullfrog_County,_Nevada) ---
**Author:** ![Bearflag70](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Bearflag70](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bearflag70)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2009, 7:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-the-counties-of-nevada-map-get-so-messy/492747/10 "2009-04-11T19:30:00Z")
I found [this](http://www.nevadaobserver.com/History%20Of%20Nye%20County%20(1912).htm) tidbit that partially explains the whacky Nye County boundaries: > [@](#): > > The bill became a law February 16, 1864. The territory embraced was thus described : > > ``` > "Beginning at the intersection of the thirty-ninth parallel of north latitude with the meridian of longitude 40° 30" west from Washington; thence running east along said thirty-ninth parallel of north latitude to the eastern boundary of the Territory of Nevada ; thence running south along said eastern boundary to the point of intersection with the thirty-seventh parallel of north latitude; thence running along said thirty-ninth parallel of north latitude west to the California line, and northwest along said California line to the point of intersection with the meridian of longitude 40° 30' west from Washington; thence running north along said meridian to the place of beginning." > > Subsequent to the original creative Act the boundaries of Nye County have been changed six times. On the ninth day of March, 1865, half a degree was ceded to Esmeralda County, making the eastern boundary of the county the meridian of longitude 40° 30' west from Washington. February 26th, 1866, a large part of the southeastern portion of Nye was formed into Lincoln County. May 5th, 1866, an Act was approved by the President of the United States extending the eastern boundary of Nevada sixty miles into Utah, and adding to this State all its present area south of the thirty-ninth parallel of latitude. This addition on the south increased the territory of Nye; but on March 2nd, 1869, a portion of Nye was added to White Pine. March 5th, 1869, the western boundary of the county was established as at present. In 1875 that part of Nye east of the one-hundred-and-fifteenth meridian west from Greenwich was added to Lincoln and White Pine. The area is 18,432 square miles. > > ``` ---
**Author:** ![dracoi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/90db22/32.png) [@dracoi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dracoi)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2009, 8:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-the-counties-of-nevada-map-get-so-messy/492747/11 "2009-04-11T20:06:00Z")
> [@Bearflag70](#): > > Looking at [this map](http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://z.about.com/d/geography/1/0/V/B/counties.gif&imgrefurl=http://geography.about.com/library/misc/ncounties.htm&usg=__RhGyEGqP-QJFS_3qmSjCNyGHuMw=&h=535&w=849&sz=62&hl=en&start=1&um=1&tbnid=pC4sIKWSJnYK6M:&tbnh=91&tbnw=145&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dunited%2Bstates%2Bcounties%2Bmap%26hl%3Den%26safe%3Doff%26sa%3DN%26um%3D1) shows that many states have neat little boxes, especially in the east. As you go west, the boxes get a bit more distorted and some lines follow the geography a bit more. > > However, Nevada seems to have the most arbitrary mixed up jumble of counties of them all, and Nevada seemingly has no distinguishing geographic features to justify it. Are we looking at the same map? Check out Maine and most of the Western states. Nevada may look arbitrary compared to Ohio, but it seems no more or less odd than Arizona. ---
**Author:** ![Kamino\_Neko](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kamino_neko/32/34_2.png) [@Kamino\_Neko](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kamino_Neko)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2009, 9:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-the-counties-of-nevada-map-get-so-messy/492747/12 "2009-04-11T21:47:06Z")
> [@dracoi](#): > > Are we looking at the same map? Check out Maine and most of the Western states. Nevada may look arbitrary compared to Ohio, but it seems no more or less odd than Arizona. What he said. Maine (and possibly some of the surrounding states - US geography isn’t my strong suit) and California have wonkier boundaries than Nevada, to me. ---
**Author:** ![Bearflag70](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Bearflag70](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bearflag70)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2009, 11:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-the-counties-of-nevada-map-get-so-messy/492747/13 "2009-04-11T23:00:57Z")
I guess Arizona is pretty funky, too. California looks funky, but California’s counties often follow lines of longitude and latitude, geographic features, and lines of old Spanish land grants. Nevada’s seem more haphazard. ---
**Author:** ![KGS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/90ced4/32.png) [@KGS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KGS)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2009, 11:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-the-counties-of-nevada-map-get-so-messy/492747/14 "2009-04-11T23:20:29Z")
Interactive map: [History of California counties](http://www.familyhistory101.com/maps/ca_cf.html) Most interesting is Pautah County (1852-1859) which was formed from territory _outside_ the state boundary! ---
**Author:** ![Bearflag70](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Bearflag70](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bearflag70)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2009, 11:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-the-counties-of-nevada-map-get-so-messy/492747/15 "2009-04-11T23:56:37Z")
> [@KGS](#): > > Interactive map: [History of California counties](http://www.familyhistory101.com/maps/ca_cf.html) > > Most interesting is Pautah County (1852-1859) which was formed from territory _outside_ the state boundary! That’s similar to Roop County, Nevada … which was actually in California … leading to the [Roop County War](http://www.nevadacas.com/rccsawar.htm).