Legendary Nevadans: Mark Twain – Nevada Magazine

Summer 2022

All Nevada is a stage, and cowpokes, artists, activists, and visionaries are the players in a drama centuries in the making.

Whether born or raised, these special characters aren’t just Nevadans: they’re Legendary Nevadans.

In 1861, Samuel Clemens was living his childhood dream as a steamboat pilot on the Mississippi. The 25-year-old had established himself as a talented, respected navigator and earned a considerable salary of $70 a week (equivalent to about $2,000 today).  But that summer, Clemens knew his days as a pilot were over.

The Civil War had just begun, and military blockades were undoing his livelihood. With few prospects in his home state of Missouri, a new opportunity suddenly appeared from his older brother. 

Source: Legendary Nevadans: Mark Twain – Nevada Magazine