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Picture fly fishing a pristine mountain stream; a poetic scene. The sun is smiling down warmly, the birds are calmly singing, and soothing sounds of nature fill the angler with peace. Each cast is artistic, and nearly every flick of the line leads to a plump trout on the other end. Everything is perfect, and the angler smiles as they have not a care in the world. That is not what fly fishing is like at all.

Going to Las Vegas to visit a museum might have once sounded as foolish as trying to sell ice cubes to Eskimos. It’s not that the town is culturally bereft; far from it. From sunken objects recovered from the Titanic to Carroll Shelby’s gleaming machines—not to mention the wealth of historical, cultural, and incredible artifacts at the state museums—Las Vegas has long had its fair share of educational diversions.

The city also had its share of historical diversions during its growth, and none has been quite so infamous as Las Vegas’ connection to the mob.

The importance of women to Nevada’s history is well documented and irrefutable. From Sarah Winnemucca to Helen Stewart, Hanna Clapp to Felice Cohn, the sisters of the Silver State left their own indelible stamp on the face of Nevada. While many women have made their mark, a select few were the first to do so in their respective fields. These women—and to be sure, there are many others—helped pave the way for more women to enter the workforce and seek positions that had been previously dominated by men. These leading ladies took the chance to go where no woman had gone before, and for that, they are our favorite firsts.