The Light on the Mountain

"Sabina" asked if the State Constitution will be sent by Pony Express. The Pony Express ended in October 1861, three years before this is set; therefore, in October 1864, the options were by train or by telegraph. The organizers were concerned that a train would be too slow, so they sent it by telegraph on 26-27 October. At 16,543 words, it took two days to transmit and cost $4,303.27 (equal to about $65,197 in 2018), not the $3,416.77 depicted in the episode; for 17 years it held the record for the longest transmission. Nevada was admitted to the Union on 31 October 1864, just four days after President Lincoln received the Nevada State Constitution.

The flag depicted in this episode is incorrect: it has 34 stars with two rows of 6 stars, two rows of 5 stars, and two rows of 6 stars. The actual 1863-1865 US flag had 35 stars: five rows of 7 stars. Prior to the admission of Nevada as a state, the 34-star flag had two rows of 7 stars, one row of 6 stars, and two rows of 7 stars. This same flag was used in Reno (1955)