ABOUT
The only major city in the American West to have been founded in the 20th century, Las Vegas grew from a tiny, desert-bound railroad service centre at the outset of the 20th century to the country’s fastest-growing metropolis at century’s end. This transformation—made possible by a combination of shrewd entrepreneurship, access to water, an extensive transportation network, and permissive state laws—has created the city now often known simply as “Vegas,” a place of vast casinos, elaborate hotels, and spectacular entertainment venues that attracts masses of visitors from throughout the world.
Asheville North Carolina
ABOUT
Asheville, city, seat of Buncombe county, west-central North Carolina, U.S. Asheville lies in the Blue Ridge Mountains, at the junction of the French Broad and Swannanoa rivers. It has a mild climate and is built on an uneven plateau at an elevation of about 2,200 feet (670 metres). Asheville is the eastern gateway to Great Smoky Mountains National Park and the Cherokee Indian Reservation and is the headquarters of Croatan, Nantahala, Pisgah, and Uwharrie national forests. Nearby Mount Mitchell, at 6,684 feet (2,037 metres), is the highest point in North Carolina and the highest peak east of the Mississippi River.
