Divorce Ranches

But have you heard about divorce ranches? Well, they were all the rage in Reno, and helped make Vegas a vacation destination and usher in the start of casino resorts we now know Vegas for.

But...what is a divorce ranch? Before the 1960s, divorce was VERY uncommon and was NOT easily obtainable for most. The time frame to go through with a divorce legally was long--about a year--and that's if you even qualified. While there were some places in the US in the early 1900s that allowed no-default divorce (meaning you just want to call it quit without someone being unfaithful, running out on you, or being unable to perform in bed), they were remote and more urban locations than the more populous areas on the east coast. However, Nevada saw an opportunity. They not only legalized gambling, they also granted no-fault divorces for any reason, and shortened the time you had to live in the state to become a resident and use the benefit of their divorce laws. 

After shortening the length of residency to 6 weeks, entrepreneurs in Nevada, especially the bigger city of Reno, saw an opportunity to rent out rooms, or cabins to have mostly women stay with them for 6 weeks to wait out their residency time before filing for divorce. Being stuck somewhere new for 6 weeks also meant dabbling in entertainment while there, hence casinos and their earlier shows. Over 325,000 divorces were finalized during this time. 

Tune in to this interesting little piece of American and Nevada state history.