Lincoln County, Nevada  Lincoln County is a county located in the U.S. state of Nevada. As of the 2010 census, the population was 5,345. Its county seat is Pioche. Lincoln County was established in 1866 after Congress enlarged Nevada by moving its state line eastward and southward at the expense of Utah and Arizona territories. It is named after Abraham Lincoln, the 16th President of the United States. Original legislation called for the creation of a "Stewart County", after Nevada Senator William M. Stewart, but this was later changed in a substitute bill. Crystal Springs was the county's first seat in 1866, followed by Hiko in 1867, and Pioche in 1871. Lincoln County initially included a ranch village and railroad siding named Las Vegas. However, that siding, which led to the future city of Las Vegas, was separated from Lincoln County upon the founding of Clark County effective July 1, 1909, by act of the Nevada Legislature. Area 51 is in Lincoln County and the county sheriff acts in proxy for the perimeter security forces. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of , of which is land and (0.04%) is water. While only the third largest county by area in the state of Nevada, it is the seventh-largest county in area in the United States, not including boroughs and census areas in Alaska. The south cliff of Mount Rummel, the summit of which is just north of the county line in by this places side: White Pine County, contains the highest point in Lincoln County at . The highest independent mountain completely within Lincoln County is Shingle Peak, while the county's most topographically prominent peak is Mormon Peak. There are 16 official wilderness areas in Lincoln County that are part of the National Wilderness Preservation System. All are managed by the Bureau of Land Management. Several extend into neighboring counties (as indicated below). As of the census of 2000, there were 4,165 people, 1,540 households, and 1,010 families living in the county. The population density was less than one person per square mile (and less than 1/km²). There were 2,178 housing units at an average density of 0 per square mile (0/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 91.50% White, 1.78% Black or African American, 1.75% Native American, 0.34% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 2.69% from other races, and 1.92% from two or more races. 5.31% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.