Las Vegas History

The Las Vegas Strip

Untold Stories: The Las Vegas Strip: The Early Years

July 1st, 2008 Categories: Las Vegas History, The Las Vegas Strip

Everyone thinks they know the real history of the Las Vegas Strip. 

But did you know that Bugsy Siegel didn’t build the Flamingo Hotel from scratch? 

Do you know who the first nude showgirl was? 

Do you know who Jakie Freidman was? 

Do you believe that Tommy Hull was inspired to build the El Rancho Vegas because his car broke down and he counted the cars that passed him on the old highway?

Well, if you don’t know the real answers to these questions or if you think you do and want confirmation of that, then come out to the Springs Preserve on Thursday evening, July 3rd for our next installment of “Untold Stories’ where we explore the real history of the early years of the Las Vegas Strip.

Joining us will be:   Betty Bunch: a dancer who came here in the early 1950s and is still dancing on the Strip today. Lisa Medford; the first nude showgirl (okay, we gave you one answer) George Stamos: writer of the original Strip Hotel histories for the Las Vegas Sun in 1979.  and Dr. Michael Green: historian and Professor at the College of Southern Nevada.

It all happens on July 3rd at 7:00 pm at the Springs Preserve.  Gas is over $4 a gallon so if you are spending the 4th of July weekend in town, then come join us for a great night of history and stories.

Come early for the Farmers Market and the Mojitos and Mozart in the Wolfgang Puck Cafe.

Untold Stories:  The Las Vegas Strip: The Early Years

Thursday, July 3rd

Las Vegas Springs Preserve

7:00 pm

Admission $12.00 

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Urban Development Update

January 11th, 2008 Categories: Architecture, Las Vegas History, The Las Vegas Strip

Via Urban Historian – Brian Paco Alvarez

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Friends Of Classic Las Vegas Fundraiser Tomorrow

November 16th, 2007 Categories: Architecture, Crestview, Culture, Downtown Las Vegas, Events, Historic Preservation, Las Vegas History, The Las Vegas Strip

This is the final reminder regarding the Friends of Classic Las Vegas Fundraiser this Saturday, Nov. 17th.

This is an Open House/Soiree in a restored mid-century historic home in fabulous Downtown Las Vegas. 

The Open House/Soiree is from 2:00 – 5:00 pm at 1905 Chapman Drive.

There will be wine, savory snacks, a silent auction, hourly raffles as well as talks about Las Vegas history by Dr. Michael Green.  Michael Green is a history professor at the College of Southern Nevada and has written extensively about Southern Nevada. He is co-author of “Las Vegas: A Centennial History.”

There will be DVD promos highlighting some of the Downtown preservation issues.

DVDs of The Story of Classic Las Vegas: An Overview, companion tee-shirts and the Mid-Century Guide to Historic Las Vegas Sites will be on sale as well.

Tickets are only $35 per person and there are some tickets still available.

You can call 878-3889 to make your reservation and pick up your tickets at the door on Saturday afternoon.

We hope to see you there as we celebrate Las Vegas History and begin to work together in preserving our history. 

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Frontier Hotel Implosion Saddens The Las Vegas Historic Preservation Community

November 13th, 2007 Categories: Historic Preservation, Las Vegas History, The Las Vegas Strip

The Frontier Hotel is a pile of rubble now, but it was a true icon of “Vintage Las Vegas”. In case you don’t have a tv, here’s a link to the KLAS-TV Channel 8 videos of the implosion. And here’s the link to the KTNV Channel 13 coverage and to Channel 3 KVBC

From Our July 16th Post On the Old BlogSite

A Farewell To The Frontier Hotel

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The Rat Pack In Front Of The Sands Hotel Is The Iconic Las Vegas Photo Of All Time

November 6th, 2007 Categories: Historic Preservation, Las Vegas History, Las Vegas Real Estate News, Mid Century Modern, Moonlight Mid Mod Bus Tour, The Las Vegas Strip

The Moonlight Mid Mod Bus Tour – Part 4

It took something REALLY exciting like a moonlight bus tour of Modernist Las Vegas to get me onto the strip on a Friday Night. But there we were looking for the original site of one of the preeminate photos of all time (as far as Vintage Las Vegas is concerned).

MM figured out from satellite photos of then and now exactly where the photo was taken. Well, exactly within about 10 feet. So that’s where we took the group photo of everyone on the bus tour.

The spot is now the front sidewalk of the Venetian.

And that’s the first time in 20 years anyone’s managed to make me go on the strip on a weekend night.

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Moonlight Tour of The Mid Century Modern Heritage of Las Vegas

November 3rd, 2007 Categories: Architecture, Cool Stuff, Culture, Downtown Businesses, Events, Historic Preservation, Las Vegas History, Las Vegas Real Estate News, Mid Century Modern, Moonlight Mid Mod Bus Tour, The Las Vegas Strip

Chris Nichols author of  “The Leisure Architecture of Wayne McAllister” was a featured speaker yesterday at the Vegas Valley Book Festival. He also graciously conducted the tour along with MaryMargaret from the Atomic Age Alliance.

The Wiki entry on McAllister can fill you in on his life and work and influence in the creation of the strip. His work was a major topic of the tour. He designed the Desert Inn, The El Cortez, The Sands, The Fremont and his first work in Las Vegas, the El Rancho Vegas.

The mood on the double decker, open air bus shifted repeatedly from joy for the buildings remaining, to sadness for the treasures that have been lost. Both were pointed out along the way.

The most prominent emotion displayed by those on the tour was determination to save what is left and preserve it for the future.

Our first leg was a drive down Las Vegas Blvd on the way to one of the Icon Businesses of Vintage Vegas. The Golden Steer Steak House is on Sahara, just west of the strip. It’s been there since 1958, and is one of the best remaining examples of what Chris and Alan Hess call the “Red Booth” period of fine dining in America.

Tomorrow, I’ll publish the second installment. I didn’t attend First Friday last night, so instead of our usual week of First Friday Posts, we’ll give you a sampling of what we saw on the bus tour.

Tags: Jack+LeVine, uncle+jack, golden+steer, chris+nichols, alan+hess, atomic+age+alliance, wayne+mcallister

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Cultural And Historical Preservation – If We Don’t Know What The Problem Is, How Can We Get To A Solution?

November 1st, 2007 Categories: Las Vegas History, Las Vegas Real Estate News, The Las Vegas Strip

Travel and Leisure’s Poll points out why we have to try even harder!

Kristen nailed a great response to the  article which put Las Vegas last on yet another list. Poll says last; We don’t care. by Kristen Peterson, Las Vegas Sun

VVV’s own Cultural Curator and Historian, Brian Paco Alvarez responds beautifully to both with a letter to the editor. He had sent it in to us, also in case it didn’t get published in the sun, but since it did, we’re linking to it here.

Letter: Las Vegas has, fails to promote, culture

Regarding Kristen Petersen’s Oct. 26 article, “Poll says last; we don’t care”:

Read the rest of this entry »

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Frontier Implosion Time and Date Announced

October 31st, 2007 Categories: Events, Las Vegas History, Las Vegas Real Estate News, The Las Vegas Strip

A hat tip to Paco. The announcement is only 5 minutes old!

Implosion of the Frontier Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas to Make Way for
Internationally Recognized Brand, The Plaza

DATE:                         
Tuesday, November 13, 2007

WHAT:             
A longtime icon of the Las Vegas Strip, the Frontier Hotel & Casino will be imploded to mark the beginning of the new home of the internationally recognized brand, The Plaza.  Elad Group and IDB Group, a joint venture on The Plaza, will bring the elegance and luxuriousness of the brand to the Las Vegas gaming and hospitality market.  The multi-billion dollar project is set to open in late 2011.

WHO:             
Isaac Tshuva, Owner of ELAD Group; Nochi Dankner, Chairman of the Board and CEO of IDB Group; Miki Naftali, President & CEO of ELAD Group and Daniel Wade, Chief Operating Officer of ELAD IDB Las Vegas, LLC
 
WHEN:                         
Tuesday, November 13, 2007
Implosion to take place promptly at 2:30 a.m. PST

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A Potpourri Of Things For The History And Preservation Buffs

October 23rd, 2007 Categories: Architecture, Downtown Las Vegas, Las Vegas History, Las Vegas Real Estate News, Mid Century Modern, The Las Vegas Strip

Our friend cultural historian and downtown neighbor Brian Paco Alvarez filled our inbox today with a lot of different topics, so I’m lumping them all into one big catch-all post. Click away!

Historical Connection Fall Newsletter from the Las Vegas Historic Preservation Committee

Preservation Association Of Clark County’s Fall Newsletter

Las Vegas Sun Article By Kristen Peterson on the Arts District’s Gateway Monuments

Note, there’s photos above the article

He also sent a postcard from his personal collection.

This is the Wittwer Motel, one of the motor courts of which we’ve lost way too many.

And finally, a note from Paco about the Garden Of Love Wedding Chapel:

Hello Friends of the Mid-Century,

As many of you have heard the Garden of Love Wedding Chapel has had its license revoked as of last night by an act of the City  Council. This should be a red flag alerting us that this building is now endangered of being sold and possibly being demolished. As you know the building is a classic mid-century structure as is its iconic sign with its tall spire. We need to keep a vigilant eye on this building since it is one of the few remaining buildings like it on Las Vegas Boulevard.

With Regards – Brian Paco…

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Las Vegas News Bureau Stages 2 Photo Exhibitions In The Arts District

September 29th, 2007 Categories: Arts District, Cool Stuff, Events, Las Vegas History, Mid Century Modern, The Las Vegas Strip

Portions of World-Famous Photo Collection on View Beginning First Friday, Oct. 5     LAS VEGAS – The Las Vegas News Bureau, an operation within the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority, brings its photo collection to First Friday on Oct. 5.    One photo exhibit chronicling Las Vegas’ entertainment history will be on display in the heart of First Friday’s outdoor festival.    A second exhibition called “Vintage Point” will open for a four-week showing the same evening at the Contemporary Arts Collective inside the world famous Arts Factory.  Four local artists—Darius Kuzmickas, James Stanford, Fred Sigman and Erin Stellmon—and three current News Bureau photographers—Darrin Bush, Brian Jones and Glenn Pinkerton—will put a contemporary spin on the Bureau’s classic images. A compilation of vintage and contemporary video footage will also be on view. Las Vegas News Bureau Curator Brian Paco Alvarez and Diane Bush co-curated the exhibition.   For more than 50 years, the Las Vegas News Bureau has captured timeless images of Las Vegas, from its evolving skyline and fantastic resorts to headline entertainers, sports and cultural events.  The partnership between the Bureau and First Friday is part of the LVCVA’s ongoing support of community and cultural programs.    

ABOUT THE LVCVA

The Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority (LVCVA) is charged with marketing Southern Nevada as a tourism and convention destination worldwide, and also with operating the Las Vegas Convention Center and Cashman Center.  With approximately 133,000 hotel rooms in Las Vegas alone and 9.5 million square feet of meeting and exhibit space citywide, the LVCVA’s mission centers on attracting ever-increasing numbers of leisure and business visitors to the area.  For more information, go to www.lvcva.com.

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