Las Vegas

The largest American city founded in the 20th century took shape as a railroad watering hole before turning into the gateway to the Hoover Dam.

In the mid-19th century members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Mormons, settled to farm in the Las Vegas Valley. Three years later the Mormon settlers abandoned Las Vegas and returned soon after Nevada became the 36th state in the Union in 1864.
The next settlers rode trains in Las Vegas, and became a convenient watering stop between Salt Lake City and Los Angeles.

In 1905 to stimulate the area, 600 lots were sold and that’s how Las Vegas was born, shortly after in 1909 Nevada banned gambling. Las Vegas incorporated as a city on March 16, 1911.

In 1928 congress passed the Boulder Canyon Project Act for the construction of Hoover Dam on the Colorado River, as a result, more than 40,000 unemployed workers came to Las Vegas wanting to work at the Boulder Dam 30 miles away. Before this event Las Vegas population was 8,500.

In 1931 the ban on gambling ended which was the birth of Las Vegas as we know it.

During the 1940s an event that occurred in Los Angeles would impact the shaping of Las Vegas. As Los Angeles began cracking down on illegal gambling activities many of the gangsters found haven in Las Vegas, most notable Benjamin Siegel better known as Bugsy.

Las Vegas was mostly accessible by rail and automobile, in 1948 Clark County purchased the Alamo Airport in 1948, which is now McCarran International Airport which ranks as one of the busiest airports in the United States.

By 1954 Las Vegas drew more than 8 million visitors annually.
One of the most recognizable symbols in Las Vegas is symbol came from Las Vegas resident Betty Willis in 1959 for ‘Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas’. Clark County purchased the sign and was placed at the southern tip of the Strip, where it still greets visitors to this day.

There have been eclectic personalities to brace the city such as Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Sammy Davis Jr., Elvis Presley and many other American icons. Howard Hughes, after management at the Desert Inn begged him to leave Hughes purchased the hotel.

Today, Las Vegas is a class act destination, with the best entertainment, restaurants and night life on the planet, it’s one of a kind! Las Vegas is one of the most exciting cities in the world.

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Notable Events and Facts

• In 1931, the Pair-O-Dice Club it was the first casino to open on Highway 91.
• In 1941 El Cortez Hotel became the first casino in downtown Las Vegas.
• Pianist and entertainer Liberace made his Las Vegas debut in 1944.
• Nevada is the seventh largest state with 110,540 square miles, more than 85% of the land is federally owned.
• In 1959 marked the beginning of the longest running show in Las Vegas, Follies Bergere at the Tropicana Hotel.
• Some 230 marriage licenses are issued per day in Las Vegas
• Seventeen of the top twenty hotels in the world are located in Las Vegas.
• The Hard Hat was invented specifically for workers on the Hoover Dam.

Historic sites, museums and Places of Interest

The Venitian

Experience the romance of Italy in the heart of the Las Vegas Strip at The Venetian Resort Hotel Casino. The casino consists of a themed shopping experience built to resemble the city of Venice, complete with blue skies, canals and gondoliers. The canals and gondolas also run outside the hotel and can be seen from the sidewalk while passing by the quarter-mile Grand Canal ride.

The Venetian Resort Hotel Casino provides the world’s largest standard suites. Choose from 19 remarkable restaurants and 80 international boutiques on The Grand Canal.

3355 Las Vegas Blvd S
Las Vegas, NV 89109
702-414-1000

The Gardens At The Las Vegas Springs Preserve

Just 15 minutes from the Las Vegas strip, the Springs Preserve is eight acres of botanical gardens featuring, cactus gardens, palm oasis, herb garden, rose garden, vegetable and fruit gardens, cooking demonstrations.

There are five buildings featuring dozens of interactive exhibits, classroom and meeting space, a library, art gallery and much more, the Desert Living Center (DLC) is the green jewel in the crown of the Springs Preserve.

As you walk the Springs Preserve’s 1.8 miles of trails and meander through 110 acres of native habitats and archaeological sites, you will follow in the footsteps of adventurous explorers and ancient peoples. It aims to teach people about Vegas’ past as well as get them to think about the future.

The Springs Preserve, known as the birthplace of Las Vegas and listed on the National Register of Historic Places, is administered by the Las Vegas Valley Water District, the agency that manages the city’s water and promotes conservation.

The Springs Preserve
333 S. Valley View Blvd.
Las Vegas, NV 89107

The Atomic Testing Museum

In the 1950s, visitors would travel to downtown Las Vegas to view the mushroom clouds that would rise from the Nevada Test Site (NTS). The site operated from 1951 to 1992, a total of 928 announced nuclear tests took place, with 828 of them being underground.

The Atomic Testing Museum 10,000-square-foot building houses artifacts from the NTS, it was built to chronicle the atomic age and its impact.

The Ground Zero Theatre, is a bunker replica where visitors view a video of an atomic explosion. It features thunderous sounds, bursts of hot air and vibrations.

755 E. Flamingo Rd.
Las Vegas, NV 89119

Madame Tussauds Las Vegas

Madame Tussauds is an Interactive Wax Attraction at the Venetian, It’s a two-story, 30,000-square-foot and is one of just seven in the world. It features several exhibits with wax statues of celebrities from sports, music, movies, politics, to speed demons and more.

Madame Tussauds can host marriage ceremonies or a school visit for a truly unique educational experience.

Visitors are encouraged to touch and pose with the wax figures, some are interactive, such as Jennifer Lopez blushes when people whisper in her ear, or when holding Elvis’ hand it will speak in his likeness.
But what makes Madame Tussauds Las Vegas is its Las Vegas Legends room.

3377 Las Vegas Boulevard South
Las Vegas, NV 89109-8911
702-862-7800

Bellagio

The Bellagio is Las Vegas premiere destination. This is one of the must see hotels when in Vegas. The Bellagio Las Vegas will entertain you with the famous dancing fountains show, which takes place in front of the Bellagio Hotel, on the main Las Vegas strip. By far, the most ambitious, choreographically complex water fountain show, all the while listening to an opera, classical or Broadway tune.

Schedule of the fountain show: Monday to Friday 3:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. every ½ hour, 8:00 p.m. – 12:00 a.m. every 15 minutes.

You can also visit the Gallery of Fine Art located in the heart of the. There are different exhibits, where artworks are on loan from museums and private collections. You can find impressive exhibits.

There is also the Conservatory and Botanical Gardens where the essence of every season is captured with plants, flowers and trees arranged to inspire each season’s full splendor.. To ensure the Conservatory and Botanical Gardens maintains magnificence 365 days a year, 140 expert horticulturists theatrically arrange gazebos, bridges, ponds, and water features uniquely for each season.

Just to top it all off you can catch the international cast of world-class acrobats, synchronized swimmers, divers and characters perform in, on, and above water to create a breathtaking experience in a magnificent theatre reminiscent of a European opera house.

“O” Cirque du Soleil performs twice nightly at 7:30 p.m. and 10:00 p.m. Wednesdays through Sundays.

Best for the last is the fabulous high style shopping experience of both fashion and architectural detail, on Via Bellagio and Via Fiore.

3600 Las Vegas Blvd South,
Las Vegas, NV 89109
888-987-6667

Big Shot at the Stratosphere

For thrill seekers, the Big Shot ride is located in the Stratosphere hotel will not to disappoint. This ride will launch 16 riders 160 feet from 921 feet to 1,081 feet in 2.5 seconds with creating 4Gs of force. Then drop to 0Gs and bungee up and down to return back to the launch pad.

While in there you can also experience the Top of the World award-winning restaurant the restaurant sits 800 feet above ground level, revolves 360 degrees and offers magnificent panoramic views.

2000 Las Vegas Boulevard South
Las Vegas, NV 89104
702-380-7777

Las Vegas nightlife

The Vegas nightlife is unique in the sense that there are so many choices in relative proximity.

Pure

One of the most prominent nightclub to hit Las Vegas. Located inside the Caesars Palace Casino, this it is the Strip’s best nightlife destination. At 40,000 square feet, PURE Nightclub is four venues in one, each featuring its own DJ, sound system and sexy style.

Ride upstairs in the state-of-the-art, German-imported glass elevator, or ascend PURE’s dramatic twisting staircase to the 14,000-square-foot Terrace, a hidden enclave offering incredible panoramic views of The Strip.

PURE has been named the No. 1 Club in the Country by E! Entertainment, and has been dubbed the top Las Vegas club by America Online, Las Vegas Review Journal, Las Vegas Weekly and Las Vegas Citylife.

Thursday – Sunday, Tuesday
10 p.m. – early morning hours

3570 Las Vegas Boulevard South
Las Vegas, NV 89109
866-227-5938 (toll free)

Tryst

Located in the Wynn casino, the Tryst is another high octane nightclub in Las Vegas. Dress code is strictly enforced. No hats, oversized jeans, baggy clothing, or athletic wear. Featuring bottle-service booths ring, and red-velvet walls, but the highlight of the Tryst is the indoor-outdoor dance floor, which extends 15 feet into a man-made lagoon. The enchanted-forest vibe of the outdoor area is completed with grassy lounge areas and a 90-foot waterfall cascading down the back wall.

Thu-Sat 10:00pm-4:00am

Wynn Hotel Casino
3131 Las Vegas Blvd S.
Las Vegas, NV 89109

Geo

Latitude: 36.175 N
Longitude: -115.1363889 W
Elevation is 2,001 ft (610 m)
Average High Temperature (July): 104 ° F (40 ° C)
Average Low Temperature (January): 38 ° F (3.3 ° C)

Bio

Las Vegas population according to the Census bureau estimate for 2008 is 558,383 and it is ranked as the 28th largest city in the United States.