You know Las Vegas for its shows, gambling, bright lights, five-star restaurants, but there is much more to the city’s history than meets the eye. Here are five reasons why Vegas is a historical gem.
Fremont Street Came Before the Strip
When people think of Las Vegas, the first thing that comes to mind is the Strip, but what you may not know is that downtown Vegas or Fremont Street is where it all started. Before the city of Las Vegas was established in 1905, Fremont Street was the main road running through town due to it being by the train depot. In 1925, it was the first paved street in Las Vegas, and in 1931 it was the first road to have a stoplight.
Hotel Nevada, the first hotel and casino in Las Vegas opened in 1906 on what is now Fremont Street. You may know Hotel Nevada as the current Golden Gate Hotel, which is the oldest continuously operating hotel-casino in Las Vegas. Gambling was then outlawed in 1910 only to become legal again in 1931, which allowed for more hotels and casinos to be built downtown to accommodate for all the people coming through to work on Hoover Dam.
The Strip wasn’t even born until 1941 when El Rancho Vegas was built.
Mormon Influence
When you think of Las Vegas history, you may think that mobsters had a heavy hand in building this town, and you are correct, but there is another very unlikely group of people just as entwined in Las Vegas’ history… Mormons. In 1855, it was members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, who built the first permanent settlement. This settlement, now known as the Old Mormon Fort, is not too far from where Fremont Street would be and in fact, you can still visit the fort today.
The interesting history comes later in 1954 when Mormon banker Parry Thomas opened the Bank of Las Vegas. Thomas was instrumental in giving the casinos bank loans. Prior to this, it was impossible to get a bank loan for a casino due to the nature of the business. It is ironic that gambling is something those in the Mormon faith generally abstain from, but when asked about his business with the casinos, Thomas responded that the casino owners were, “good loans.”
As a direct result of Thomas’s work, there was a quick increase in the size and number of casinos, allowing the groundwork for mega casinos and Las Vegas Boulevard as it’s known today to be possible. Without the Mormon bankers assisting the casinos, Las Vegas as we know it would not exist.
Nature
Beyond the bright lights and mega casinos and just past the valley’s urban sprawl the Las Vegas area has renowned natural attractions.
If you head 20 minutes west on Charleston Boulevard, you will hit the Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area. This area has garnered attention from geologists around the world, and is a popular tourist destination that more than 3 million people visit annually.
If you continue north on U.S. 95 past city limits, you will reach a turn off that will take you up to Mt. Charleston. Standing at almost 12,000-feet, Charleston Peak is the highest point in Clark County. At an elevation much higher than Las Vegas, Mt. Charleston has become a getaway for people to escape the heat in the summer and even ski or snowboard in the winter.
In the opposite direction, heading south on 95 will take you to Lake Mead. This national recreation area was formed with the construction of the Hoover Dam, which was then called Boulder Dam. Construction on the dam finished in 1936, and the reservoir that we know as Lake Mead began to fill with water dammed from the Colorado River. While Lake Mead is a popular water sports destination for locals and tourists, it is also Las Vegas’ water source. Without the lake and the construction of the dam, Las Vegas would not exist.
Conventions
Every year Las Vegas competes with Orlando and other major cities for the top spot on the list of best cities to host conventions. From the official convention center to large ballrooms and festival grounds to the World Market Center Expo downtown, there is no shortage of available space. With year-round sunshine, the city’s hotel infrastructure with thousands of rooms in immediate proximity, and a nearby international airport, Las Vegas is a no brainer when it comes to convention business. Statistically, convention attendance increases 9 percent when it is held in Las Vegas versus other cities. Who can resist the incredible shows and dining options after a day at a convention?
Weddings
The wedding industry is a more than $2 billion industry with more than 100,000 weddings happening every year. Las Vegas is known as the wedding capital of the world, and yes, many of the wacky things you hear about getting married in Vegas are true. In fact, you can get married spur of the moment at any time of the day by drive through or by Elvis. Vegas’ wedding popularity is widely due to its affordability, accessibility and speediness.
Vegas became a wedding destination as far back as the early 1900s when the state eased the requirements to get a marriage license. In most states it can take several days to obtain a license, but in Nevada it only takes a few minutes. For many years, the Marriage License Bureau was even open 24 hours a day. Currently the bureau is open 8 a.m. to midnight every day, and it only costs about $100 to get a marriage license.
Longtime partners or people who have just met can quickly and easily tie the knot in Vegas like millions of others. Las Vegas is a hot spot for celebrity weddings from Elvis and Priscilla Presley to more recently Joe Jonas and Sophie Turner and Travis Barker and Kourtney Kardashian.
Although in comparison to other cities, Las Vegas’ history is short, it has got to be one of the most interesting and unique in the country maybe even the world. To learn more about our city’s history watch the city’s documentary series at lasvegasnevada.gov/history.