A new documentary chronicling the city of Las Vegas from 1930 to 1940 will premiere at 7 p.m. Saturday, May 15. This day was chosen because May 15 is the date Las Vegas was founded in 1905.
“The City of Las Vegas: The Thirties” will be broadcast at 7 p.m. May 15 on KCLV Channel 2 on Cox Cable, in addition to being streamed via kclv.tv/live, the city’s Facebook and Twitter pages, the GoVegas app and on the Roku, Amazon Fire and Apple TV platforms. To find the documentary and additional city programming, search “GoVegas.”
“There is no place like Las Vegas and our unique and fascinating history has greatly contributed to the city that the world knows and loves today,” Mayor Carolyn G. Goodman said. “Everyone is invited to watch the premiere of the latest documentary chronicling the history of our amazing home.”
Funded by the Commission for the Las Vegas Centennial, “The City of Las Vegas: The Thirties” focuses on life in Las Vegas in the 1930’s. The episode will feature how the Hoover Dam, gambling, weddings, divorces and more helped shape the city. Part 1 of the documentary was released May 15, 2019, and focused on the founding and first 20 years of the community; part 2 was released May 15, 2020, and focused on the 1920s. All episodes were produced by Boyd Productions LLC.
The Art Houz Theaters, 814 S. Third St., will host free screenings of all three episodes in order starting at 1 p.m. Saturday, May 15. Due to COVID protocols, seating is limited and advanced registration is required. Register for tickets by going online to the links below:
Last year, an episode chronicling the city of Las Vegas from 1920 to 1930 aired.
“The City of Las Vegas, the Early Years,” was commissioned by the Commission for the Las Vegas Centennial, and focuses on the early history of our city. Part 1 of the documentary was released on May 15, 2019 and focused on the founding and first 20 years of the community. Part 2 of the documentary produced by Boyd Productions LLC, will focus on the 1920s.
The documentary was funded by the Commission for the Las Vegas Centennial. The commission has established a grant program to support community initiatives that are of a historic nature, by utilizing the revenue generated from the special commemorative Las Vegas Centennial license plate.
The plate is available through the Nevada Department of Motor Vehicles, and features the famous "Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas" sign designed by Betty Whitehead Willis in 1959, which still stands in the median island south of Tropicana Avenue on Las Vegas Boulevard.
Since 2005, the commission has awarded more than $21 million in grants to projects like the Las Vegas Days Parade and Rodeo, as well as the restored, vintage neon signs that are in the medians on Las Vegas Boulevard downtown. The funds have also helped preserve the city’s history through projects like the Historic Westside School, the Neon Museum, and the Mob Museum.
Catch up on the first episode of the documentary which focuses on early history from 1905-1920.