Rare Photos Reveal The Scandalous History Of Las Vegas
By | March 11, 2017
Today, we all know Vegas to be one of the best party cities and entertainment capitals of the world. But do you know how this amazing city came to be? Do you know who lived there first, when it was incorporated and when its first murder took place? Click through this gallery for some insight into Sin City.
Southern Paiute settled in Nevada and other states long before the Europeans arrived. They were accustomed to harsh desert environments, which meant that Nevada’s climate was perfect for them.
1776
Between 1776 and 1777 the first European explorer by the name of Francisco Garces passed through Nevada. He was a Spanish missionary whose job was to establish and make connections between California and New Spain.
1829
Rafael Rivera was one of the very first non-Native American people to pass through the Las Vegas Valley. While traveling with a group of sixty men, he strayed off on his own and discovered the Las Vegas Springs.
1829
After Rafael reported back to the trader known as Antonio Armijo--the leader of the group of sixty--the two men realized that the discovery of Las Vegas shortened the Spanish Trail to LA immensely; it was renamed the Armijo Route. Armijo and his crew were also responsible for naming the city; when translated into English, it meant ‘the meadows’.
1844
American explorer John C. Fremont was on his second mapping expedition during the time when his trip had to be detoured and he passed through Las Vegas for the first time. When he returned to Washington, he marked Las Vegas on a map for the very first time.
1855
The Mormons arrived in the Las Vegas Valley for what was called the Las Vegas mission. They built a fort and proceeded to convert the Southern Paiute Indians in the area, to Mormonism.
1855
Shortly before Independence Day, the Mormons established the very first Post Office in Las Vegas. It was named Bringhurst, after William Bringhurst--the then President of the Mormon Las Vegas Mission.
1857
In 1857, a letter from the leader of the Church of Jesus Christ of the Latter-Day Saints in Salt Lake City would bring about the end of the mission. It failed because of a lack of supplies, confusion about leadership roles, social issues and discord. By the middle of the year, the mission was mostly deserted.
1864
Nevada’s first attempts at gaining statehood failed in early January of 1864. However, the idea of it was not forgotten. In March of that year, President Lincoln signed and outlined the steps needed to be taken for admission; Lincoln named Nevada in official state on October 31st 1864.
1865
In 1865, American prospector, Octavius Decatur Gass, moved into the old Mormon fort in Las Vegas. After buying the entire property, he changed the name from Las Vegas to Los Vegas Rancho, to differentiate it from another city called Las Vegas in New Mexico.
1880
By 1880, Octavius sold Los Vegas Rancho to a pioneer and her husband by the name of Archibald and Helen Stewart for only $5000.00. In 1884, Archibald was killed by a neighbor and he became what is referred to as the First Las Vegas Murder.
1903
After finally selling the ranch and land that was additionally purchased to the Los Angeles and Salt Lake Railroad for $55,000, the town was established with the opening of the railroad.
1909
The city of Las Vegas was already taking shape by 1909. In 1905 the first train had arrived and by 1907, the first telephone wires were installed. The state was also going through some changes. In 1909, Clark County (the homes of the Las Vegas strip) was created.
1909
With the evolution of motion pictures, Las Vegas opened its very first theater in 1909. Although films with sound were not commercially practical until the following decade.
1910
Gambling was legalized in the state of Nevada in 1869. The early years of the city’s transformation were filled with gambling and prostitution. The pressure from religious and educational leaders, as well as women’s groups forced the state to outlaw the practice.
1911
On June 1st 1911, voters of the unincorporated city of the township took to the polls to vote for the issuing of the city. There 168 votes in favor and 57 opposing the action. It was incorporated that same day.
1914
In the year 1914, the first movie was filmed in the city. It was the action film by the name of The Hazards of Helen. The film series had 119 12-minute episodes which were released in a period of over two years.
1920
Las Vegas was also making strides in the aviation field. In 1920 the first airplane landed in the city. And six years later, the very first commercial flight-Western Air Express- made its first trip to Vegas.
1923
Within the next few years, Las Vegas opened its first rodeo, its first golf course and high school. The city began to take shape and was on its way to becoming one of the biggest tourist destinations in the country.
1931
In 1931, workers began a construction project set to be built from the southeast of Las Vegas to the border of the states Nevada and Arizona. The Hoover Dam took about 5 years to be built and was dedicated by President F. D. Roosevelt in 1935.
1931
Despite gambling being banned in the state, certain concessions were made which relaxed the ban. But in 1931, Phil Tobin introduced Assembly Bill 98 which allowed for certain games to be legalized.
1931
On June 20th 1931, the very first gaming license from the city of Las Vegas, was issued to Vegas resident by the name of Mayme Stocker. Mayme teamed up with J.H. Morgan to open the Northern Club- the club was actually opened before gambling was legalized.
1940
Vegas wasn’t just growing in terms of infrastructure. By the year 1940, the Clark County population was already over 16, 000. The city of Las Vegas took up just over half of those residents.
1944
Celebrities also began to flock to what would be known as Sin City. World-renowned pianist and singer Liberace made his first appearance in Vegas in 1944. The city would go on to become his principal venue.
1946
With the gaming ban removed in 1931, commercial gaming in the city skyrocketed. This is reason why gaming taxes were introduced in 1946. The State Gaming Control Board wasn’t formed until 9 years later.
1948
With the increased traffic in the city, it was time for the city to have an airport. In 1948, Clark County bought the Alamo Air Field and opened its first airport. It was called the McCarran International Airport.
1950
By 1950 the population in Clark County and Las Vegas grew by over 300%. Clark County now had more than 48,000 and Vegas held more than half of the county’s population.
1951
Las Vegas wasn’t the only place in the world making progress. Nuclear weapons were becoming increasingly important. In 1951, the first atomic detonation took place at the Nevada Test Site.
1955
The Gaming Control Board was created as a section within the Nevada Tax Commission. The purpose of the board was to eliminate the cons taking place in the Las Vegas gaming world.
1955
Hotels were popping up in the city everywhere you looked. Between 1955 and 1956 the Royal Nevada Hotel and Casino, the Dunes Hotel and Casino, the Moulin Rouge Hotel and Casino, the Riviera Hotel and the Hacienda Hotel and Casino were opened.