Remembering Las Vegas

By Jeff Burbank

The largest city in the United States to be developed entirely within the twentieth century, Las Vegas has always been a unique place. From its beginnings, when two town sites competed to become the new community rising from the desert, to its modern status as a tourism and entertainment center, Las Vegas has always been a town that took chances and seized opportunities.

With a selection of fine historic images from his best-selling book Historic Photos of Las Vegas, Jeff Burbank provides a valuable and revealing historical retrospective on the growth and development of Las Vegas. Remembering Las Vegas captures this story through still photography selected from the finest collections, a visual record of the city’s history presented in more than a hundred historic photographs.

From a dusty tent city to the glittering lights of the most popular tourist destination in the country, these images tell of railroads and ranchers, the Hoover Dam and the Vegas Strip, mining and gambling, visionaries and star performers. Historic events and everyday life are preserved in vivid black-and-white images to tell the story of one of America’s most exciting cities.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Turner Publishing Company
• Release date: Jun 7, 2010
• ISBN: 9781618583239

Book preview

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Early visitors would never have believed Nevada’s rugged landscape would give birth to a dazzling city of lights, gambling, and entertainment, famous around the world.

Turner Publishing Company

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Remembering Las Vegas

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Copyright © 2010 Turner Publishing Company

All rights reserved.

This book or any part thereof may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher.

Library of Congress Control Number: 2010924309

9781618583239

Printed in the United States of America

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Table of Contents

Title Page

Copyright Page

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

PREFACE

RISE OF A RAILROAD BOOM TOWN - (1904–1910)

BEFORE HOOVER DAM: MOLDING A DESERT COMMUNITY - (1911–1929)

HOOVER DAM, GAMING, AND THE EARLY LAS VEGAS STRIP - (1930–1949)

MODERN LAS VEGAS TAKES SHAPE - (1950–1959)

NOTES ON THE PHOTOGRAPHS

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In the late 1930s to 1940s, the dealer of a roulette game at the Apache bar on Fremont Street pushes stacks of casino chips toward a winning gambler.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

This volume, Remembering Las Vegas, is the result of the cooperation and efforts of many individuals and organizations. It is with great thanks that we acknowledge the valuable contribution of the University of Nevada Las Vegas Libraries, Special Collections, for their generous support.

We would also like to thank Peter Michel, Director, University of Nevada Las Vegas Libraries, Special Collections, for valuable contributions and assistance in making this work possible.

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This project represents countless hours of review and research. The researchers and writer have reviewed thousands of photographs. We greatly appreciate the generous assistance of the archives listed here, without whom this project could not have been completed.

The goal in publishing the work is to provide broader access to a set of extraordinary photographs. The aim is to inspire, provide perspective, and evoke insight that might assist officials and citizens, who together are responsible for determining Las Vegas’ future. In addition, the book seeks to preserve the past with respect and reverence.

With the exception of touching up imperfections that have accrued with the passage of time and cropping where necessary, no changes have been made. The focus and clarity of many images are limited to the technology and the ability of the photographer at the time they were recorded.

We encourage readers to reflect as they explore Las Vegas and stroll along its streets. It is the publisher’s hope that in making use of this work, longtime residents will learn something new and that new residents will gain a perspective on where Las Vegas has been, so that each can contribute to its future.

—Todd