Long before the dazzling mega-resorts and Celine Dion residency we know Vegas for, this was simply a dusty railway stop in the Mojave Desert. But the first 50 years of the 20th century brought big changes to these streets (one of which was the building of actual streets...). The legalisation of gambling and good ol' frontier spirit established Las Vegas as a pretty unique corner of the country from early on. Construction of the Hoover Dam fuelled even more major change from 1931 onwards. These 45 images capture that incredible evolution, from rugged pioneer life to the birth of the fabulous city we know today. Viva, Las Vegas!
#1 Guy Mcafee Breaks Ground On The 91 Club In Las Vegas, Nevada, 1939
Report
9points
#2 Celebrities Pier Angeli, Red Skelton, Vic Damone, Herb Shriner, Milton Berle, Spike Jones, And Gale Storm Are Photographed On Fremont Street In Las Vegas, Nevada, 1953
9points
#5 Photograph Of People Outside Of The First State Bank Of Las Vegas, Nevada, 1905
8points
#6 Construction Sheds And Mountains Are Landscape Features At The Present Time At Basic Magnesium's Thousand-Unit Housing Development Near Las Vegas, Nevada, 1943
Report
8points
#9 Las Vegas Trading Company Store, Las Vegas, Nevada, Circa 1905
8points
#12 James Down Sales And Service, Las Vegas, Nevada, Circa 1915-1930
8points
#13 Dog Sitting On A Donkey, Las Vegas, Nevada, Circa 1920-1930s
8points
Little did people know that the dusty, quiet town they knew was about to change forever. The massive Hoover Dam project in the 1930s brought thousands of workers to the desert, and they needed entertainment. This pivotal moment, combined with Nevada's legalization of gambling in 1931, set the stage for the neon-lit Fremont Street and the city's first real casinos.
#18 First State Bank Of Las Vegas, Las Vegas, Nevada, Circa 1905-1920
7points
#19 Teacher And Students In Las Vegas, Nevada, Circa 1905-1906
7points
#20 Front Exterior Of The Arizona Club, Las Vegas, Nevada, Circa 1905
7points