How (six flags theme parks) the Desert Became Las Vegas
By Roberto Garabell
It is said by some that Rafael Rivera was the first to discover the region around what we now call Las Vegas. Some years after Rivera’s discovery, the famed explorer John C. Fremont headed west and camped out at Las Vegas Springs on in May of 1844. The settlers that traveled with Fremont helped him to construct the very first building ever completed in Las Vegas Valley. His name is still well known in Las Vegas as it appears on hotels, and there is a street named after him, as well, where many popular casinos are located.
In 1890, railroad developers discovered that the water-rich Vegas Valley was the perfect location for a town and a stopover facility. In the summer of 1904, the very first railroad grade into the town began development. There were also saloons, boarding houses and stores being erected at that time. The railroad also led to the founding of Las Vegas as a city on May 15, 1905. Senator Williams Andrew Clark auctioned off 1,200 lots in one day, which today is known as casino-lined Glitter Gulch.
Gambling comes to town
On October 1, 1910 a very strict anti-gambling law was passed in Nevada that stated that it was illegal even to flip a coin for a shot of whiskey. The law was only enforced for three weeks and was then quickly overturned. In 1931, the Nevada legislature approved legalized gambling, with legislators explaining they needed to raise funds for public schools in the area. Today, many millions of gambling dollars are funneled into the public education system.
There was a small building boom in the late 1940s, which included the construction of several hotels and casinos, in the area known today as the Las Vegas Strip. Some of the earliest hotels that were built, including the Frontier and the Thunderbird, are still standing today but have been refurbished and renamed. One of the most celebrated resorts of the area was the Flamingo Hotel, which was built by the famous mobster Benjamin “Bugsy” Siegel, who was “middle management” in the Meyer Lansky gang. The Flamingo opened on New Year’s Eve 1946 and was a hit from the start. Six months after the grand opening, Siegel was gunned down by an unknown assailant while visiting the home of his girlfriend, Virginia Hill. Today, his legacy is the Flamingo Hotel, which still lives on.
Resorts and growth
Resort building continued to flourish in Vegas in the 1950s and, in 1955, the Riviera Hotel became the very first strip high-rise (nine floors). Other resorts were also opening their doors, including the Dunes, Royal Nevada, the Tropicana and the Stardust. In another part of Vegas, the Moulin Rouge Hotel-Casino opened its doors also. The Moulin Rouge had its ups and downs, with its doors closing and reopening several times over the years. However, in 1992, it was declared a national historic site and plans for its revival began.
During the late 50s and 60s, lounges and casinos provided neverending entertainment from dusk until dawn. The lounges were a major venue for world-class entertainment and attracted millions of tourists to the city. Big names in the entertainment industry like Don Rickles, Buddy Hackett and Louis Prima were only a few of the acts that were seen on the Vegas Strip at that time - and Elvis and Sinatra virtually owned the place, along with the timeless Liberace. By the late 60s, slot machines had become an acceptable form of gambling for the “average citizen,” drawing huge crowds with rolls of coins. Penny and nickel machines that only took one coin at a time eventually evolved into computerized dollar and multi-coin contraptions. In the 70s video machines were also introduced and offered poker, keno, bingo, craps and blackjack to tireless players.
Las Vegas has become a booming metropolis of hotels, casinos, clubs, resorts and more. From its humble beginnings as a desolate, sandy and dry piece of land it has become one of the most popular cities in the United States, and has been one of the fastest-growing areas in the nation for over 15 years. New businesses are started there at almost four times the rate of Los Angeles, and many Californians, businesspeople and otherwise, are making the move to Las Vegas. It has long been known worldwide as one of the most entertaining and fun cities to visit, but it is now becoming famous for its entrepreneurial spirit and growth. As it continues to grow and develop from its dusty past, there is no telling how far the city will go, but in Vegas - with a lot more going on than just chorus girls and gambling - the possibilities are endless.
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Your Source For The Top Amusement Theme Parks Around The World
Aleph Institute AUCTION to benefit Jewish Soldiers w/ the Jewish Adventure Club
By Dalessio Dalacio
Please join the Jewish Adventure Club to go to the ALEPH Institute’s Auction benefiting the Jewish Military of the United States.
What is The Aleph Auction?
The Aleph Auction is really not an auction but simply a raffle with many prizes. You purchase tickets of various amounts, from $10 to $100 for different prize calibers. The better the prize, the more the ticket costs. There is no bidding involved nor are any prizes sold for the ticket cost. Your purchased ticket will go into a lottery box and be hand-picked on the night of the auction in front of a large crowd on the evening of February 15, 2010. Prizes range from value of $50.00 to $20,000.00 and includes amazing trips, jewelry and electronics.
Hundreds of people will be attending this “Chinese Auction” to win the amazing prizes.
Please join the Jewish Adventure Club (we’ll be the ones wearing name tages saying MEETUP outside the auction) at 7:00 pm on Monday, February 15, 2010!
About Aleph
The Aleph Institute is a not-for-profit, publicly-supported charitable institution under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. Over the past eighteen years, Aleph has grown to become a leading agency serving needy families and individuals of all backgrounds. Aleph improves people’s lives by creating and implementing a host of programs incorporating social and therapeutic counseling and education. Aleph also helps adults and children with support groups and financial aid. We make your community a better and safer place to live. America’s most significant officials recognize The Aleph Institute’s educational and humanitarian accomplishments and have accorded it a unique level of confidence and responsibility. The Aleph Institute sent over one thousand five hundred Pesach packages to Jewish men and women serving in the U.S. military around the world, and their families. We have been approached by countless individuals and organizations with requests to help them find a way to show their appreciation for the sacrifices of our own brave men and women who put their lives on the line in order to defend our essential freedoms. The Aleph Institute also shipped thousands of pounds of matzo, Special hand made Shmurah Matzo, grape juice, gefilte fish, macaroons, Seder Plates, Haggadahs and other Passover items to over 1,300 service personnel around the world. All packages are shipped free of charge to any address where Jewish men or women are stationed and families are located. .
For More Information About Aleph and its Programs, Please Visit their Homepage at: http://www.aleph-inst….
Click here for information on Aleph
Where: The Shul, 9540 Collins Avenue, Surfside, FL 33154 www.aleph-institute.org Telephone (305) 864-5553.
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