| |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
In the 1950’s, everything came together for Las
Vegas; it truly was ‘The Good Old Days’. The Strip
was born in the 1940’s, but it learned to walk in
the 50’s. Las Vegas experienced a growth spurt,
similar to San Francisco in the 1849 gold rush
days. The southwest was always a sunny spot for
shady people, but in just 10 years, it was becoming
a major force in the country. Las Vegas added 10
hotels and casinos to the Strip in the decade of the
1950’s. It would be 40 years later, in the 1990’s,
before this building pace would ever be repeated. |
| |
|
|
|
 |
|
Many returning GI’s learned dice, poker, and other
games during World War II and Nevada was the only
place in the country you could legally gamble.
Unlike Reno, with it’s cowboy style, Las Vegas had
the nightclub style, along
with all the big stars that entertained GI’s. As
Dinah Shore sang “See the USA in your Chevrolet,”
the automobile became Americans favorite way to see
the country. By 1956, this kicked into high gear,
President Eisenhower proposed and began building the
Interstate Highway System. Now, we would have fast,
four lanes, and a non-stop way to cross the county,
to Las Vegas. |
|
|
|
|
By the 50’s, airline travel became fast,
comfortable, safe and cheap, and here too World War
II played a big part with many advances in large
airplane design.
Air travel would play a major role in the growth of
Las Vegas, and it would start with a
relation
of Davy Crockett, who
died in 1836 at the Battle of the Alamo.
On the South side of McCarren International Airport
there is a street named for Davy’s
family member;
George Crockett Road. George Crockett built Alamo
airfield in 1942; Clark County bought it in 1948 for
the future growth of Las Vegas. The county renamed
Alamo |
 |
|
for Nevada’s long time US Senator, Pat McCarran.
For over 20 years, the entrance was on the very
south end of the Strip, after many expansions, by
1963, McCarran airport had outgrown the Strip
location, and the county built a new larger terminal
off Paradise Boulevard. |
| |
|
 |
|
NO PEANUTS HERE
On the Boeing 377 you could
enjoy a Buffet on the lower level, or be
served a Fine meal on china with silverware |
|
 |
| |
|
|
|
 |
|
America was the Place, 1950’s the
Time, and Eisenhower was the Man.
In the 1950’s, America had all the
money; most of the world was broke
and spending their money to re-build
from the war Except for Hawaii our
country was untouched by the war.
We had all the brains, the best and
the brightest Americas were finished
with the war, and the smartest
people from all over the world came
to America. |
| |
|
|
|
We had the Baby Boom, more people,
needed more things, more things to
do, and more and more. The 50’s
started the Space Age, Jet Age,
Computer Age, Shopping Malls, Suburbs, Fast Food,
Color Television, Rock & Roll and Playboy.
We had all the land; much of America
was still un-populated virgin land.
Returning Veterans could buy a new
home for $8,000 and with the GI
Bill, No Money Down’. |
|
 |
| |
|
|
| |
 |
Eisenhower was an old man by the
time he became President, but
perfect for the era; Ike had seen
and done it all. He quickly ended
the Korean War and let the good
times roll. With a very light touch,
the people with all the money and
brains in the country took over. In
10 short years, America was not the
same place. No longer, the sleepy
America portrayed in the movie
Summer of 42. The population of Las
Vegas and Clark County tripled in 10
years and by the end of the decade
Las Vegas was not just walking, it
was running |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
The Strip Hotels and Casinos of the 1950’s |
|
| |
| |
|
|
Then |
Now |
|
1. April 1950 |
The Desert Inn |
April 2005 |
Wynn Resort
|
|
2. September 1950
|
The Silver Slipper |
November 1988 |
Frontier Parking Lot |
|
3. October 1952 |
The Sahara |
Still The Sahara |
|
|
4. December 1952 |
The Sands |
May 1999 |
The Venetian |
|
5. April 1955 |
The Royal Nevada |
January 1960 |
Merged into Stardust |
|
6. April 1955 |
The Riviera |
Still The Riviera |
|
|
7. May 1955 |
The Dunes |
October 1998 |
The Bellagio |
|
8. June 1956 |
The Hacienda |
March 1999 |
Mandalay Bay |
|
9. April 1957 |
The Tropicana |
Still The Tropicana
|
|
|
10. July 1958 |
The Stardust |
Closed Nov 2006 |
To
be Echelon Place |
|
|
|
|
|
More to come! |
|
|
|
|
|
|
