On May 3rd, 1999, the Venetian Hotel and casino opened its doors to the sounds of trumpets and singing gondoliers! The Venetian is located where the Sands Hotel and Casino used to stand. Construction started in 1997 and the final building comprised of 3,036 rooms, was 35 storys high and eventually cost $1.5 billion – making […]
On 30th April 1947, the 80th Congress passed legislation to officially designate the dam, previously known as Boulder Dam, to be “Hoover Dam” in honor of President Herbert Hoover. The name of the dam that spans banks of the Colorado River flowing in between Nevada and Arizona has long been a topic of conversation, for […]
On April 24th 1950, Wilbur Clark’s Desert Inn opened its doors and became the fifth major resort on the Strip. While it had taken a couple of years to complete the construction due to money troubles, the final building was a place of luxury and offered 300 hotel rooms. The resort also provided views of […]
On April 18th 2006, Red Rock Resort in Summerlin opened its doors. Named after the local Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area, it was built at a cost of $925 million. It has a contemporary design involving a desert-themed influence, although there are touches of old style Las Vegas incorporating luxurious chandeliers, the one in […]
On April 12th 1959, the Las Vegas Convention Center hosted its very first convention: The World Congress of Flight, which gave the public the opportunity to see space and aviation progress across the globe. It was accompanied by a flight demonstration at Nellis Air Force Base, which included the Air Force Thunderbirds. “Smiley” Washburn, (image […]
On April 12th 1981, Joe Louis passed away in Las Vegas. Born in Lafayette, Alabama, in 1914, Joe and his family moved away from the discrimination they encountered when he was still young to settle in Detroit. Joe was world heavyweight champion for 12 years, when the average reign was just 3, starting from when […]
Margaret Wheat (1908-1988) was a self-taught geologist and anthropologist with a special interest in ichthyosaurs – the Nevada State fossil. Born to pioneer parents in Fallon, NV., she went on to study at the University of Nevada, Reno. Her field work experiences ranged from U.S. Geological Survey work to protecting important cave sites from vandals. […]
By mid April in 1933 the two cofferdams that kept the waters of the Colorado River at bay during the construction work on Boulder Dam, now Hoover Dam, were complete. Diversion tunnels had been excavated to take the course of the river through the rock face of the canyon, and around the dam site, but […]
The museum would like to say thank you to local experts who participated in updating our Geologic Story exhibit in the permanent gallery. Reaching out to experts within our community provides opportunities for long lasting partnerships and benefits the museum in many ways. Long-time volunteer Pamela Prim, a UNLV graduate in geology and currently a […]
On April 4th 1955 the newly renamed Hotel New Frontier opened its doors after a major refurbishment. Located opposite where the Encore now stands, it had originally opened as the Last Frontier on Highway 91 a year, where once the Pair O’Dice had sat. Its slogan was ‘Out of this World’ with a futuristic-space styled […]
