History

Vintage photo of the Las Vegas Convention Center with a domed roof, palm trees, and classic cars from the 1950s and 1960s parked and driving in front of the building on a sunny day. Las Vegas Convention Center first convention: The World Congress of Flight
April 12, 2021 | Category: History, Places | Tags:
Las Vegas Convention Center hosting the The World Congress of Flight convention

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 […]

A man in a cowboy hat and embroidered shirt sits on a horse, while two women in summer dresses stand beside the horse, smiling at the camera. It is a sunny day with trees and cars in the background. Joe Louis
April 12, 2021 | Category: Casinos, History, People, Places | Tags:
Joe Louis in front of the Moulin Rouge Hotel and Casino before the Helldorado parade in 1955

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 […]

A museum exhibit displays large marine reptile fossils mounted on a wall and in glass cases, with descriptive panels and skeletons of other prehistoric animals nearby. Margaret Wheat
April 7, 2021 | Category: exhibits, History, Native Americans, People | Tags:
Margaret Wheat

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 […]

Workers pour and smooth concrete on large angled sections of a dam under construction, with metal rebar grids and construction vehicles visible in the background near a rocky cliff. The Cofferdam Construction on Hoover Dam
April 6, 2021 | Category: History, Places | Tags:
Construction of the upper coffer dam – pouring concrete onto the dam face.

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 […]

A model displays various rocks placed on sections painted in different earth tones, with a blue wavy pattern resembling water at the top edge and a painted sky with clouds in the background. Updating Our Geologic Story in the Galleries
April 4, 2021 | Category: exhibits, family, History, Places | Tags:

The museum would like to say thank you to local experts who participated in updating our Geologic Story exhibit in the permanent gallery.

Pamela Prim with part of the new geological story exhibit

Reaching out to experts within our community provides opportunities for long lasting partnerships and benefits the museum in many […]

Black and white illustration of the New Frontier Hotel with a tall tower and bold text reading “OUT OF THIS WORLD! NEW FRONTIER HOTEL.” A few small figures walk near the entrance. New Frontier Hotel and Casino
April 4, 2021 | Category: Casinos, History, Places | Tags:
Postcard of the outside the New Frontier

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 […]

Vintage postcard illustration of the Hotel El Rancho Vegas shows a cowboy with a guitar and a cowgirl by a wooden fence, with the hotel and a windmill in the background. Text advertises the hotel’s Round-Up Room. El Rancho Vegas
April 3, 2021 | Category: Casinos, History, People, Places | Tags:
El Rancho Vegas with signage for the Round-Up Room

On April 3rd 1941, the El Rancho Vegas opened on Highway 91, (opposite today’s Sahara Hotel and Casino) on what was to become the Las Vegas Strip; the first large successful hotel and casino operation outside of downtown Las Vegas.

The El Rancho […]

A woman with short dark hair wearing a pink blazer and a necklace stands in front of a blurred blue background, looking confidently at the camera. Polly Gonzalez
March 28, 2021 | Category: History, People | Tags:
Portrait of Polly Gonzalez when she was news anchor at KLAS Channel.

Polly Gonzalez was the first Latina evening news anchor in Nevada.  she died March 28th 2005 in a car crash on the way to look at the desert wildflowers of Death Valley. Her two young daughters survived the accident.

Born […]

A bronze statue of a woman in traditional Native American attire holding a rolled paper in one hand and reaching out with a bird perched on her other hand, standing indoors against a light stone wall. Sarah Winnemucca
March 25, 2021 | Category: exhibits, History, Native Americans, People | Tags:
Bronze statue of Sarah Winnemucca in the U.S. Capitol in Washington D.C.

Sarah Winnemucca was born around 1844 in what is now Nevada, to Chief Winnemucca of the Paiutes. Her grandfather was Chief Truckee, leader of the Paiute nation, and he influenced her early upbringing and education. By the time she […]

A woman in a polka dot dress stands smiling in front of a tiled wall with raised letters reading Lily Fong Geoscience Building. Lilly Fong
March 8, 2021 | Category: education, exhibits, general, History, People | Tags:
Photo of Lilly Fong in 1985 standing outside the UNLV Geoscience Building named in her honor.

Lilly Fong (1925-2002) nee Hing, was a champion for education throughout her lifetime. Lilly’s deep-rooted belief in education stemmed from her childhood, instilled by her parents.  Her father was known to quote the teachings of Confucius as he agreed that ‘education was the equalizer of […]

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