Las Vegas
History
Paleo Indians roamed the area 10,000 years ago, and later the Anasazi moved into southern Nevada. Their “Lost City” ruins can be found in Overton, northwest of Las Vegas. A scout named Rafael Rivera was the first person of European ancestry to look upon the valley, in 1829, discovering wild grasses and plentiful water. He named it Las Vegas, Spanish for “The Meadows.” Explorer John C. Fremont’s journals about his visit in 1844 lured people to the area. Mormons built a fort in 1855 halfway between Salt Lake City and Los Angeles. The remains of the fort can be seen at the intersection of Las Vegas Boulevard and Washington Avenue. The discovery of minerals and cheap land for farming led to an influx in the late 1880s, and the completion of the main railway, linking Southern California with Salt Lake City, established Las Vegas as a railroad town in the early 1900s. Divorce laws are liberalized in Nevada in 1911, and a “quickie” divorce could be attained after six weeks of residency. These short-term residents stayed at “dude ranches,” the forerunners of the Strip hotels. Beginning in 1931, the construction of Hoover Dam started a population boom. Gambling was legalized in March 1931 by the state legislature. Following World War II, lavishly decorated resort hotels and casinos offering top-name entertainment sprouted, and tourist and entertainment took over as the largest employer.
Why you should go
Where else can you see the Eiffel Tower, the Great Pyramid and the Sphinx (reproductions, of course) in the same location. Bright lights and entertainment make it a world renown tourist destination. In addition to the casinos and gambling, there are golf, history, museums, shopping and great food. In order to expand its customer pool, Las Vegas developed and marketed a variety of family-friendly entertainment. There are opportunities for outdoor activities at Lake Mead, Red Rock Canyon and Valley of Fire State Park, among others.
Main attractions
* The Strip: The Las Vegas Strip is an approximately 4.2-mile stretch of Las Vegas Boulevard South in Clark County. Most of the Strip has been designated an All-American Road. Many of the largest hotel, casino and resort properties in the world are located on it.
* Golf: There are more than 55 golf courses in the area, with original designs by great players and architects such as Jack Nicklaus, Raymond Floyd, Tom Weiskopf and Arnold Palmer. http://www.visitlasvegas.com/vegas/play/golf/index.jsp or http://www.lasvegastourism.com/golf.htm or http://www.lasvegasgolf.com
* Hoover Dam: Named one of the Top 10 Construction Achievements of the 20th Century, Hoover Dam attracts more than 1 million visitors a year. It is located in Black Canyon, minutes outside of the city. Construction began in 1930 on the concrete arch-gravity dam, the largest of its kind at the time. Despite the remote location and harsh working conditions, it was completed in less than five years — two years ahead of schedule and well under budget. http://www.usbr.gov/lc/hooverdam/
* Museums: Las Vegas is home to a variety of museums and art exhibits: Nevada State Museum, Clark County Museum, Children’s Museum, Hoover Dam Museum, the Las Vegas Art Museum, a natural history museum, the Lost City Museum, the Liberace Museum, Barrick Natural History Museum, and the Bellagio Fine Art Museum. http://www.lasvegastourism.com/museums.htm
How to get there
There are plenty of flights from Atlanta to McCarran International Airport.
Helpful websites
* www.visitlasvegas.com
* http://www.lasvegastourism.com/
* www.Vegas.com
* www.lasvegasnevada.gov
* Restaurant guide: http://www.lvrg.com/
