Monte Carlo

Las Vegas City History - 1932 - Nevada politician Patrick McCarren (the airport is named after him) is elected to the U.S. Senate. An eventual chairman of the Judiciary Committee, McCarran would become the one of the most powerful politicians in Nevada's history.

Coca Cola World

Next to M & M's world is Coca Cola world. 4 levels of things to do with Coca Cola. You can climb the stairs that are in the giant coke bottle.

Las Vegas City History - 1931 - The Nevada Legislature repeals the act banning gambling. Although gambling has flourished underground, it has officially been illegal for years.

A place to eat

On the left is M & M's world. 4 levels of items to do with the small chocolate sweet.

Las Vegas City History - 1930 -

The Union Pacific Railroad connects its Las Vegas tracks with Boulder City.

Bright Lights

The giant screens at some of the entrances, provide constant information about what's going on at the casino.

Las Vegas City History - 1929 -

The Las Vegas Review-Journal becomes a daily newspaper, reflecting the city's growth -- and the awareness of the potential for additional growth.

September 7: Work begins on the Boulder Dam. Settlers move to Las Vegas in hopes of working on the project, which is only 30 miles away. Between the fall of 1930 and the spring of 1931, more than 42,000 unemployed workers come to Las Vegas in hopes of landing one of the 5,000 jobs available during the Great Depression. Las Vegas markets itself as "The Gateway to the Boulder Dam."

New York New York

This is the replica New York Skyline at night.

Las Vegas City History -

December 21: The Boulder Canyon Project Act passes in the House and Senate, placing the nation behind the construction of a dam on the Colorado River.

Run by Ernie Cragin and William Pike, the El Portal Theatre opens on Fremont Street, just in time for the spread of "talkies" that began replacing silent pictures. The first film it shows is a prerelease of Ladies and the Mob, starring one of the biggest movie stars of the 1920s, Clara Bow.

Inside the pyramid

The Luxor hotel is a giant pyramid and inside are statues of egyptian figures.

On top of the pyramid is a powerfull beam of light. It is so powerful that it created a hazard for aircraft. This being Las Vegas, instead of turning the light off, they changed the path of the runway.

Las Vegas City History - 1927 -Maude Frazier becomes the superintendent of the Las Vegas Union School District and opens a new Las Vegas High School in 1929, reflecting the city's growth. Frazier goes on to lead a fight to create a university in southern Nevada, to create the Clark County School District, and to pass a civil rights bill.

Mandalay Bay

This building is so bright from the reflected sun, it left spots on my photo.

There is a wave pool for the residents out back.

Las Vegas City History - 1926, May 23 - Daily passenger air service begins in Las Vegas, adding the use of airmail service by Western Express. Las Vegas is the only intermediate stop on the new commercial airway, which places it importantly and definitely on the air map of the country.

During a decade of nationwide Republican ascendancy, Clark County distances itself from the rest of the state and supports Democratic candidates for statewide offices.

Hmmm...

Some nude sculptures at Mandalay Bay.

Las Vegas City History - 1925 - The Las Vegas City Commission votes to pave Fremont Street from Main to Fifth and then provide an additional $6,000 to match federal funding to pave Fremont to the city limits at San Francisco Street, now Sahara Avenue.

They really go to extra effort to get your wine

This is the resturant Aureole.

It was modeled after Charlie Palmer's famous New York eatery. Featuring a four-story wine tower where they use cables to retrieve your bottle of wine.

Las Vegas City History - 1923 - Edward Taylor announces plans for Las Vegas' first "high-class resort," called Twin Lakes. It would include boating, fishing, an outdoor swimming pool and a dance hall.

The Excalibur

At the Excalibur, for those who want to indulge in the fantasy feeling of the castle, the Tournament of kings is for you. A show with knights and maidens and plenty of horse riding action.

For the ladies who want to indulge in fantasy, then see Thunder from Down Under where Australia's hottest hunks shed their armour.

This is one of the casino's that has a long one way flat escalator. Gets you in quick.

Can you spot the magician?

Las Vegas City History - 1922 - Initiated by Herbert Hoover, the Colorado River Compact is signed by seven western states to equally divide the water of the Colorado River. Later in the year, the first of the Swing-Johnson bills to authorize a high dam and canal is introduced in Congress.
E.W. Griffith is the first Las Vegan to run for major office in a Nevada general election.

Tropicana

The Tropicana is one of the older casinos.

They have a show with trapese artists flying over the slot machines.

Las Vegas City History - 1919 - The 18th Amendment, Prohibition, is ratified. All consumption, manufacturing and selling of liquor is banned. Soon after, Congress passes the Volstead Act penalizing those who violate Prohibition.

New York New York

New York New York's innovative facades re-create the classic Manhattan skyline, complete with 12 New York-style skyscrapers that house 2,024 guest rooms. These interconnected structures are approximately one-third the actual size of the New York City architecture.

The tallest building replicates the Empire State Building at 529 feet, 47 stories. Other icons include a 150-foot replica of the Statue of Liberty; a Coney Island-style roller coaster called Manhattan Express, a 300-foot long replica of the Brooklyn Bridge; and a replica of the Soldiers and Sailors Monument.

Las Vegas City History - 1918 - November 11: World War I ends. The need for Nevada's metals dramatically decreases. Businesses in Las Vegas go bankrupt. Las Vegas, now mostly a railroad maintenance stop, employs about 400-800 people. There is little to draw visitors to the area.

MGM Grand

Back now in Las Vegas. This is the symbol of MGM in all its glory. This statue of the MGM Lion is huge. Just look at the size of the cars compaired to it.

It is located at the corner of the MGM Grand hotel and Casino. MGM Grand is famous for its boxing matches and Lion Habitat and is the starting point of the new monorail. Performing at the MGM Grand next month include Pearl Jam, David Copperfield, Mariah Carey, and later Tom Jones.

Las Vegas City History - 1917 - U.S. enters World War I. Las Vegas becomes a busy depot as Nevada's plentiful metals pass through en route to aid the Allied effort in the war.

Coming in for a landing

What I like about this photo is you get to see the gardens of all the houses, front and back.

Also all the different shape pools and houses and can you spot the house with the little circles on the roof. I presume these are solar cells.

If anyone is looking for peace, I think it can be found from the sky. Whatever is going on in this neighbourhood you would be blissfully unaware of. From up here it just looks like little model homes.

Las Vegas City history - 1911, March 16 - Las Vegas officially becomes a city.

Coming back home

As we return to the airport we originated from, we pass over Nellis Air Force Base. If you click on the picture, you can see the planes lined up. Getting to see this was one of the highlights of my trip.

Las Vegas City History - 1909 - The State of Nevada bans gambling. Illegal gambling continues, and is generally accepted, until gambling becomes legal again in 1931.

When will this part fall?

Standing on a part of the canyon that is breaking away is a bit unnerving. Notice how close those two are to the edge. This section on the right only extends out a metre or two.

Las Vegas City History - 1907 - The first telephone wires are installed on Fremont Street in Las Vegas in the Hotel Nevada office of Charles "Pop" Squires.

Get a closer look

With no guard rails, you can get close to the edge. One guy even put his legs over the edge and sat down.

Las Vegas City History - 1905 - Senator Clark's railroad is completed, and plans are announced for auctioning off lots on his town site.
May 15: On reduced railroad tickets people travel from Los Angeles and Salt Lake City to buy Las Vegas lots at Senator Clark's auction. Las Vegas is born as Clark sells 600 lots for $265,000.
September 5: The McWilliams Town Site burns to the ground.

Leaving the canyon floor

Flying back through the canyon in the helicopter is a great experience. We now head back up to the top of the canyon to get on the bus to go and have lunch.

Las Vegas City History - 1904 - John T. McWilliams buys 80 acres of land, in what is now West Las Vegas, and sells plots. The McWilliams Town Site becomes home to some 1,500 residents with banks, bakeries, saloons and three weekly newspapers.

Further down

Here you can see in the bottom right-hand corner, the crumbling rock that will eventually fall into the river.

It's amazing that with so much rock, that vegetation is able to grow.

Las Vegas History - 1902 - U.S. Senator William Clark of Montana begins surveying land in hopes that he can connect the transcontinental railroad from Salt Lake City to Los Angeles through Las Vegas, calling it the San Pedro, Los Angeles and Salt Lake Railroad.

A short boat trip

A short boat trip allows you to see a bit more of the canyon.

The operators of the Hoover Dam don't always advise when they are letting a lot of water through. When the people who drive the boats arrive to work, sometimes the boats are up on the land.

Las Vegas History - 1869 - The completion of the transcontinental railroad enables the westward expansion of the country.

Big Canyon

From down in the Canyon, you get a real feel for how high the walls are.

The canyon today isn't really getting any deeper, yet it is getting wider. The cold winter freezes the rock wall and when the summer heat comes, it cracks the rock sending to the canyon floor.

They tell you this before they allow you to go to the edge up top. You will see in a later photo the risks people are taking.

Las Vegas History - 1865, April 9 - The Civil War ends as General Robert E. Lee surrenders the Confederate Army to Union General Ulysses S. Grant.

Desert plants

Down at the base of the Canyon is many examples of desert flora (plants).

Las Vegas History - 1964, October 31: Nevada is admitted to the Union as a state, in part to garner President Abraham Lincoln three more votes in Congress. The capital is Carson City.

The second form of transport

When you leave the plane, you transfer over to a helicopter. You fly low to the ground at the top of the canyon and then at times, the ground disappears from under you.

You then decend to the the canyon floor.

Las Vegas History - 1861, April 12 - The Civil War begins with the battle at Fort Sumter in Charleston, South Carolina.

Landing Approach

The plane approaches the landing strip on the edge of the canyon.

Las Vegas History - 1858 - Mormon settlers abandon their post in Las Vegas due to internal disputes about mining. The ranch eventually falls under the ownership of Mrs. Helen Stewart, and becomes the basis for Senator William Clark's Las Vegas Town Site.

Further in

Now we enter the canyon where you can see the river and the many layers.

Las Vegas History - 1855 - Hoping to secure a location between Salt Lake City and Southern California, Mormon missionaries settle in the area of modern Las Vegas. The settlers build a fort, plant gardens, and keep watch over the mail route.

Start of the canyon

Now we enter the main part of the canyon.

Las Vegas History - 1848, January 24 - James Wilson Marshal finds gold near Sacramento, California. Within one year, 90,000 people move to California in hopes to strike it rich. The country's center moves west, bringing railroads, banks and telegraphs with it.

Changing

Every few minutes, the area below the plane changes.

Las Vegas History - 1844, May 13 - John C. Fremont camps at Las Vegas Springs and makes note of the oasis. His published journal brings more travelers to Las Vegas on their journey west.

A different view

As we fly around Hoover Dam, we get to see it face on.

Las Vegas History - 1829 - Spanish explorers led by Antonio Armijo search for water on the route to Los Angeles. Probably directed by the Paiute or Ute peoples, the party finds springs in the middle of the desert, and name the area Las Vegas, Spanish for "the meadows."

Hoover Dam

If you take a look at the top right of the picture, you will see Hoover Dam.

Hoover Dam is a concrete gravity-arch dam in the Black Canyon of the Colorado River, on the border between the U.S. states of Arizona and Nevada. The dam, located 48 km (30 miles) southeast of Las Vegas, is named after Herbert Hoover, who played an instrumental role in its construction, first as Secretary of Commerce and then later as President of the United States.
Construction began in 1931 and was completed in 1936, over two years ahead of schedule.

The dam is operated by the Bureau of Reclamation of the U.S. Department of the Interior. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1981, Hoover Dam was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1985.

Where did Las Vegas Go?

As you leave the main area of Las Vegas, you get vast areas of nothing (except nature of course).

Over the suburbs

Taking off and flying over the suburbs gives you a very good look at how everything is laid out.