Old Las Vegas

Las Vegas used to be a dry piece of land out in the desert. It wasn’t until 1941, that the first hotel was built with 63 rooms. What a far cry from the 1,000 + rooms now available at the Excalibur Las Vegas!

Previously inhabited by Native Americans, Mormon Settlers from Salt Lake City traveled there to protect the mail route between Los Angeles and Salt Lake City. They build a 150 square foot fort out of adobe. They also planted fruit trees, grew vegetables and mined for lead. The Fort was eventually abandoned in 1858 due to Indian raids. Part of the fort still stands today.

In 1890, the railroads decided Las Vegas would be a good place for a stop. In 1910, Nevada actually outlawed gambling in the State. This ban lasted for three weeks in Las Vegas where gambling went “underground.” In 1931, a bill was passed to legalize gambling. During the depression, Las Vegas was booming. Employment by the railroads and the Hoover Dam project and legal gambling kept food on people’s table.

During World War II, Las Vegas became more of a resort town. After the war, airmen from the nearby Air Force Base, came to settle in Las Vegas permanently.

After the building of the first hotel in 1941 (El Rancho Vegas), the strip started to take shape. And they have been building there ever since.