History: In the early 1700s Spanish traders en route to Los Angeles along the Spanish Trail sought to find a shortcut to their destination and came across the unexplored Las Vegas Valley. The Spaniards often refer their secret route as the “journada de muerte” r journey of death. Rafael Rivera, a young scout and the first man of European ancestry to look upon the valley, discovered abundant wild grasses and plentiful water supply to aid the troopers along their way. Spanish for “meadows”, the valley was named Las Vegas.

Las Vegas was referred to as a railway town after the completion of the main railway in the late 1800s, linking Southern California with Salt Lake City. Eventually, the town became a convenient rest stop for truckers and travelers with such an abundant availability for water. For the next twenty five years, the Las Vegas railroad would be the principal industry in the valley. Slowly but surely, Las Vegas would start on a now journey into the city of sin. On March 19th 1911, gambling became legalized in the State of Nevada and one month later, the city issued six gambling licenses.

During the 1960s a phenomenon began, lead by Howard Hughes, where hundreds of corporations began to buy and build hotel and casino properties. With hordes of capital and the promise of profit, entrance into the casino industry became extremely attractive. Soon enough, gambling became “gaming” and Las Vegas was reborn. The city of Las Vegas celebrated its 100th birthday on May 15, 2005, commemorating the1905 auction in which 100 acres of downtown Las Vegas laid the foundation for the city we know today. Viva Las Vegas!

Facts:

The first hotel and casino to open in Las Vegas was the Golden Gate Hotel and Casino in 1906.

The Hoover Dam was completed in 1935. It took a total of 21,000 men and five years to complete the structure.

In 1957, topless showgirls debuted on the Las Vegas Strip in “Minsky’s Follies” at the Dunes.

The famous “Welcome to Las Vegas” sign was created in 1959 by Betty Willis.

More than 5,000 people move into the Las Vegas valley on a monthly basis.

The famous Las Vegas strip is for the most part, not within the city limits of Las Vegas. The majority of the strip is located within Clark County.

The Stratosphere Hotel and Tower, at more than 1,100 feet, is the tallest building west of the Mississippi and the fifth tallest building in the United States.

A marriage license costs $55 in Nevada. Many couples choose to marry in Nevada because there is no blood test or waiting period.

Some 450,000 people live in Las Vegas, whilst on average almost 40 million people visit each year.