History Attractions in Las Vegas
Las Vegas is a city with a short history, but it's a colorful history. Once a dusty outpost known for its springs, Las Vegas was catapulted into modern times with a combination of railroad, legalized gambling, and the construction of a huge dam. Las Vegas history is full of memorable characters and harsh conditions, and several places around the valley have been preserved to keep that history alive.
Hoover Dam was fully completed in 1936. It created much-needed jobs in the middle of the Great Recession, demonstrated the engineering know-how of a generation, and controlled the flow of a river that had defied control for decades. The exterior of the dam is Art Deco, and the interior of the dam is a feat of modern building expertise. Not far from Hoover Dam, the Nevada State Railroad Museum still offers rides along a portion of the tracks that were put down in 1931 while the dam was under construction.
The Springs Preserve is on the site that gave Las Vegas its name (Las Vegas means "the meadows" in Spanish), and a museum is only one of the attractions at the Springs. In the desert, water sources draw people and animals, and the Springs is no exception. The Old Mormon Fort, just a few miles east of the Springs, is the site of the original Mormon pioneer settlement. The preserved ranch house holds what's left of the oldest non-native structure in Nevada.
Modern history can be found just a couple of blocks from the Fort. The Neon Museum & Boneyard is the resting place for the signs of the Old Vegas. The museum is working towards opening a visitor's center, but until then, tours are by appointment only.
Hoover Dam was fully completed in 1936. It created much-needed jobs in the middle of the Great Recession, demonstrated the engineering know-how of a generation, and controlled the flow of a river that had defied control for decades. The exterior of the dam is Art Deco, and the interior of the dam is a feat of modern building expertise. Not far from Hoover Dam, the Nevada State Railroad Museum still offers rides along a portion of the tracks that were put down in 1931 while the dam was under construction.
The Springs Preserve is on the site that gave Las Vegas its name (Las Vegas means "the meadows" in Spanish), and a museum is only one of the attractions at the Springs. In the desert, water sources draw people and animals, and the Springs is no exception. The Old Mormon Fort, just a few miles east of the Springs, is the site of the original Mormon pioneer settlement. The preserved ranch house holds what's left of the oldest non-native structure in Nevada.
Modern history can be found just a couple of blocks from the Fort. The Neon Museum & Boneyard is the resting place for the signs of the Old Vegas. The museum is working towards opening a visitor's center, but until then, tours are by appointment only.
Old Las Vegas Mormon Fort State Historic Park
500 E Washington Ave
Las Vegas' original Mormon settlement...
Clark County Museum
1830 S. Boulder Hwy
Henderson
A museum with a street of authentic Old Vegas homes...
Floyd Lamb Park
9200 Tule Springs Road
Originally known as Tule Springs. Historic site with ponds, fishing, and picnicking...
The Atomic Testing Museum
755 E. Flamingo Rd
The history of the atomic bomb and the Nevada Test Site...
Corn Creek
Highway 95, about 23 miles north of Las Vegas
Trails and ponds at the entrance to the Desert National Wildlife Refuge...
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