Your observation is correct and it's a shame that so much Las Vegas architecture and other history was demolished in the interests of progress, only for it to be comprehended after the fact that the city's original heyday coincided with an iconic phase of American cultural history and aesthetics that is treasured now by many, but was considered old fashioned at the time.
Ironically, a number of classic Las Vegas institutions survived the the modernization juggernaut, only to succumb to the economic nosedive that sent new and old under, without discretion. And when the likes of Fellini's, or the Tillerman, or Coach & Horses finally closes its doors, it's not just the loss of the restaurant/bar that we mourn, but it means there's one less "time-capsule" to step into, knowing that once inside you'll be rubbing shoulders with old-timers ready to regale you with their tales of Sinatra and showgirls, shysters and shills.
Still, better late than never some sense of preservation descended on the city, so let's all be thankful that Las Vegas finally woke up before someone traded in the "Welcome" sign for a "nice new one"!
We've written before about old-school restaurants and bars, of which there are several remaining that still have the ability to transport you: Golden Steer, Piero's, Peppermill, Tap House, and Casa di Amore, to name a few. We haven't been to The Atomic -- our oldest bar, with the first liquor license in town -- since it reopened, but we gather that the new owners have done little to alter this museum piece and are eager to give it a new lease on life that preserves the best of its past. It's a shame that White Cross Drugs has closed, but at least Tiffany's Cafe survives, while there are still folks trying to save the Huntridge Theater. We wish them luck and fruitful fundraising.
We're so happy that La Concha was rescued from its perilous existence on the Strip and salvaged for a new life as the Visitor Center at the Neon Museum. We haven't made it down there yet, but can't wait to visit -- it's cool that they've retained the old rough-and-ready "Boneyard" presentation, and not attempted to sanitize or "order" the exhibits and their display. They've recently added a "Night Tour" option, which we really want to check out, where you can view the signs illuminated to full effect (most don't work themselves). If you don't know, there's also what's called a "walking tour" (that's stretching it, at only a few blocks, but hey) downtown, where you can catch some original signage restored to working order, including one of the lamps from the Aladdin, plus there's the "neon corridor" or Urban Gallery of additional restored signage, including representatives from Binion's Horseshoe and the Silver Slipper, that light up the National Scenic Byway from Sahara to Washington (take in a little more history on your way to the historic Palomino all-nude gentlemen's club!)
The Mob Museum was forever in the making, but from the lines to get in to the national accolades it's garnered, this seems to be something that Vegas really did right, and we've yet to hear a bad review of the place. The "rival" exhibit at Tropicana got off to a very shaky start, and we couldn't help but scratch our heads at this city's apparent intent on doing everything at least twice, be it a mob exhibit, an observation wheel, or a water park. Still, under new ownership, the Mob Attraction has reinvented itself as a much more interactive experience, accompanied by plenty of authentic memorabilia and as much of a history lesson as you choose to read, and we had a good time there when we checked it out.
We had no idea of what to expect from the Atomic Testing Museum when it opened, but have to admit we were braced for a dry history lesson. Au contraire! We spent two and a half fun and informative hours there, learning about a whole different side of Las Vegas' history, with the chance to experience something of what it was like to be a high roller taken out to view one of the detonations in the desert that a naive Las Vegas used to market as a tourist attraction. The museum frequently hosts guest speakers, too, so check out their event calendar to see if there's anything interesting going on while you're in town.
Of course, there are the two bus night tours, for those interested in Haunted Vegas or, for anyone who hasn't already had their fill, there's the Vegas Mob Tour (now affiliated with the Mob Attraction at the Trop, so you can kill two birds with one stone). Look out for the inaugural MobCon convention, too, coming up this September 7-8 at Palace Station and co-hosted by Frank Cullotta (only in Vegas...)
There are numerous fans of Vegas history out there, so check out some of the websites like Uncle Jack's VeryVintageVegas.com, where you'll not only find lots of articles, but also info about events, like open-house days at historic Las Vegas homes. KNPR, our local NPR station (88.9 FM) has a history feature that broadcasts regularly but randomly as part of the "Morning Edition" show. Called Nevada Yesterdays, it's excerpts from the collection of essays written by historian Frank Wright that immortalize the real history of Las Vegas, plus folklore and history from Professor Michael Green of CSN, narrated by former Senator Richard Bryan. You can listen to past shows in the archive at KNPR.org.
As far as UNLV goes, we recommend you to the Special Collections website, where you'll find all kinds of information about written and digital resources, past and upcoming exhibits and events, and all kinds of other resources of use to the amateur Vegas historian.
For those of you out there similarly hungry for Las Vegas history, but who may not be aware of all the offerings produced by our publishing wing, Huntington Press, check out the "History" section (under "Other Vegas") at ShopLVA.com
