History And Geography

History

The Las Vegas Valley was home to the Native Americans for several years. Spanish explorers discovered the valley in 1829 and were amazed by the area's natural springs and meadows. Owing to its beauty, the Spaniards named the valley Las Vegas meaning ‘The Meadows'. The Mormon missionaries established the first modernistic settlement in 1855, but the project was discarded in 1858. This original mission, presently called the Old Las Vegas Mormon Fort, became a refuge for desert-worn travelers and trailblazers lured by the region's gold and silver.

The year 1865 saw several settlements in the area. In the same year, entrepreneur Octavius D. Gass, established a ranch on what is now downtown Las Vegas. Gass forfeited the ranch to Archibald Stewart, whose wife, Helen, later sold the ranch to Montana U.S. Senator William Clark.

Historians have credited Senator William Clark as the one who gave Las Vegas its start when he used the land to complete the railroad link between Los Angeles and Salt Lake City. With the upcoming of the Union Pacific Railroad in 1905 and the sale of land parcels owned by the railroad, Las Vegas was on its way to becoming a typical frontier town.

Las Vegas was officially instated as a city in 1911 by an act of the Nevada legislature. In the same year, the Las Vegas Chamber of Commerce was established in the city. Las Vegas remained fairly stable during the Great Depression. Jobs and money were abundant as a result of the increased railroad development, legal gambling and the construction of Hoover Dam. Ironically, the dam also fuelled the start of the tourism industry as several visitors journeyed to the city to watch the dam being built.

The Nevada Legislature legally recognized casino gambling as a means of raising tax revenue in 1931. El Rancho Vegas was the first resort to open on what was to become the world-renowned Las Vegas Strip.

The current gambling industry began to take shape after World War II. One of the most distinguished of the early resorts was the Flamingo Hotel, set up by Benjamin "Bugsy" Seigel that opened for business on New Years eve in 1946. In 1955, the Riviera became the first building on the Strip to dominate the skyline with nine stories. The urge to build larger and more lavish properties grew and in no time, the hotels and casinos on the Strip began to rival those in the downtown. Growth progressed at a steady rate through the 1970s with a brief recession during the early 1980s. When the economic conditions recovered in the late 1980s, Las Vegas began to attract several tourists from all over the world.

The grand opening of the Mirage Resort in 1989 on the Strip spurred the growth of several resort properties through the early 1990s. By 1996, seven new themed resorts were established and by the end of the millennium four more were started.

Geography

Las Vegas is situated in the center of the Las Vegas Valley, a desert region that stretches over 600 square miles. Las Vegas is enclosed by the Sierra Nevada Mountains and the Spring Mountains. The mountains around Las Vegas soar to an average elevation of over 10,000 feet.

The city lies at an elevation of approximately 2,180 feet above sea level and covers an area of 113 square miles. Las Vegas is located at the geographical coordinates of 35°35'49?N, 105°13'21?W.