The Midcentury Las Vegas Stage exhibit opens on Dec. 4th!

November 29, 2014

Please be sure to add this to your to-do list. You don't want to miss this terrific exhibit that looks at why Las Vegas became the Entertainment Capital of the World!

I was asked to write the text for this terrific exhibit that opens on Thursday.

Hope you will check it out!!!

December 4, 2014 – February 14, 2015:

Charleston Heights Arts Center, 800 S. Brush Street, Las Vegas, 702-229-6383
For more information, please call 702-229-1012
Free and open to the public
The new exhibit at the Charleston Heights Art Center Gallery titled The Midcentury Las Vegas Stage: Acts that Built the Entertainment Capital of the World explores both legendary and obscure stage acts from the perspective of the archives at the Las Vegas News Bureau and the Nevada State Museum, Las Vegas. Rarely seen photographs combined with video footage and stage costume tell the distinctive story of Las Vegas' original hotel lounges and showrooms.

The midcentury Las Vegas entertainment scene was extraordinary, remarkable and singularly unique to the city. The unlikely pairing of Barbra Streisand with Liberace on a 1963 Riviera bill or the arcane combination, on the Sahara stage, of film legend Mae West with 1954's Mr. America are enduring examples of why Las Vegas is known as the Entertainment Capital of the World.

About Nevada State Museum, Las Vegas
The Nevada State Museum, Las Vegas, actively engages people in understanding and celebrating Nevada’s natural and cultural heritage. The museum is one of seven managed by the Nevada Division of Museums and History, an agency of the Nevada Department of Tourism and Cultural Affairs. It is open Thursday through Monday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on the
grounds of the Springs Preserve, a 180-acre cultural institution with museums, exhibits, gardens, interpretive trails, event space and more, built on the site of artesian springs that once nourished desert life. Visit the museum at 309 S. Valley View Boulevard or on Facebook. Adult admission is $9.95 and includes entrance to the Las Vegas Springs Preserve.

About Las Vegas News Bureau
For more than 65 years, the Las Vegas News Bureau has captured the sights and sounds of the world’s leading destination like no one else, and has played a unique role in promoting Las Vegas by documenting unforgettable images on film. The News Bureau was created in 1947 as part of the Las Vegas Chamber of Commerce’s marketing efforts to promote Las Vegas as a tourism destination. Today, the Las Vegas News Bureau plays an important role in supporting
the marketing efforts of the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority.

Why Wrong History is still Bad History

June 3, 2014

Back in August, 2007 we did a story on the Downtown Las Vegas embedded historical sidewalk medallions/markers. Some of the medallions/markers, installed in the sidewalks of Fremont Street, touted wrong historical facts. We called it Bad History and pointed out Las Vegas history was not a John Ford film where legend supersedes fact, especially in the creation of the embedded medallions.markers that were installed by the City of Las Vegas.

With the number of historians and historical resources available all around the Valley, the writer on the City sponsored project didn't have to resort to Google to get their historical facts. After much press not only by us but others and grandstanding by the Mayor and other officials, the bad history medallions.markers were corrected and replaced.

So, imagine our surprise, seven years later to discover that Wrong History is still being published, this time not in sidewalk medallions/markers but in the book written especially for the 150th anniversary of the State of Nevada.

The book is published by Nevada Magazine which is supported by the state and has been well-regarded in the past. They publish historical articles, there is a section called Know Your Nevada, and one on Notable Nevadans .

So you get the feeling they are sticklers for accuracy, especially when they are publishing a book on a milestone anniversary of the state they cover.

Heidi Swank  Photo Courtesy of Las Vegas CityLife — Heidi Swank Photo Courtesy of Las Vegas CityLife

Preservation Spotlight: Heidi Swank, Preservationist

May 29, 2014

I first met Heidi about eight years ago when we were both involved in the early days of the Atomic Age Alliance, an organization dedicated to Mid-Century Modern Las Vegas. She and her husband were both passionate about Mid-Century Modern architecture and wanted to learn more about Las Vegas' role in that history.

She and her husband, Scott, have a MCM home in the historic Beverly Green neighborhood that they have lovingly restored. They live in a 1956 Cinderella ranch designed by Hugh Taylor for Rose and Louis Molasky the parents of Irwin Molasky. They co-founded the popular Flamingo Club- a roving, invitation-only neighborhood mixer whose motto is “Building community one cocktail party at a time."

She is dedicated to the worthy idea that our classic homes are worth saving. While Las Vegas experienced tremendous growth in the final decades of the 20th century and early 21st century, its original neighborhoods offer a look back at not only how the city grew but through its architecture offers insight to those years before the explosion boom and what was important to the residents who owned those homes.

In addition to be elected to the Nevada State Assembly for District 16, she is also the Exective Director of the Nevada Preservation Foundation.

The NPF is a "non-profit that provides historic designation and grant support to neighborhoods, homeowners, and business owners who reside in a historic area or own a historic building. The Foundation supplies much needed support to navigate the extensive process of obtaining local, state, or federal historic designations. Once designated the Foundation also provides grant-writing support and functions as a clearinghouse for grants benefiting historic districts/homes. As more of our state’s architectural past ages into eligibility for historic designation, it is important for the stability of our communities that we work to maintain our history."

Despite her very busy schedule, we were able to interview her for this series.

CLV Blog: How did you become interested in preserving Southern Nevada history?

Swank: As an anthropologist by training, I have long been interested in the ways in which our past makes us who we are today. In particular, I'm interested in how our built environment and the ways in which space is used in these homes reflects and impacts how we see them, how we use them, and how we understand ourselves.

One of the more interesting things about Southern Nevada history is that there isn't a lot of time depth. Many people discount the area because of this saying we don't have any history. However, because our history is relatively new it is in many ways more interesting.

We don't have hundreds of years of

Brian "Paco" Alvarez, writer, historian, preservation, art fanatic  Photo courtesy of the Mob Museum — Brian "Paco" Alvarez, writer, historian, preservation, art fanatic Photo courtesy of the Mob Museum

Preservation Spotlight: Brian "Paco" Alvarez

May 26, 2014

Brian "Paco" Alvarez is one of those guys that everyone seems to know. Mention his name to a group of people, and the chances are pretty good that someone in the group knows Paco. Paco is a native son, born and raised. He has lived Downtown for many years and has been extolling the advantages of Downtown life and the history of Downtown for twice as long. He has worked at the the Liberace Foundation, the City of Las Vegas Office of Cultural Affairs, the Neon Museum, the Las Vegas News Bureau and now is working at Zappos .

He has curated various exhibits on the history of Las Vegas, can be found at gallery openings, museum galas and all around town where ever history and preservation are being discussed.

Despite his busy schedule, he carved out some time to talk about two of his favorite subjects- history and preservation in Las Vegas.

CLV Blog: How did you become interested in Las Vegas history?

Alvarez: I have always loved history and have been fascinated for what came before. Though I will be honest I never thought that I would follow a career in the field. My degree is in Anthropology with an emphasis in Museum Studies so it was natural for me to go into the museum field and work more on the technical side of the field. But it was in the museum world that solidified my penchant for history

Learn the real history of legendary Las Vegas

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