Helldorado Documentary Needs Your Help!!!!

Going to the Hoosegow, courtesy of The Elks Lodge #1468

Local Writer/Director Heather Caputo is putting together a documentary about the history of Helldorado and she needs your help!!! She writes:

Las Vegas’ historic Helldorado Days was an annual celebration going back to 1935. We’re looking to preserve its history.  Did you, your family, or friends take film, video or photos at Las Vegas’ Helldorado Days prior to 2006? We want to hear from you!  Heather Caputo Productions is producing a documentary and is seeking your film, video, and photo submissions to potentially include in the show. For more information on how you can get involved, please contact:  caputo.heather@yahoo.com

 If you have footage or images, please contact her!!! Let’s help make this documentary a success!!!!

Berkley Square needs YOU!

We've written about Berkley Square, the historic neighborhood designed by Paul Revere Williams.  Now comes word from Councilman Ricky Barlow that the famed neighborhood needs your help.

We need volunteers to help transform the Historic Berkley Square neighborhood on Saturday, May 28! As part of making Ward 5 clean and green, I?m asking you to bring your friends, your shovels and gloves, and join me as we plant 185 new trees at Berkley Square and then celebrate with a community barbecue.

Groups of adult volunteers are needed to help plant the trees. Volunteers will gather at 7 a.m. at the corner of F Street and Owens Avenue; tree planting is expected to take several hours. Each property fronting the street will receive one 15-gallon tree, while properties with corner lots may receive up to three 15-gallon trees. The project will provide shaded, walkable streets in the community at no cost to individual homeowners. The city of Las Vegas received a grant from the Nevada Division of Forestry to place 185 trees within the historic Berkley Square neighborhood for the purpose of increasing the tree canopy. The project is funded through the 2009 American Reinvestment and Recovery Act Clark County Urban Forestry Revitalization grants from the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The grant requires that the trees be planted within the planting strip between the street curb and sidewalk. The planting strip is publicly owned but maintained by the adjacent property owner. Residents will be responsible for watering and maintaining the trees.

Please plan to bring your friends and neighbors, and lets work together May 28 to improve the quality of life in this historic Ward 5 neighborhood!

The Union Plaza: A Look Back to the Beginning

We've had a couple of emails from people asking about the Union Plaza and wanting to see more pictures about the Train Depot, Union Park and what was there before the Union Plaza was built.

Thanks to our good friend, Dennis McBride, at the Nevada State Museum, Las Vegas we can do just that.

This is an aerial shot of Union Park with the Train Depot sitting in the background with the train tracks behind the Depot.  In the foreground, you get a glimpse of the Las Vegas Club neon sign and roof line and a small glimpse of the Golden Gate neon sign on the left.

This is the Train Depot looking east.  Union Park is front with the Las Vegas Club across the street.  To the left of the Depot is part of the Cashman Dealership.

This is looking just south of Union Park and the Train Depot.  In the foreground is the Golden Gate.  Across Main Street is the Greyhound Bus Terminal and Von Tobel Lumber.

Rendering of the Union Plaza Hotel.  Though the rendering credits Stanley J. How and Associates in Omaha, Nebraska, the local firm of Walter Zick and Harris Sharp were involved as well.

Construction begins on the Union Plaza.  The Las Vegas Club and the Golden Gate are in the foreground.  The Train Depot has yet to be torn down.

More coming!!!!!