The remarkable history of Las Vegas, from railroads to riches

Going from desert springs to neon dreams, Las Vegas evolved from a dusty railroad stop into a glittering metropolis of casinos, entertainment, culture, and sports.

In just over a century, Las Vegas has evolved from a dusty railroad stop into one of the world’s most distinctive travel destinations. What began in 1905 as a humble 110-acre land auction has blossomed into a metropolitan oasis where ancient artesian springs once sustained Paiute tribes for thousands of years. The city’s story reflects dramatic transformations: from railroad workers to dam builders, from early gambling halls to corporate resorts. Each chapter of Las Vegas history has shaped not only southern Nevada, but also left an indelible mark on the American West.

Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons.

A desert oasis finds its first visitors

The Las Vegas Valley’s artesian springs attracted Native American tribes, with petroglyphs attesting to human presence dating back more than 10,000 years. The area’s first European visitor, Rafael Rivera, discovered these life-giving springs in 1821 while scouting for a trade route—the Old Spanish Trail—between New Mexico and California. He named the valley “Las Vegas,” Spanish for “the meadows,” inspired by its spring-watered grasses.

From Mormon fort to railroad boom

The first permanent settlement emerged in 1855 when Mormon missionaries constructed a 150-square-foot adobe fort, establishing a mail stop between Salt Lake City and Los Angeles. Though the Mormons departed by 1858, the fort’s legacy lived on through ranchers like Helen Stewart, who maintained the land and provided rest for travelers. Everything changed in 1905 when Senator William Clark of Montana brought the railroad through town, staging a land auction that drew more than 3,000 prospective buyers to bid on lots along what would become Fremont Street.

The rise of Sin City

Nevada’s 1931 decision to legalize gambling coincided with the construction of the Hoover Dam, bringing thousands of workers to the area. Fremont Street’s “Glitter Gulch” emerged by 1946, while the 1941 opening of the El Rancho Vegas resort marked the beginning of what would become the Strip. Mobster Bugsy Siegel raised the stakes in 1946 with the Flamingo, introducing a new level of luxury to what had been a Western-themed town.

Cold War meets hot tables

From the 1950s through the early 1960s, Las Vegas developed a unique identity as both a tourist destination and an atomic-age city. The Nevada Test Site, where over 100 nuclear bombs were detonated above ground between 1951 and 1963, created mushroom clouds visible from hotel windows. This remarkable juxtaposition earned Las Vegas the nickname “Up and Atom City.”

Photo courtesy of Roadsidepictures/Flickr.

Corporate makeover

The 1966 arrival of Howard Hughes, who purchased the Desert Inn rather than face eviction from his penthouse suite, signaled the beginning of corporate Las Vegas. By 1989, developer Steve Wynn ushered in the mega-resort era with the Mirage, setting off a building boom that would transform the Strip with massive complexes themed after ancient Rome, Egypt, Paris, Venice, and New York.

Modern metamorphosis

Las Vegas continues to evolve far beyond its gaming roots. The 2012 opening of The Smith Center for the Performing Arts marked a cultural milestone for the city, while the 2012 launch of The Mob Museum in the former federal courthouse preserved a fascinating slice of local history. Downtown’s renaissance gained momentum with the 2020 debut of Circa, the area’s first newly-built hotel-casino since the 1980s. Perhaps most significantly, the city has emerged as a major league sports destination—the Vegas Golden Knights reached the Stanley Cup Finals in their inaugural 2017 season and brought home the trophy in 2023, while the Las Vegas Aces have claimed two WNBA championships. The city that started with a railroad land auction has transformed into a multifaceted metropolis where world-class entertainment, professional sports, and cultural attractions complement its famous casinos.

This story was generated in part by AI and edited by The Nevadan staff.

This article first appeared on Good Info News Wire and is republished here under a Creative Commons license.

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