History Of Las Vegas

History of Las Vegas – A City With a Unique Past

Las Vegas as a city and as a world-class destination spot has a rich past. The history of Las Vegas tells the story of seedy mafia ties, Howard Hugh's take over and the slick and spectacular commercial Las Vegas that exists today. There have been dreams won and lost in the more than half century since Las Vegas has heralded breath-taking attractions that draw the world's rich and famous and the normal everyday Joe as well. It's a city with something for everyone and no expense spared. To many, Las Vegas is a compilation of silent stories that don't ever make it out of the city's borders. Because after all, whatever happens in Vegas stays in Vegas.

The history of Las Vegas spans more than 100 years. The city was named in 1829 by a Mexican trading scout named Rafael Rivera who was on his way to Los Angeles to survey the trading opportunities there. A hundred years later and gambling was legalized in Las Vegas, which began the trajectory of Vegas being internationally known as a gambling mecca and continues today. Because of the vast amounts of money to be made with legalized gambling in Las Vegas, organized crime quickly became attracted to the city and the many ways that money could be generated both legally and illegally.

The modern era of the history of Las Vegas is said to have started when Howard Hughes began buying up real estate on The Strip and through the Las Vegas area. The story goes that he moved in to a room in the Desert Inn and refused to leave the room when he was asked to, so he decided to purchase the whole hotel, which led to several other real estate acquisitions and Howard Hughes becoming one of the most powerful men in Las Vegas. He is known for ending the lawless, mafia-run days of Las Vegas and turning it into a city packed with family-friendly entertainment and destination resorts, each more spectacular than the last.

The history of Las Vegas is one of astonishing growth. Between 1930 and 1970, the population of Las Vegas doubled every decade and maintained huge growth rates until the early 2000s. Las Vegas, more than many large cities, has suffered a great deal as a result of the financial collapse of 2008. The housing market has been ravaged, and banks don't want to gamble on potentially bad loans. Although many large-scale projects have been postponed or canceled, Las Vegas is sure to bounce back in a lavish way.