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Las Vegas History continued...
The area that is now Las Vegas was originally inhabited by Native American groups such as the Anasazi, some 2300 years ago. Around the year 1150, the Anasazi abandoned the area, making way for the Paiute people. Then, in the late 1820's, early Spanish explorers were in the area searching for water. What they found was a vast oasis in the desert that would become what is now the city of Las Vegas. They named the city Las Vegas, which is Spanish for “the meadows.” Las Vegas became an important stop along the Old Spanish Trail. The trail ran between Santa Fe, New Mexico and southern California. The oasis of Las Vegas allowed travelers to shorten their journey to Los Angeles by cutting directly across the desert. Word quickly began to travel about the lush green oasis of Las Vegas. Then, in 1844, an explorer named John C. Fremont camped in the Las Vegas Valley. He recorded in his journals the beauty that he saw in the area. Next, missionaries from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (the Mormon Church) began settling in the area around 1855. This settlement gave the Mormons a link to California and the Pacific Ocean. In 1905, the railroad came to the city. This caused a growth spurt in the city's population. In the same year, Las Vegas was founded as a city. Then, in 1911, it became an incorporated city. Later, in the 1930's, two laws and the building of the Hoover Dam caused masses of people to migrate to Las Vegas. One law allowed citizens to get a divorce after just six weeks of marriage. The other law, which may be credited for the beginning of modern-day Las Vegas, legalized gambling. Casinos began to sprout up along the main strip in the city. One of the first and most famous casinos was opened in 1945. The Flamingo Casino was opened by the notorious gangster Benjamin “Bugsy” Siegel. This paved the way for Las Vegas to become the “Entertainment Capital of the World,” that it is today.
Las Vegas, although best-known for its casinos and gambling, is home to many educational and cultural institutions. The University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV), is located in Las Vegas. It was founded in 1957 and remains the main institution of higher learning in southern Nevada. Specialty museums in the city include the Liberace Museum, which is dedicated to the life and times of the flamboyant 20th century entertainer. The Guinness World of Records Museum is also located in Las Vegas. Other museums in the city include the Nevada State Museum and Historical Society, which features exhibits on Nevada's history from 12,000 B.C. to the 1950's, the Las Vegas Natural History Museum, which includes wildlife and dinosaur exhibits and the Las Vegas Art Museum.
Obviously, the main attractions in the city are the casinos and the endless amount of entertainment. Over 30 million people visit Las Vegas every year, staying in the city's 123,000 hotel rooms. Over five thousand of these rooms are located in the city-like MGM Grand Hotel and Theme Park. This hotel, completed in 1993, is the largest hotel in the world. As time goes on, the design and themes of the Las Vegas casinos have become more and more elaborate. Newer designs include hotel/casinos that resemble New York City, Paris, Venice and an Egyptian pyramid. Magnificent volcano eruptions, pirate ship re-enactments and of course, thousands and thousands of lights line the city's main roadway, known as “the strip.” Also located downtown is the Fremont Street Experience. This five-block stretch of Fremont Street is a covered pedestrian mall where thousands of lights play out animated scenes overhead.
Besides its numerous hotels and casinos, Las Vegas has always been the home to world-class entertainers. Entertainers such as Frank Sinatra, Elvis Presley, Liberace and Siegfried and Roy have graced the city with their performances for years. Las Vegas is also the home to many professional boxing matches. The Las Vegas Motor Speedway opened in 1996 and hosts many automobile races.
Not a well-known fact is that the federal government has a huge presence in Las Vegas. Nellis Air Force Base is the city's largest single employer. In addition, there a number of military bases nearby. Also, a permanent nuclear waste site at Yucca Mountain has been proposed.
Las Vegas is the fastest growing city in the United States and its airport is the seventh busiest in the world. Numerous movies have been made about the “Entertainment Capital of the World.” What else can one say about a city like Las Vegas, where, besides all of the hotels and casinos, theme parks and golf courses are everywhere? Las Vegas truly is a city that has it all.
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