March 21, 2005
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact:
Mark Ryzdynski or Dawna Jolliff, (702) 455-7955

Exhibit Celebrates 100 Years of Las Vegas

Clark County Museum Hosts History Display

Join County Commission Chairman Rory Reid on March 25 at 11 a.m. as he officially opens a year-long centennial exhibit featuring historic photographs, posters, memorabilia, clothing, artifacts and recreated scenes which bring Las Vegas to life, from its founding in 1905 as a tiny railroad town to the present.

"Whistle Stop to Windfall: 100 Years in Las Vegas" is the title of the new exhibit at the Clark County Museum, 1830 S. Boulder Hwy. in Henderson, south of Horizon Drive.

Following a brief ceremony, museum curators will lead Reid and others on a tour of the exhibit.

Visitors to the exhibit will enter through a 1905-style tent saloon complete with bar. When Las Vegas officially began on May 15 with a public auction of lots, the railroad restricted the sale of liquor to Block 16. Already there were a number of makeshift saloons scattered around the area, and once the auction was completed, some of the first permanent structures to be built were saloons. Block 16 became a famous "red light" district with gambling and prostitution - although illegal, readily available.

The exhibit also features sections on hotels, education, law enforcement, the wedding industry with a model wedding chapel, Helldorado, the first volunteer fire department, a section on unique Las Vegas individuals with a chance to cast a vote for the viewer's favorite, and an interactive "Las Vegas Trivia" game.

"Las Vegas has an exciting and unique history and this exhibit brings it to life in a fascinating and fun-filled way," Reid said. "If ever there was a time to brush up on your history of Las Vegas, now is it. The county museum staff have really pulled out all the stops."

The Helldorado portion of the exhibit is an opportunity for new Las Vegans to become acquainted with a community tradition that will be revived in May, albeit without the rodeo. Helldorado spanned several decades and provided a shared experience with its multiple parades, whisker-growing contest and Western Village attraction. It was a chance for everyone to participate, from children to "old timers," each with their own parade. Photos, posters, buttons and elaborate Western wear are displayed.

Pioneer Anna Roberts Parks, the town's first female funeral parlor owner, is also featured. Anna arrived in Las Vegas in 1911 at the age of 22, and in the early '20s went to mortuary school in Los Angeles before returning to open Palm Mortuary. As well as a successful businesswoman, she was an avid collector of historical and Native American artifacts. After her death, her collection became the basis for today's Clark County Museum.

"Whistle Stop to Windfall" was researched and designed by Curator of Exhibits Dawna Jolliff. The Clark County Museum is a function of Clark County Parks and Community Services, which is accredited by the Commission for Accreditation of Park and Recreation Agencies. The museum is open daily from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Admission is $1.50 for adults and $1 for seniors and children. The museum also features a modern exhibit hall with a timeline exhibit about southern Nevada from pre-historic to modern times and a collection of restored historic buildings that depict daily life from different decades in Las Vegas, Boulder City, Henderson and Goldfield. The number for information is 455-7955.

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News release also available on the Internet at www.accessclarkcounty.com