Beyond the Mint: Mid-Century Modern Architecture of Walter Zick
You've waited patiently and we appreciate that. Here is the latest information on our October 3rd event highlighting the work of local architect Walter Zick with a focus on his mid-century modern homes and commercial buildings.
If you went to school at Hyde Park Jr. High, John C. Fremont, Western, Valley or Clark, if you banked at the Bank of Las Vegas/Valley Bank or bank today at the Bank of America on West Charleston and Decatur, you've been in a Walter Zick designed building.
If you spent time at Southern Nevada Memorial Hospital (today UMC) in the 1960s, the Flora Dungan Humanities Building at UNLV or the old Safeway and W.T. Grants on the corner of Maryland Parkway and E. Charleston, you've been in Walter Zick designed buildings.
If you love the Mint and it's beautiful pink and white neon sign, you know Walter Zick.
Walter Zick, along with his partner Harris Sharp, changed the look of post-war Las Vegas. From schools to banks to residential homes, Walter Zick and Harris Sharp put their stamp on Las Vegas. They designed buildings for the Test Site, for housing projects, for government buildings. They also designed hotels like the Moulin Rouge, the Mint and the Union Plaza. They worked on early remodels of the El Rancho Vegas and the Flamingo.
Much of that architecture is still standing.
We have planned a day of exploring the talent of Walter Zick and we invite you to join us.
Saturday, October 3rd.
Nevada State Museum
700 Twin Lakes Drive in Lorenzi Park
11:30 am Reception
12:00 pm
Panel Discussion featuring noted Mid-Century Modern historian and author (and big fan of the Mint Hotel), Alan Hess; architect Eric Strain of Assemblage Studios and Walter Zick's daughters, Karen Zick Goff and Claire Zick Walker.
Admission price for the Panel Discussion is $3, reservations for the Panel Discussion are NOT necessary.
Immediately following the Panel Discussion, there will be an afternoon bus tour around Las Vegas pointing out some of the still standing architecture of Walter Zick. There will be four stops on the tour. The fifth and final stop will be at the Morelli House, while not designed by Zick, is a beautiful example of mid-century modern architecture. The Junior League has graciously offered to host tours of the house for tour participants.
RSVP's are MANDATORY for the bus tour due to limited seating. Leave your name and phone number on the voicemail. Both are important as we will be calling a few days before to confirm all the reservations. Admission price is $5.
You must call 702-486-5205 x 121 to RSVP. Leave your name and a working phone number.
1:30 pm Bus Loading
2:00 - 6:00 Bus Tour
The bus will return to the Nevada State Museum, Las Vegas by 6:30 pm.
Once we have reached the seating capacity of the bus, we will have a will-call list as well. We recommend calling as soon as possible to insure that you get a seat on the bus.
This should be a wonderful day of history, fun and a chance to learn about buildings that you have loved for years.
This event is made possible by the generous support of:
Nevada Humanities, the Nevada State Museum, Las Vegas; the Friends of Classic Las Vegas, VeryVintageVegas.com; the Junior League of Las Vegas, the Atomic Age Alliance and Brian "Paco" Alvarez.
Southern Nevada Memorial Hospital, image courtesy of Nevada State Museum, Las Vegas
Flora Dungan Humanities Building, UNLV, photo courtesy of Nevada State Museum, Las Vegas
LasVegasLynn
in Cultural Tourism, Current Day, Fremont Street, Friends of Classic Las Vegas, Historic Homes, Historical, Las Vegas History, Las Vegas Neighborhoods, Memories, Mid-Century Modern, Neon, Preservation Issues, Roadside Architecture, VeryVintageVegas.com, automobile
|
1 Comment
Las Vegas High School All-School Reunion
Due to a technical snafu on the other end, the updated information for the Walter Zick event will be posted on Wednesday.
Last year, I was made an honorary alumnus of Las Vegas High School due to my work chronicling the lives of many of its graduates.
The honorary status comes with many treats none as much fun as the All-Class Reunion that the Alumni Association, led by Patty Haack, organizes each September. It truly is the best party in town. Sam's Town, owned by Bill Boyd, class of 1948, is the location and Boyd puts out a delicious spread.
Violet Oppedyke Tracht, 99 and an alumnus of the Class of 1928 was there again this year. Berniece Johnson, class of 1937, was there celebrating her birthday with her family, including son, Norman who was a teacher of mine at Clark High School back in the day. There was a terrific memorial to Joe Thiriot, long-time beloved teacher at the school.
Vi and her bouquet
It was great seeing B. Mahlon Brown, class of 1957, there. I hadn't seen Mahlon in about two years. He came down from his home in Oregon and regaled his table the entire evening. John "Buzzy" Ullom, Donna and Gail Andress, Mary Carmichael Cashman and Senator Richard Bryan were all there.
Rollie Gibbs was the master of the ceremonies. The current Wildcat Band made a rousing entrance and led the audience in the fight song as well as the alma mater. Cork Proctor, class of 1954, had the crowd laughing and howling.
By the time the evening was wrapping up, everyone was talking about next year's party. Bottom line, we can't wait!
Photos courtesy of Dave Williams, webmaster for the Las Vegas High School Alumni Association.
Go Wildcats!
LasVegasLynn
in Current Day, Las Vegas History, Memories
|
Post a Comment
How Modern Was My Valley
We are hoping by Friday to be able to post the RSVP phone number for the upcoming Walter Zick Event on Saturday, Oct. 3rd.
As previously noted, that morning beginning at 11:30 am there will be a reception/panel discussion at the Nevada State Museum in Lorenzi Park.
The Panel Discussion featuring mid-century modern historian and author, Alan Hess; architect Eric Strain and Walter Zick's daughers, Karen and Claire will begin at 12:00 pm. Admission is $3 and RSVP for that portion of the program is not necessary.
Immediately following the panel discussion will be a bus tour that will feature some of Walter Zick's still standing architecture. Everything from residential to commercial to community to casino designs will be highlighted.
Seating for the bus tour is limited and RSVP's will be mandatory. Admission for the bus tour is $5. The final stop on the tour will be at the Morelli House and tours of the house will be given. Though Walter Zick did not design the Morelli House, it is a splendid example of the mid-century modern architecture of the era. We thank the Junior League for opening the house for us.
In the meantime, here are some mid-century modern buildings that you may remember.
PLEASE NOTE: These photos belong to the Nevada State Museum and we are fortunate that they are allowing us to post them here. Any other postings of these pictures on other websites is not allowed unless you have the written permission of the State Museum, Las Vegas.
Cinerama Dome just off Paradise Road
Convention Center and Rotunda just north of the Cinerama Dome
McCarran Airport, 1960s
Sears at the Boulevard Mall
Vegas Village near Commercial Center
LasVegasLynn
in Cultural Tourism, Historical, Las Vegas History, Mid-Century Modern, Roadside Architecture, automobile
|
2 Comments
Old Vegas vs New Vegas
It's the holiday so lite posting this weekend. But be sure to check in on Tuesday as we have some new cool photos of Old Las Vegas to share with you!
From our pal Mike Weatherford:
Are the ties between "old" and "new" Vegas officially severed? If you don't remember "then," are you perfectly happy with "now"? A couple of acts may soon find out. Robin Antin believes, "If Frank (Sinatra) were here today, he'd be tatted and he would be cool," in a way that translates to today's fashions. She says this not long before Matt Goss, the singer that the Pussycat Dolls founder is promoting at the Palms, kicks off a rehearsal set with "Luck Be A Lady." Goss is a veteran of British pop and plans to focus on his original songs. Even so, "I want to sing a few standards in Vegas," he says. "It's just as exciting for me to sing a few songs as hopefully it is for people to hear it." Chris Phillips of the duo Zowie Bowie says, "My passion and the reason for coming to Las Vegas, kind of like my agenda and mission, was to keep the old spirit of Las Vegas alive." He and partner Marley Taylor are putting their own money on the line come Sept. 13, betting people will share their passion for a weekly "Vintage Vegas Show" with an 18-piece big band. "We're going to do our damndest to try to create at least one night where people can have that genuine Vegas feeling," Phillips says. But that begs the question: What now constitutes a genuine Vegas feeling? Goss is 40 and Phillips a bit older, both old enough to have parents from the crooner era. Growing up in Arizona, Phillips remembers, "As a kid, I would come out here, and I felt a such a strong feeling of what the essence of Vegas was all about." But Studio 54 and Ra, the Luxor club that gave way to LAX, opened in 1998. It's entirely possible that for 11 years' worth of customers, a night at Pure is authentic Vegas. "The Hangover," not "Swingers." Except, we seem to miss at least parts of what we tore down. No one is building any more Venetians. CityCenter renderings seem to reference the '50s modern of old Vegas. That may explain why Goss and Antin are sticklers for style, even if he's not slavish to the standards. The Pussycat Dolls were "very inspired by burlesque, but I wasn't ripping off anything. I wasn't taking anything and doing it exactly the same way," Antin says. Similarly, "Matt has the greatest style guys are going to be so influenced by." Phillips says the Zowie Bowie shows will reference Tom Jones as much as the Rat Pack. "There is a fine line between the attitude of modern-day rappers and old-time Rat-Packers," he says. "A pseudo-reckless, partyin' kind of free for all." He hopes younger folks will connect to "a guy who is slightly intoxicated, on his soapbox speaking the gospel of Las Vegas." That, he believes, is "the same kind of edge that made the city exciting 40 years ago."
Did You Miss a Great Evening of History?
If you weren't at "Untold Stories" last night, you did!
Last night's panel was terrific. Dr. Liz Warren gave us an overview of early mining in Southern Nevada that stretched back to the Anasazi. Donn Blake walked us through a typical day in the life of a hard rock miner, the difference between a miner and a prospector and even brought his prospecting bag filled with tools and essentials and explained why you needed such things. Tony Werly gave us the history of the famed Techaticcup Mine and how he and his wife, Bobbi, bought the mine and discovered the opening of the old tunnel that had been buried for over 100 years.
We also heard about deserters from the Army, murders, massacres, Mouse, Queho and a brief railroad history.
"Untold Stories" is the only series that every month (except January) brings you in contact with the living history of Southern Nevada. Each month we focus on a different historic topic and have a panel that includes historians as well as the men and women who witnessed history first hand.
Next month on October 1st, we will be looking at the famed Moulin Rouge hotel, the first integrated hotel and casino in Las Vegas.
On November 5th, we will be talking about Howard Hughes in Las Vegas and focusing on his time here before he came here in 1966 and went on a buying spree.
And in December, we will have a fun night talking about the Las Vegas You Don't Know.
It's the first Thursday of each month at the Las Vegas Springs Preserve. We bring history to life in relaxed atmosphere of fun and learning.
Beginning next month, the price for tickets for "Untold Stories" will be lowered to $9 for non-members and $7 for Springs members. So for less than $10 you get history, memories and invaluable information that you can't find anywhere else. Save money by buying a three month pass!
So, what are you waiting for? Come join us! You'll have fun and you'll learn first hand about the 20th Century History of Southern Nevada!
http://www.springspreserve.org/html/visit_events_labordaysale.html
and click on Events Calendar.
If you missed me on KNPR with John L. Smith yesterday morning, you can listen to the interview here:
http://knpr.org/son/archive/detail.cfm?ProgramID=1710
scroll down to Postcard History and click on Listen or download the MP3.
Let me know what you think!
LasVegasLynn
in Cultural Tourism, Current Day, Las Vegas History, Preservation Issues, Untold Stories
|
Post a Comment
