Just wanted to let everyone know that Rex Bell will be joining us at our FCLV meeting next month.  Rex's parents were the film stars, Rex Bell and Clara Bow, and they had a wonderful ranch out in the Searchlight, the Walking Box.

Rex has some wonderful stories about those years and about growing up in Las Vegas so please join us on:

Sunday, October 12th

2:00 pm

Nevada State Museum

Auditorium

700 Twin Lakes Drive

Lorenzi Park

We hope to see you there!

 
We hope to see you there! 

Next month (because of the 4th of July holiday),  the Friends of Classic Las Vegas will hold their monthly meeting on Sunday, July 13th for all members and those interested in joining.

Sunday, July 13th

The Morelli House

9th and Bridger

Downtown Las Vegas

General Meeting is at 2:00 pm.

Refreshments will be served.

The Junior League of Las Vegas has graciously agreed to host our monthly meeting at the famed Morelli house.  This home was saved from the Desert Inn Country Club and restored by the Junior League of Las Vegas.

The house is only open by appointment only or for certain events.   We thank the Junior League for their generosity and hospitality.

For more on the Morelli House:   

http://classiclasvegas.squarespace.com/historic-site-of-the-week/2008/5/4/the-morelli-house.html

http://classiclasvegas.squarespace.com/classic-las-vegas-blog/2008/5/4/the-morelli-house.html 

The Friends of Classic Las Vegas is a recognized, local 501c3 non-profit group dedicated to helping preserve the 20th Century history of Las Vegas. 

We look forward to seeing you there.  We encourage everyone to bring a friend.

If you have any questions, feel free to email me at Lynn@classiclasvegas.com or email Ben at benL@classiclasvegas.com!

We are pleased to announce our two big events in February:

 The Classic Las Vegas Roadshow in partnership with the Nevada State Museum and Stephens Press:

Tuesday, February 5th:

Howard Hughes:  Power, Paranoia and Palace Intrique

On the eve of Thanksgiving 1966, Howard Hughes came to Las Vegas via train.  He was then escorted via ambulance to the Desert Inn Hotel.  He checked into the penthouse.  He was only expected to stay about a month and be gone before the high rollers returned for the New Years celebration.

Well, Hughes ended up staying in Las Vegas longer than a month.  Rather than move from the Desert Inn when Moe Dalitz insisted that he needed the Penthouse for his customers, Hughes bought the hotel and stayed ensconsed in the Penthouse until he left Las Vegas two years later.

He went on a buying spree and bought the Silver Slipper, the Frontier, the Castaways, the Landmark and the Sands.  He was attempting to buy the Stardust when the federal government stepped in and stopped the sale due to anti-trust and monopoly concerns.

Was Hughes sent by the government to rid the town of mob ownership of casinos or was he just an eccentric billionaire who was always intriqued by this oasis in the desert? 

Author Geoff Schumacher's new book explores the facts and the fiction behind Hughes and his love affair with Las Vegas.

A book signing for this eagerly anticipated tome will begin at 5:30 pm. 

After the book signing, there will be a roundtable discussion with not only Geoff but those who knew or worked with Hughes during his stay in Las Vegas 

CONFIRMED panelists include:

Robert Maheu

Peg Crockett

Paul Winn

Gordon Margulis 

Geoff Schumacher

Tuesday, February 5th

Nevada State Museum

700 Twin Lakes Drive

Lorenzi Park

5:30 pm Book Signing

6:45 pm Roundtable Discussion

 
You won't want to miss this exciting evening of history!

Donations:  $3 / Free to Museum Members

Book available for sale in the Museum Store

Please RSVP by Feb. 1st at 702-486-5205  x 120

Thursday, February 7th

Las Vegas Springs Preserve

The History of the Westside 

Our kick-off for a new season of Untold Stories begins.

This month we take a look at the Westside and its history.  The Westside and all its history.  From the early days of just being on the wrong side of the tracks as McWillams Townsite, a  place for those who could not afford the lots for sale in Clark's townsite that would become the City of Las Vegas.  This neighborhood became famous as Las Vegas grew to have the moniker of the "Mississippi of the West" and the Jim Crowe laws of segregation were enforced.

We look at the evolution of the Westside from its early beginnings through its notorious past to what it is today.

Panelists include:

Pastor Marion Bennett

Lucille Bryant

Judge John Mendoza 

 
Thursday, February 7th

Las Vegas Springs Preserve

7:00  Roundtable Discussion

Admission: $12 

We look forward to seeing you there! 

Preservation Projects, history projects, our Roundtable/Speakers Series.

Don't forget we have monthly meetings the first Sunday (unless otherwise noted) of every month.

Our next meeting is next Sunday, January 13th.

2:00 pm

Nevada State Musuem Auditorium

700 Twin Lakes Drive

Lorenzi Park

We hope to see you there! 

If you can't join us due to geography or time constraints, we understand.  You can join the cause by becoming a member of the Friends of Classic Las Vegas here .

It was a long morning waiting for the agenda item to come up.  When it finally did, Regent Alden talked about the importance of saving the Hall, Regent Dondero talked about the importance of Maude Frazier and Josh Geidel talked about the need to preserve the history of UNLV.  Mary Joy Alderman spoke on behalf of Friends of Classic Las Vegas about the need to stop destroying our history.

Commissioners Chris G and Tom Collins spoke in favor of supporting the preservation of Frazier Hall.  Commissioner Chip Maxfield was concerned about the Commission overstepping its bounds with UNLV.  Commissioner Rory Reid called for a vote.  Maxfield was the only nay vote and the agenda item was carried through.

This is going to be one of the big preservation issues going into 2008.  The Friends of Classic Las Vegas are joining with the Atomic Age Alliance to help save Maude's building.

Here is the latest info concerning the rally being held on Wednesday afternoon, Nov. 28th at UNLV:

Atomic Age Alliance co-hosts “Save Maude’s Hall” Rally with the Anthropology Society of UNLV in support of the preservation of Maude Frazier Hall, the first building ever built on the UNLV campus.

UNLV History to be Demolished and Re-written

The first classes at UNLV were held here in Maude Frazier Hall on September 10, 1957. It is one of Midtown’s most historic buildings. As the university focuses on the next 50 years, this building is slated for potential demolition within the coming year. On November 29 and 30th the Board of Regents will discuss this decision, whether they will turn their backs on their history and identity, or celebrate this building as a bridge representing the last 50 years of educational growth in Southern Nevada, and as a gateway to the future of UNLV and Midtown redevelopment.

Named for a Female Pioneer of Nevada

The Rally

The “Save Maude’s Hall” rally will bring together student, fans of architecture, alumni and others who care deeply about this important piece of Las Vegas and Clark County history. Special guest speakers will be announced. It will be held from 11:30 to 12:20 making it a convenient lunchtime activity for students and working professionals alike. Local award winning pizzeria, Metro Pizza, has donated pizza for the first rally attendees who arrive.

We hope to see you there!

Invites you to an Afternoon Soiree

At an Historic

In Fabulous Downtown Las Vegas

1905 Chapman St.

Open House Saturday, Nov. 17^th

Two O’Clock pm - Five O’Clock pm

Home Tour, Entertainment,

Wine & Hors d’ oeuvres

Silent Auction

Guest Speaker: Dr. Michael Green

$35pp

Reservations are Limited

Please RSVP to 878-3889

Mail payment to: FCLV 4359 W. Charleston Blvd. Las Vegas, NV 89102

This is a fundraising event for the Friends of Classic Las Vegas, a

recognized 501c3 non-profit organization dedicated to preserving

the history of the Las Vegas Valley.

 
Friends of Classic Las Vegas (FCLV) is a volunteer organization dedicated to preserving the history of Las Vegas through community awareness, activism and educational programs. This is a local, recognized 501c3, non-profit organization.

Educational Programs include:

• The collection of video oral histories.
• Digitizing and preserving photographs, postcards and 3-Dimensional memorabilia
• Digitizing and preserving letters, diaries, news clippings and other ephemera.
• Roundtable Events featuring long-time and native born residents discussing the history they helped create.
• Special Walking and Bus Tours.
• Comprehensive Neighborhood Histories.

Activities and Outreach:

• Architectural Tours (in partnership with the Atomic Age Alliance)
• Educational Exhibits
• Walking Tours
• Bus Tours
• Historic Home Soirees

We believe it is vital to preserve this unique history not only for today but for the generations that come after. History is what binds us to our community and helps us to call that place home.

Las Vegas is the largest city built in the 20th Century. In any other city this size, to learn its early history you would have to visit local libraries and historical societies and read about the history.

But here in Las Vegas, we can still talk to the men and women who grew up with the young town and they can tell us first hand what life was like in that small, dusty town.

In addition, we can talk to the men and women who helped transform that town into the Entertainment Capital of the World.

We can visit sites throughout the Valley that remind us of our roots and the stories remind us all of the sacrifices that were made to make Las Vegas a better place to live for everyone.

But with each passing year, there are fewer and fewer old timers and more sites become endangered as the Valley continues to grow.

The Friends of Classic Las Vegas wants to help preserve, document and collect that history before it is too late.

Click here to learn how you can help!

Advisory Committee:

Donna and Gail Andress

Marlene Adrian

Ben Litvinoff

Dennis McBride

Darlene Taylor

Other Committees (we need volunteers for):

Fundraising

Membership

Outreach

Preservation Issues

Publicity

Volunteers

Please let us know if you would like to join one of our committees!

The Binion House 1949 endangered

The Huntridge Theatre (1944) endangered

Virginia Beckley Richardson and a picture of her and her brother on the steps of her family home. The house

is now on Heritage Street at the Clark County Museum.