Betty's Attic
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Friday, July 22, 2016
I'll never forget the first time I went to Las Vegas. It was a long, family road trip to the wedding of one of our relatives, but I forget who got married. All I remember is "the Strip", which, ironically, isn't actually in the city of Las Vegas. My dad drove us out there to look at all the lights and the people. We had a buffet lunch at one of the casinos, but I don't think my mom or dad ever placed a bet.

The Strip turns 75 years old this year. The El Rancho Vegas resort was the first casino on that section of U.S. Highway 91 in 1941, but it wasn't long before western themed hotel/casinos popped up all around it. In 1946, mobster Bugsy Siegel, backed by Meyer Lansky opened the famed and super swanky Flamingo, which was completely different than anything the Strip had seen so far. Instead of an Old West flavor, it had more of a Hollywood feel.  The Flamingo booked top talent to entertain in its lounges and celebrities flocked to the new upscale resort for Opening Day on Christmas.

Though Siegel was murdered in 1947, his vision for the Strip didn't die with him.  Mobsters built the Riviera, the Sands and the Sahara, during the '50s and '60s. Celebrities and tourists alike couldn't resist the desert resorts and soon over 8 million people a year were visiting the Strip to see Elvis Presley, Dean Martin and, of course, Frank Sinatra.

Right down the road was the Nevada Test Site. Between 1951-1963 the site detonated over 100 nuclear bombs — above ground — earning the city the nickname  “Up and Atom City” because visitors could often see mushroom clouds from their hotel rooms on the Strip.

75 years later, you won't see mushroom clouds, but you'll still see plenty of glitz, glamour and all those bright, flashing lights that I remember from my childhood.

Posted by: Betty | 8:00 AM | permalink
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