Full History Of Las Vegas In Timeline From 1905

1905: Auction of Land

In 1905, Las Vegas was founded as a city when 110 acres of land near the Union Pacific Railroad tracks were auctioned.

1905: Las Vegas Settlement

In 1905, Las Vegas was settled, marking the beginning of its development as a city.

1906: Golden Gate Hotel and Casino Opens

In 1906, the Golden Gate Hotel and Casino, originally named the Hotel Nevada, opened as the oldest continuously operating hotel and casino in Las Vegas.

1909: Largest Snowfall on Record

In 1909, Las Vegas unofficially recorded its largest snowfall with 12 inches.

1911: Incorporation as a City

In 1911, Las Vegas was incorporated as a city, formalizing its status as a municipality.

1911: Las Vegas Incorporation

In 1911, Las Vegas was officially incorporated as a city, establishing its municipal government.

1929: Installation of Welcome Arch

In 1929, the city installed a welcome arch over Fremont Street at the corner of Main Street.

1931: Opening of the Northern Club

In 1931, the Northern Club (now the La Bayou) opened, contributing to the early development of casinos in Las Vegas.

1931: Removal of Welcome Arch

In 1931, the welcome arch that was installed over Fremont Street in 1929 was removed.

1931: Nevada Legalizes Gambling and Reduces Divorce Requirements

The year 1931 was pivotal as Nevada legalized casino gambling and reduced residency requirements for divorce to six weeks. Construction on the Hoover Dam also began this year.

1935: Completion of Hoover Dam

In 1935, the construction of the Hoover Dam was completed, bringing an end to the influx of workers that had supported Las Vegas during the Great Depression.

January 25, 1937: Lowest Temperature Recorded

On January 25, 1937, the lowest temperature of 8 °F (-13 °C) was recorded in Las Vegas.

1941: Establishment of Las Vegas Army Airfield

In late 1941, the Las Vegas Army Airfield was established, contributing to the city's growth during World War II.

1950: Nellis Air Force Base Renaming

In 1950, Las Vegas Army Airfield was renamed Nellis Air Force Base, which is now home to the United States Air Force Thunderbirds aerobatic team.

1951: Nuclear Weapons Testing Begins

In 1951, nuclear weapons testing began at the Nevada Test Site, 65 miles northwest of Las Vegas, earning the city the nickname "Atomic City."

1955: Moulin Rouge Hotel Opens

In 1955, the Moulin Rouge Hotel opened and became the first racially integrated casino-hotel in Las Vegas, marking a significant step towards racial equality in the city's entertainment industry.

1959: Installation of Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas Sign

In 1959, the 25-foot-tall Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas sign was installed at the south end of the Las Vegas Strip.

January 13, 1963: Lowest Temperature Recorded

On January 13, 1963, the lowest temperature of 8 °F (-13 °C) was recorded in Las Vegas.

1963: Coldest Temperature Recorded

In 1963, a temperature of 29 °F (−2 °C) was measured in Las Vegas.

1963: Partial Nuclear Test Ban Treaty

In 1963, the Partial Nuclear Test Ban Treaty required nuclear tests to be moved underground, ending the visible mushroom clouds over Las Vegas.

1973: Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department Formed

In 1973, the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department was formed through a merger of the Las Vegas Police Department and the Clark County Sheriff's Department.

1980: Last Hotel-Casino Built on Fremont Street

In 1980 was the last time a hotel-casino was built on Fremont Street until Circa Resort & Casino opened in 2020.

1989: Opening of The Mirage

When The Mirage opened in 1989, it started a trend of major resort development on the Las Vegas Strip outside of the city.

1990: Las Vegas Population Growth

From 1990 to 2000, Las Vegas experienced significant population growth, nearly doubling in size.

1995: Fremont Street Experience Opens

In 1995, the Fremont Street Experience opened in downtown Las Vegas, featuring 12.5 million LED lights and 550,000 watts of sound for hourly shows.

1995: Startup of Fremont Street Experience

The Fremont Street Experience was built in an effort to draw tourists back to the area and has been popular since its startup in 1995.

1997: Allegiant Air Launches

In 1997, Allegiant Air launched with its first hub at Harry Reid International Airport and headquarters in Summerlin.

1997: Amtrak Service Ceases

In 1997, Amtrak train service via the Desert Wind at Las Vegas station ceased.

1997: Amtrak Desert Wind Service Ends

Until 1997, the Amtrak Desert Wind train service ran through Las Vegas using the Union Pacific Railroad tracks but ceased service in 1997.

2000: Las Vegas Census Data

According to the 2000 census, Las Vegas had a population of 474,434 people.

2000: Las Vegas Population Growth

Between 1990 and 2000, the population of Las Vegas nearly doubled, increasing by 85.2%.

2000: Land-Swap Deal with Lehman Brothers

In 2000, the city conducted a land-swap deal with Lehman Brothers, acquiring 61 acres of property near downtown Las Vegas.

2002: Drought of 2002

In 2002, a drought prompted water conservation efforts. Consumption remained 30 percent greater than in Los Angeles, and over three times that of San Francisco metropolitan area residents.

2002: Installation of Replica Welcome Sign

In 2002, a replica of the Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas sign, standing nearly 16 feet tall, was installed within city limits.

2002: Start of Drought Concerns

In 2002, concerns about climate change arose in the wake of a drought, leading to efforts to reduce water consumption in Las Vegas.

2003: Daily Water Consumption Rate

In 2003, daily water consumption in Las Vegas was 314 US gallons per resident.

2004: Las Vegas Divorce Rates

According to a 2004 study, Las Vegas has one of the highest divorce rates, influenced by Nevada's nonrestrictive divorce requirements attracting couples seeking divorce.

2004: Announcement of Symphony Park

In 2004, Las Vegas Mayor Oscar Goodman announced that the area acquired in the land-swap deal would become home to Symphony Park.

July 19, 2005: Record Hot Daily Minimum

On July 19, 2005, the official record hot daily minimum was 95 °F (35 °C) in Las Vegas.

2005: World Market Center Opens

In 2005, the World Market Center, consisting of three large buildings, opened, providing space for furniture and furnishing industry trade shows.

December 17, 2008: Significant Snow Accumulation

On December 17, 2008, Las Vegas experienced a significant snow accumulation.

2008: EPA Grant for Environmental Analysis

In 2008, a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency grant funded a program that analyzed and forecast growth and environmental effects through 2019 in Las Vegas.

March 2010: RTC Launches Strip & Downtown Express

In March 2010, the RTC launched the Strip & Downtown Express, a bus rapid transit link with limited stops and frequent service connecting downtown Las Vegas, the Strip, and the Las Vegas Convention Center. Shortly after, the RTC dropped the ACE name.

2010: Las Vegas Segregation Levels

According to data from the 2010 United States census, Las Vegas had the second-lowest level of black-white segregation of any of the 100 largest U.S. metropolitan areas after Tucson, Arizona.

2010: Las Vegas Census Data

According to the 2010 Census, the city of Las Vegas had a population of 583,756.

2011: Las Vegas Valley Water Usage

The Las Vegas Valley used less water in 2011 than in 2014. Water conservation efforts after the 2002 drought had some success, but local water consumption remains high.

2012: The Year of Downtown

2012 was dubbed "The Year of Downtown" in Las Vegas due to the debut of several revitalization projects, including the Smith Center for the Performing Arts, the Discovery Children's Museum, the Mob Museum, and the Neon Museum.

February 2013: New Las Vegas City Hall Opens

In February 2013, city offices relocated to a new Las Vegas City Hall on Main Street downtown.

July 1, 2013: Record Hot Daily Minimum

On July 1, 2013, the official record hot daily minimum was 95 °F (35 °C) in Las Vegas.

2013: Zappos.com Moves to Downtown Las Vegas

In 2013, Zappos.com moved its headquarters to downtown Las Vegas.

2013: Clark County School District Statistics

In the 2013-2014 school year, the Clark County School District had 314,653 students in grades K-12.

2014: Increased Water Usage in Las Vegas Valley

In 2014, the Las Vegas Valley used 1.2 billion more gallons of water than in 2011, highlighting concerns about water conservation.

2014: Clark County School District Statistics

In the 2013-2014 school year, the Clark County School District had 314,653 students in grades K-12.

May 2015: Las Vegas North Premium Outlets Expansion

In May 2015, the Las Vegas North Premium Outlets completed its second expansion, bringing the total number of stores to 175.

December 25, 2015: Significant Snow Accumulation

On December 25, 2015, Las Vegas experienced a significant snow accumulation.

2015: Reduced Water Consumption Rate

By 2015, daily water consumption in Las Vegas had been reduced to around 205 US gallons per resident.

2015: City of Las Vegas Households Without a Car

In 2015, 10.2 percent of city of Las Vegas households were without a car, which increased slightly to 10.5 percent in 2016.

2016: Las Vegas Commuting Statistics

In 2016, 77.1 percent of working Las Vegas residents commuted by driving alone. About 4.3% of working Las Vegas residents worked at home, and Las Vegas averaged 1.63 cars per household.

2016: Destruction of Replica Welcome Sign

In 2016, the replica Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas sign was destroyed when a pickup truck crashed into it.

2017: Vegas Golden Knights Inaugural Season

In 2017, the Vegas Golden Knights began play as an expansion team in the National Hockey League (NHL).

2018: Installation of Giant Neon Showgirls

In 2018, a pair of giant neon showgirls were initially added as part of a welcome display north of the Strat.

2018: City Approves Plans for Neon Arches

In 2018, the city approved plans for a new gateway landmark in the form of neon arches.

February 18, 2019: Snow Accumulation in Las Vegas

On February 18, 2019, parts of Las Vegas received about 1 to 2 inches of snow.

2019: Las Vegas Household Statistics

From 2019 to 2023, Las Vegas had approximately 244,429 households, with an average of 2.63 persons per household.

2019: Las Vegas Commute Time

From 2019 to 2023, the mean travel time to work for residents aged 16 and older in Las Vegas was approximately 25.8 minutes.

2019: EPA Grant Program Completion

In 2019, a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency grant program analyzing growth and environmental effects in Las Vegas concluded.

2020: Las Vegas Census Data

According to the 2020 Census, the city of Las Vegas had 644,883 people living in 244,429 households.

2020: Opening of Circa Resort & Casino

In 2020, Circa Resort & Casino opened, becoming the first all-new hotel-casino to be built on Fremont Street since 1980.

2020: Clark County Census

In 2020, the Clark County Census counted 2,265,461 people. Approximately 1,030,000 people lived in unincorporated Clark County.

2020: Completion of Gateway Arches

In 2020, the Gateway Arches project, built by YESCO, was completed within city limits.

2022: Replacement of Neon Showgirls

In 2022, the original neon showgirls were replaced by new ones rising 50 feet tall.

2023: Las Vegas Visitor Statistics

As of 2023, Las Vegas hosts over 40.8 million visitors annually, making it one of the most visited cities in the United States and a global leader in the hospitality industry.