212 Talking Las Vegas Preservation
In this podcast, Mark Anthony gets a chance to talk Vegas preservation with Dr Heidi Swank and Michelle Larime from the Nevada Preservation Foundation.
People are often surprised to find that Las Vegas has a culture and it has significant architecture on and off the famed Strip. In fact, some of the most famous names in design were hired to design some of the most famous casinos in Las Vegas history. So while they were designing the casinos, the owners, managers and other important people had their homes designed by the same architect. That inspired the new and grown neighborhoods to develop around those designs and designers.
By most standards, Las Vegas is a relatively young town. The Nevada Preservation Foundation is the brainchild of Dr Swank and is at the beginning stages of trying to identify, highlight, and preserve some of those important homes and neighborhoods in Las Vegas. They just completed a wildly successful Vegas Vintage Home & History tour that included an opportunity to tour the apartment of Las Vegas casino pioneer Jackie Gaughan!
The fact that most people don’t remember or never realized that for most of Las Vegas history, it was a small town. We developed over time in no special order. Unlike other now major cities, we did not segregate by ethnic backgrounds. Instead, it was a patchwork of small communities building outward from downtown as developers bought and built large parcels. The residents were based more on their profession or occupation.
Mark and Debbie talk a little about Vegas news: The rebranding of the Monte Carlo. MGM’s insane policy to pay to park except for locals and big spenders. The announcement that it’s 99% a done deal that Las Vegas will have a NHL hockey team in the 2017/2018 season. NHL league meetings are here in Las Vegas this week and they will make the final vote. Plus the closing of some Downtown landmarks as well as the implosion of the Riviera.
Take a listen and leave us your comments and questions.
Dr Swank’s Q & A
Favorite Show: Penn & Teller
Hidden Gem: The Underground House
Movie: Casino
Michelle Larime’s Q & A
Favorite Movie: Casino
Enjoy,
Mark Anthony
- Nevada Preservation Website
- The Mob Museum
- Clark County Museum
- Lied Special Collections
- Vegas Architecture in the movie Oceans Eleven
