History

On April 12th 1981, Joe Louis passed away in Las Vegas. Born in Lafayette, Alabama, in 1914, Joe and his family moved away from the discrimination they encountered when he was still young to […]

Margaret Wheat (1908-1988) was a self-taught geologist and anthropologist with a special interest in ichthyosaurs – the Nevada State fossil.
Born to pioneer parents in Fallon, NV., she went on to study at the University of Nevada, Reno. Her field work experiences ranged from U.S. Geological Survey work to protecting […]

By mid April in 1933 the two cofferdams that kept the waters of the Colorado River at bay during the construction work on Boulder Dam, now Hoover Dam, were complete.

Diversion tunnels had been excavated to take the course […]

The museum would like to say thank you to local experts who participated in updating our Geologic Story exhibit in the permanent gallery.

Reaching out to experts within our community provides opportunities for long lasting partnerships and benefits the museum in many […]

On April 4th 1955 the newly renamed Hotel New Frontier opened its doors after a major refurbishment. Located opposite where the Encore now stands, it had originally opened as the Last Frontier on Highway 91 a year, where once the Pair O’Dice had sat.
Its […]

On April 3rd 1941, the El Rancho Vegas opened on Highway 91, (opposite today’s Sahara Hotel and Casino) on what was to become the Las Vegas Strip; the first large successful hotel and casino operation outside of downtown Las Vegas.

The El Rancho […]

Polly Gonzalez was the first Latina evening news anchor in Nevada.  she died March 28th 2005 in a car crash on the way to look at the desert wildflowers of Death Valley. Her two young daughters survived the accident.

Born […]

Sarah Winnemucca was born around 1844 in what is now Nevada, to Chief Winnemucca of the Paiutes. Her grandfather was Chief Truckee, leader of the Paiute nation, and he influenced her early upbringing and education. By the time she […]

Lilly Fong (1925-2002) nee Hing, was a champion for education throughout her lifetime. Lilly’s deep-rooted belief in education stemmed from her childhood, instilled by her parents.  Her father was known to quote the teachings of Confucius as he agreed that ‘education was the equalizer of […]

Sarann Knight Preddy (1920-2014) was an entrepreneur, civil rights activist, and the first black woman to receive a gaming license in Nevada.  In 1950, she and her husband moved to Hawthorne, Nevada where she received her […]