Florida Archives

Calvin Kovens Carousel Casino (Las Vegas, NV) Casino History Casino: Financings: Teamsters Pension Fund: James "Jimmy" R. Hoffa Crimes / Violence / Punishments: Fraud Ethnic Groups: Jewish Americans Federal Prison Camp, Elgin (Fla.) Florida Gambling History Gaming History Incline Village--Nevada It Really Happened Miami--Florida Nevada Politicians / Politics: Richard Nixon The Sierra Tahoe (Incline Village, NV) U.S. Penitentiary, Lewisburg (Pa.) United States

Hotel-Casino Landlord, President Nixon Transact Win-Win Deal

1924-1995 A Miami, Florida businessman and convicted felon, involved with at least one Nevada casino in the 1960s, later got special consideration from President Richard M. Nixon. Gambling History Calvin Kovens bought The Sierra Tahoe…

Casino History Florida Gambling History Games / Races: Policy / Numbers Gaming History It Really Happened New York--New York United States Washington

Wacky Gambling News From the 1930s, 1940s

“Pigeon Jailed for Gambling” New York, May 29, 1941 Two New York Police Department plainclothesmen arrested a pigeon that then was forced to spend the night in the Bronx police station. Five other such birds,…

Casino History Florida Gambling History Gambling Laws / Regulations: FL Slot Machines Law, 1935 Games / Races: Craps Games / Races: Roulette Games / Races: Slot Machines / Fruities Gaming History It Really Happened Miami--Florida Myrton "Mert" C. Wertheimer Royal Palm Club (Miami, FL) United States

Gambler Adds Device to Get Roulette, Craps Defined as Slot Machines

1937 After Florida legalized slot machines in 1935, casino operator Myrton “Mert” Wertheimer, 53, devised a way to also get craps and roulette, unlawful at the time, allowed under the new rule. (Previously, only dog…

Alfred "Al" J. Wertheimer Aniwa Club (Detroit, MI) Bernard "Mooney" Einstoss Bonanza Club (Reno, NV) California Casino History Cathedral City--California Cheboygan--Michigan Chesterfield Club (Detroit, MI) Chesterfield Syndicate (Detroit, MI) Cleveland--Ohio Clover Club (West Hollywood, CA) Colonial Billiard Parlor (Detroit, MI) Colonial House (Palm Springs, CA) Colonial Inn (Hallandale Beach, FL) Crimes / Violence / Punishments: Gambling Daniel "Danny" W. Sullivan Detroit--Michigan Dunes (Cathedral City, CA) Florida Frank Grannis Gambling Gambling History Gaming History Hallandale Beach--Florida It Really Happened Julian "Potatoes" Kaufman Kaufman's Plantation (Hallandale Beach, FL) Leo Kind Lincoln Fitzgerald Louis "Lou" Wertheimer Mapes (Reno, NV) Meyer Lansky Miami--Florida Michigan Model Billiard & Bowling Parlor (Cheboygan, MI) Monte Carlo (Detroit, MI) Myrton "Mert" C. Wertheimer Nevada Nevada Club (Reno, NV) New Cheboygan Billiard & Pool Hall (Cheboygan, MI) Ohio Palm Springs--California Park Avenue Health Club (Detroit, MI) Purple Gang Raymond Reuben "Ruby" Mathis Reno--Nevada Riverside Hotel (Reno, NV) Robbin and Robbin / Robbins' Nevada Club Royal Palm Club (Miami, FL) Shawnee Club (Cleveland, OH) United States Vincent "Jimmy Blue Eyes" Alo West Hollywood--California

Three Brothers Build Legacy in 20th Century U.S. Gambling

1907-1958 Wertheimer was their name. Three of these four Michigan-born brothers became full-fledged, successful gambling operators in the first half of the 1900s, their reach spanning five states: Michigan, Ohio, Florida, California and Nevada. “As…

Club 86 (Miami, FL) Florida Gambling Games / Races: Chemin de Fer Games / Races: Chuck-a-luck Games / Races: Craps Games / Races: Roulette It Really Happened

Swanky Miami Casino-Fortress

1945-1950 Although gambling was illegal in Miami, Florida, in the 1940s, one lavish casino operated there for five years with the blessing of the local sheriff. Club 86, on Biscayne Boulevard, which belonged to local…