nevada history Archives

Andrew Jackson "Jack" Blackman Bank Club (Reno, NV) Casino History Casino, Gambling Saloon, Card Club, Slot Route Owners / Operators / Licensees / Gamblers Casinos / Gambling Saloons / Card Clubs / Slot Routes / Wire Services / Hotels / Racetracks / Racinos Crimes / Violence / Punishments: Shooting Folsom State Prison (CA) Gambling History Gaming History It Really Happened Law Enforcement / Judicial System: Lawsuit Nevada Reno--Nevada San Quentin State Prison (CA) Town House (Reno, NV) United States

Shakedown in Reno Escalates (Part 2)

1944-1945 The trial of Andrew Jackson “Jack” Blackman, free on $10,000 bail, began in April 1945, six months after he’d fatally shot James Lannigan in the Bank Club in Reno, Nevada. District Attorney Melvin E. Jepson, in…

Andrew Jackson "Jack" Blackman Bank Club (Reno, NV) Casino History Crimes / Violence / Punishments: Shooting Gambling History Gaming History It Really Happened Nevada Reno--Nevada Ta-Neva-Ho (Crystal Bay , NV) Town House (Reno, NV) United States Walter Parman

Shakedown in Reno Escalates (Part 1)

1944-1945 A thug’s confrontation of a casino owner on October 30, 1944 radically altered both of their lives. Andrew Jackson “Jack” Blackman, co-proprietor of the Town House gambling saloon* in Reno, left his business for…

Bartley "Bart" J. Smithson Casino History Crimes / Violence / Punishments: Murder / Killing Crimes / Violence / Punishments: Shooting Ely--Nevada Gambling History Gaming History It Really Happened Law Enforcement / Judicial System: Officer Herbert "Burt" D. Long Nevada Nevada State Prison (Carson City, NV) NV) Palace Club (Ely, NV) United States

Gambler Destroys the Peace … Officer

1932 At about 4:30 on a Sunday morning, a drunk Bartley “Bart” J. Smithson was target practicing in the Palace Club, shooting at a spittoon and a silver dollar with a 0.38 Smith & Wesson…

Casinos / Gambling Saloons / Card Clubs / Slot Routes / Wire Services / Hotels / Racetracks / Racinos Did You Know? Gambling History Gaming History Las Vegas--Nevada Nevada Quick Facts United States

Quick Fact - In Observance

1939 Las Vegas gambling houses and saloons were shut for three hours in observance of Good Friday, at the request of the local churches. It was the first time in the Nevada city’s history that such…

Casino History Charles Mapes Events: Daylight Saving Time Gambling History Gambling: Revenue Gaming History Harolds Club (Reno, NV) It Really Happened Mapes (Reno, NV) Nevada Politicians / Politics: NV Governor Vail Pittman Raymond "Pappy" I. Smith United States

Gamblers Oppose Daylight Saving Time

1949 Casino owners balked when the question of going on daylight saving time (DST) arose in Nevada in 1949. Gamblers’ Outcries Charles Mapes, owner of the Mapes hotel-casino in Reno, made a few arguments: •…

Boulder City--Nevada Casino History Casino: Openings F.J. Warren Gambling Gambling History Games / Races: 21 / Blackjack Games / Races: Bingo Games / Races: Craps Games / Races: Poker Games / Races: Roulette Games / Races: Slot Machines / Fruities Gaming History Henderson--Nevada It Really Happened Nevada O.T. Buck Railroad Pass Club (Henderson, NV) United States

Casino Entertains Hoover Dam Workers

1931 Twenty-six miles southeast of Las Vegas, the United States government, in 1931, developed Boulder City as the place to house men working on the Hoover Dam (originally Boulder Dam). The Bureau of Reclamation required…

Casino History Did You Know? Gambling History Gambling License Gaming History Las Vegas--Nevada Nevada Quick Facts Riviera (Las Vegas, NV) Tony Martin United States

Quick Fact - Application Red Flags

1960-1961 Singer Tony Martin applied for a gambling license to acquire a 2 percent interest for $50,000 ($410,000 today) in the Riviera hotel-casino in Las Vegas. Investigation into his background revealed he’d served two days…