nevada history Archives

Cal-Neva Lodge (Lake Tahoe, NV) California Casino History Crystal Bay--Nevada Did You Know? Gambling History Gaming History Lake Tahoe--Nevada Nevada Publicity Stunts / Promotions / Advertisements Quick Facts United States Will Rogers

Quick Fact - "Castle in the Sky"

1938 To draw guests, a 1938 newspaper ad for the new casino resort at Lake Tahoe in Crystal Bay touted the cinematic history of the land. It read, “All America enjoyed the beloved Will Rogers…

Casino History Casino: Openings Did You Know? Gambling Gambling History Games / Races: Craps Games / Races: Keno Games / Races: Roulette Games / Races: Slot Machines / Fruities Games / Races: Slot Machines / Fruities: Big Berthas Gaming History Nevada Quick Facts Reno--Nevada Silver Spur (Reno, NV) United States

Quick Fact - Spurring On Business

1968 During the grand opening of the Silver Spur casino at 221 N. Virginia Street, Reno, Nevada on July 1, 1968, the ribbon was cut with a silver spur that Audie Murphy used in the…

Casino History Casino: Corporations: Pyramid Securities Inc. Gambling History Gambling License Games / Races: 21 / Blackjack Games / Races: Craps Games / Races: Roulette Games / Races: Slot Machines / Fruities Gaming History Governing / Regulatory Bodies: Nevada Tax Commission Governing / Regulatory Bodies: Reno City Council (NV) It Really Happened Nevada Oak Room (Reno, NV) Politicians / Politics: Kefauver Committee Pyramid Securities Inc: Carl Inskeep Pyramid Securities Inc: Emmett Shea Pyramid Securities Inc: H.M. Hicks Pyramid Securities Inc: Joe Caulk Reno--Nevada United States

Games of Chance Appropriate in Bus Depot?

1951 Prior to the July grand opening of the new Greyhound Lines Inc. bus terminal at 224 S. Center Street in Reno, Pyramid Securities Inc. applied for a gambling license and permission to offer games…

Boxers / Fight Promoters: Edward "Gunboat" Smith Casino (Reno, NV) Casino History Crimes / Violence / Punishments: Robbery / Theft / Embezzling Did You Know? Gambling History Gaming History Law Enforcement / Judicial System: Reno Police Department--Nevada Nevada Quick Facts Reno--Nevada

Quick Fact - Questions of Identity

1923 A new man in town was thought to be the famous Irish American boxer Edward “Gunboat” Smith. But when the City of Reno police arrested him as a suspect in a $310 ($4,500 today)…

Avi Resort & Casino (Laughlin, NV) Did You Know? Gambling History Gaming History Laughlin--Nevada Nevada Quick Facts United States

Quick Fact - Aptly Named

1995-Today The casino name, Avi, translates into “money” or “loose change” in the language of the Mojave tribe, whose members own it. Uniquely located geographically, Avi Resort & Casino is on the Fort Mojave Reservation,…

Benjamin "Bugsy" Siegel Casino History Casino: Openings Did You Know? Flamingo (Las Vegas, NV) Gambling History Gaming History Jimmy Durante Las Vegas--Nevada Nevada Quick Facts United States

Quick Fact - Holiday Season Launch

1946 Which famous hotel-casino debuted in Las Vegas, Nevada the day after Christmas in this year? Hint: Jimmy Durante was the grand opening star; while on stage he destroyed a $1,600 piano (a $20,000 value…

Casino History Crimes / Violence / Punishments: Poisoning Crimes / Violence / Punishments: Robbery / Theft / Embezzling Gambling History Gaming History Illinois State Penitentiary (Joliet, IL) It Really Happened Nevada Nevada State Prison (Carson City, NV) Reno--Nevada United States

Wily Desperado Falls Short on Crime Execution

1943-1949 Two acquaintances were having a drink at a Reno casino bar — Miles T. Ellis, 47, a tourist, and Anthony Swiderski, 52, a local chef in the Northern Nevada town. At an opportune moment,…

Barn Club (Reno, NV) Casino History Casino: Openings Crimes / Violence / Punishments: Robbery / Theft / Embezzling Events: World War II Folsom State Prison (CA) Gambling Gambling History Gambling License Gaming History Harrah's (Reno, NV) Irving Cowan It Really Happened Jack Fugitt Joseph Scrivani Larry Tripp Louis "Lou" Wertheimer Nevada Northern Club (Reno, NV) Otell "Mike" Micheletti Reno--Nevada United States Walter Oswald William Lawrence Hunger aka Larry Brady

Criminals, Money Problems Plague Reno Casino

1940-1943 The Barn Club casino’s existence during World War II was rocky and, therefore, cut short. It began in December 1940, when Jack Fugitt, an entertainment machine business owner, and Walter Oswald, assumed the lease…

Casino History Casino: Openings Did You Know? Gambling History Gaming History Nevada Quick Facts Sonoma Inn (Winnemucca, NV) United States Winnemucca--Nevada Winners Inn and Casino (Winnemucca, NV)

Quick Fact - "Fun, Play and Gaiety"

1947 The Sonoma Inn hotel-casino debuted on May 27, 1947 at 185 W. Winnemucca Boulevard in Winnemucca in Northwestern Nevada, about halfway between Reno and Wells, likely named after the nearby Sonoma Range mountains. In…

Casino History Gambling History Games / Races: Contests Gaming History Hacienda (Las Vegas, NV) It Really Happened Las Vegas--Nevada Law Enforcement / Judicial System: Nevada Supreme Court Nevada Publicity Stunts / Promotions / Advertisements United States

Vegas Casino Welshes on Paying Out

1958-1961 The Hacienda in Las Vegas, Nevada held an ongoing promotional contest at its golf course, which was widely advertised, even on the back of the postcard above. Participants would pay 50 cents (about $4.25 today) per…

Cal-Neva Lodge (Lake Tahoe, NV) Casino History Crystal Bay--Nevada Did You Know? Elmer "Bones" F. Remmer Gambling History Gaming History Judy Garland Lake Tahoe--Nevada Nevada Quick Facts The Garland Sisters United States

Quick Fact - Casino Discovery

1935 Singer and actress Judy Garland (neé Frances Ethel Gumm) was discovered while headlining with her two older sisters at the Cal-Neva Lodge at Lake Tahoe in Nevada. Theatrical agent Al Rosen was in the…

Benjamin "Bugsy" Siegel Casino History Did You Know? Divorce / Annulment Gambling History Nevada Quick Facts Reno--Nevada United States

Quick Fact - So Done

1946 Mobster Benjamin “Bugsy” Siegel’s wife, Esta (née Esther Krakower) filed for divorce in Reno, Nevada after 17 years of marriage. The two had wed when she was 18 and he was 23. In the…

Casino History Gambling History Gambling: Dealers Gambling: Topless Games / Races: 21 / Blackjack Gaming History Governing / Regulatory Bodies: Nevada Gaming Control Board Holiday Hotel (Reno, NV) It Really Happened Law Enforcement / Judicial System: Nevada Attorney General Harvey Dickerson Nevada North Las Vegas--Nevada Silver Nugget (North Las Vegas, NV) United States

Topless Dealers: Brainchild of Nevada Casino

1966 The Silver Nugget casino announced it would debut topless, female, 21 (blackjack) dealers during the midnight to 8 a.m. shift. This, too, was the gist of the complaints the Nevada attorney general (A.G.) received…

Casino History Did You Know? Gambling History Gaming History Harolds Club (Reno, NV) Nevada Quick Facts Reno--Nevada United States

Quick Fact - Out of Thin Air

1964 When dealer Lue Dennis exited her work, Harolds Club casino, a man descended and hit the pavement in front of her. Reno resident, John Nahirney, age 79, had fallen from the Nevada casino’s fire…

Aladdin Resort & Casino (Las Vegas, NV) Casino History Crimes / Violence / Punishments: Cheating / Fleecing Did You Know? Gambling History Gambling: Junkets Gaming History Las Vegas--Nevada Nevada Quick Facts United States

Quick Fact - Casino Swindlers

1974 It was a successful scam that cheated the Aladdin Resort and Casino out of about $250,000 (about $1.2 million today) … while it lasted. Four men had some friends take junkets to the Las Vegas…

Benjamin "Bugsy" Siegel Casino History Crimes / Violence / Punishments: Tax Evasion Desert Inn (Las Vegas, NV) Flamingo (Las Vegas, NV) Gambling Gambling History Gambling Laws / Regulations: U.S. Revenue Act of 1951 Gambling License Gaming History Moe Dalitz Nevada Politicians / Politics: Kefauver Committee Politicians / Politics: Kefauver Committee: Contempt of Congress Politicians / Politics: U.S. Senator (NV) Patrick "Pat" A. McCarran Pro-Gambling Efforts Salvatore "Sam" Maceo United States

Despite Ridicule, Nevada Politician Protects Gambling

1933-1954 His unfavorable personal opinion about gambling notwithstanding, Patrick “Pat” A. McCarran (D-Nev.) — U.S. Senator between 1933 and 1954 — acted repeatedly on the industry’s behalf. Had he not, it’s likely gaming wouldn’t have…