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Description

A Unique View of Downtown Las Vegas on the Occasion of its 100th Birthday

The Historic Downtown Las Vegas Centennial Map was produced to celebrate the city's 100th anniversary from 1905 to 2005, highlighting important landmarks and locations that contributed to the development of Las Vegas.

This map adopts an illustrative and somewhat whimsical style, using bold colors and large white blocks and geometric shapes to guide the viewer through the landscape of historic downtown Las Vegas. The bird’s-eye view simplifies the geographic layout, focusing on key landmarks while providing historical context through numbered references.  

The map, produced the impressionist artist Vance "Pukuniahi" Cannon and illustrated by Adolfo R. Gonzalez, showcases key buildings and historic sites, many of which date back to the early 20th century. This vibrant, pictorial map offers a unique, illustrative view of the downtown area, focusing on Fremont Street, which became synonymous with early Las Vegas' rise as a gambling and entertainment hub.

Using the numbered key from the map, the following buildings are depicted across the top:

  1. Clark Town Site Auction - Where the city of Las Vegas was auctioned off in 1905 by the railroad company, marking the city's formal founding.
  2. Railroad Station - This was the central hub for the railroad, an important part of the town’s development in the early 20th century.
  3. Overland Hotel - Built in 1906, a historic hotel that was part of Las Vegas' early hospitality industry.
  4. Northern Club - The first licensed casino in Las Vegas, contributing to its reputation as a gambling destination.
  5. Pioneer Club - Established in 1940, another major gambling establishment.
  6. Las Vegas Pharmacy - A building with its hospital upstairs, representing the growth of public health services in the area.
  7. Arizona Club - One of the most elaborate bars on Block 16, a notorious district for saloons and gambling dens.
  8. First State Bank of Nevada - A symbol of the economic growth and formal financial institutions emerging in early Las Vegas.
  9. Las Vegas High School - A significant educational institution in the city’s early years, accredited as the first high school in Nevada.
  10. Railroad Cottages - Housing for early railroad workers, integral to the town's infrastructure.
  11. Las Vegas Grammar School & Clark County High School - The first accredited high school in Nevada, showcasing the city’s investment in education.
  12. Hotel Charleston - Another early hospitality building, reflecting the growth of tourism and accommodation in downtown Las Vegas.

Las Vegas was officially founded in 1905 when the San Pedro, Los Angeles, and Salt Lake Railroad auctioned off land, drawing settlers and businesses to the area. Its location, near a natural spring, made it an important stopover for travelers and railroads in the southwestern desert. However, it wasn't until Nevada legalized gambling in 1931 that Las Vegas began its transformation into the world-renowned gambling and entertainment city.

The construction of the Hoover Dam in the 1930s brought a surge of workers and, with them, the need for recreation and gambling, further solidifying Las Vegas' economic base. The dam also provided the city with a steady water and electricity supply, facilitating further growth. By the 1940s, Las Vegas had become a hub for gambling, hotels, and entertainment, a reputation bolstered by the development of Fremont Street and major casinos like the Golden Nugget.