It is listed as a ghost town, which is not entirely true. On a recent visit I encountered several businesses, a trailer park and an antique store. The town is about 45 minutes drive from Las Vegas going south on the 95. Don’t miss the turn off. At one time it had one of the richest gold mines in the entire state. The mine is open for visitation. The strange thing here are the acres and acres of old cars, busses, planes trucks machines and machine parts that are scattered all over the desert. I can’t deny it, it has a certain fascination. Don’t visit in the summer unless you like heat. A couple of miles through the town you get to the old location of “Nelson’s Landing” That entire town wound up in the Colorado Rive as a result of a flash flood. The trailer folks were warned over and over about it. But how can you beat rent free living? http://www.lasvegasvisitor.com
Primm
The town of Primm is about 45 miles south of Ls Vegas. It straddles the I-15.To me it is a bit down at the heels, but I could be wrong. The big attraction here is the fact that a part of the town is actually in the state of California. It was formerly known as “Stateline”. People flock to this place from Las Vegas to buy State of California lottery tickets. Especially when the prize goes up to a billion dollars or more. Other than that there is not much to recommend it. Have you ever bought a lottery ticket in Primm? http://www.lasvegasvisitor.com http://www.primmnevada.net
We take pride in supporting our local artist community. This expensive space is a donation. We have three books this month. They are: Nevada a Strange State, Silveropolis and The Great Lake Mead Eater Caper. All roceeds go to the artists, the books are on Amazon and we thank you for your help.
The Big Wheel
Some casinos have it, others do not. Regardless, stay away from it. Unless you have extra money and want to get rid of it quickly. It is a luck based game and has no relation at all to skill based gambling. The house holds up to 20% on that game. When I say “hold” it means the house “makes” that much on certain bets. Would you still play it after you have read this? Let us know. http://www.lasvegasvisitor.com
Why Roulette Wheels are a Lousy Deal in Las Vegas
Let me cut right to the chase. I made a bold statement, but with a reason. Las Vegas roulette wheels have a zero and a double zero. European wheels have just one zero. Just that one additional number makes a huge difference. Here are the facts. Roulette wheels have 36 numbers. That makes the odds of winning 36-1. Here comes that European zero. Now the odds of winning are 37 -1. That, normally, is the house margin or advantage. Here is the Las Vegas wheel, now the odds are 38 – 1 . It’s greed, pure and simple. Do you think so too? Let us know. http://www.lasvegasvisitor.com
Be a Better Crap Shooter
take this advice from a guy who has been stalking the gambling halls of Reno, Henderson, Fernley,, Elko and Las Vegas for many, many years. The gambling bosses won’t like what I have say about it. This may not make you a huge winner overnight. Get that out of your head right from the start. But, your money will last longer, you will be happy in the knowledge that you know the ins and outs of the game of craps, as opposed to that sucker at the other end of the lay-out who is throwing his money down the drain. The gambling odds on a crap table are immutable. There is no legal way to change them. This is not a gambling book, just a short, concise lesson of what not to and what you absolutely do need to do. The first lesson is, never play the field, never play the big 6 or big 8, never play the proposition bets. .Sure, you may get lucky, it is gambling , but the odds are against you. Some of those bets take as much as twenty percent of your money. Talk about lousy. Here is what to do at all times. Always make line bets on the come out roll , always make come bets or place bets. Always take full odds. As much as is offered and as much as you can afford. Betting that way you can shave the house advantage down to as little as one quarter of one percent. Again, you may not win, few people do, but your stake will last longer. One more thing, never drink alcohol while gambling. The house has a good reason to give away free booze. Think about it. Now I want your opinion. Call me an idiot, or call me a saint. Years ago, in the fifties, before my time a crap shooter held the dice at Binion’s Horseshoe for several weeks. Crowds would gather to watch him play. Day after day he would win until he ran up his stake to $250 000, a huge fortune in those days. Benny Binion challenged him for all his money on one cut of the card deck..The gambler lost all of his money on that one card. http://www.lasvegasvisitor.com
Oatman
It is a trip into our mining past. And our driving past. The reason I say that is because this town straddles the old Route 66, the “Mother Road”. And it straddles it at one of the worst sections, steep and narrow. Oh, how those Old Timers must have felt in their cars, or perhaps horse drawn wagons, when they had their first glimpse of this section of the 66. Sure, there were worse, like the “Bajada” in New Mexico. But this part is no slouch either. Oatman is almost entirely constructed with wooden buildings, most of them still in use, it sits in a narrow canyon with unbearable summer heat. The old mining portals are open for visitation, the old jail is still around. Just like in the movies. Donkeys roam freely. It sets you back in time with a feeling of a time warp. It is not in Nevada at all, rather it is in Arizona. To get there drive over to Kingman, another old mining town, famous for “Kingman Turquoise” From there drop down on the Route 66. I is a narrow road, full of rocks and twists. It prepares you for the adventures that lie ahead. I would love to hear from you, what you think of this trip. Mileage (approximately) 25 miles from the strip to Hoover Dam, about 80 miles from there to Kingman (all very good roads) from kingman just a few miles to Oatman. Once done with your sightseeing you can continue on down the hill, drop down to the Colorado, and drive back to Las Vegas from there. Those are mostly good, paved roads. It is very important that you give us your opinion. http://www.lasvegasvisitor.com,
We are very interested in helping local artists. This month we feature three books. They are: Nevada a Strange State, Silveropolis and The Great Lake Mead Water Caper. They are available on Amazon, and all proceeds will go to the artist. We donate this expensive space, and we thank you for your help.
Hoover Dam
I am not exaggerating when I call it a modern marvel. Go ahead and visit, tell me if I am right. The best part is it can be visited in less than a day, and that includes a leisurely lunch in the town that was specially built for the workers that built the dam. I am talking about Boulder City. It pretty much looks the same as it did almost a hundred years ago.Getting back to Hoover Dam. It is about twenty five miles south of the strip, built in 1930 – 1936. A marvel of engineering. What makes it even more amazing that at that time there was nothing in that part of Nevada, not even a telephone or electric line. Everything had to be built from scratch, in the middle of nowhere, during the depression. It created one of the largest artificial lakes in the world. Lake mead extends over 115 miles. Hoover Dam is 720 feet high, and contains 4,400 000 cubic yards of concrete, enough to build a road from coast to coast. A very nice half day trip will take you to the lake and to the dam. The bridge that was built to shorten the trip to Arizona is over 1 000 feet above the Colorado River. In other words it is 300 feet above the dam. Get a nice specialty coffee at the Boulder City Company store, pick up a t shirt, or a book by local authors. I recommend “Nevada a Strange State”. Also available at rkmarketing@embarqmail.com, http://www.bouldercitycompanystore.com, http://www.lasvegasvisitor.com
We are very engaged in helping local artists, this expensive space is a donation. This month we have three books that are nice. They are: Nevada a Strange State, Silveropolis, and The Great Lake Mead Water Caper. Buy them on Amazon. All proceeds go to the artist.
The Valley of Fire State Park
This park is about one hundred miles one way north of the strip. I strongly recommend a visit, provided you have the time. Everything inside the park is red, all the rocks, the dirt, everything. It is the reason it was named the Valley of Fire. It is the oldest Nevada state park. It has a rock formation resembling an elephant. It boasts a real nice visitors center. It has camping and hiking available in abundance.The remains of a small building erected by the WPA( Works Progress Administration) are still around. And plenty of Indian symbols scratched into the rocks. I love that place, and I hope you do too. Let us know http://www.travelnevada.com , http://www.lasvegasvisitor.com
We want to help local artists. This expensive space is a donation. We have three books by a local author. They are: Nevada a Strange State, Silveropolis and The Great Lake Mead Water Caper. All proceeds will go to the author. They can be purchased on Amazon.
A German Beauty, a German Coffee King, Elizabeth Taylor, and a Million Dollar Diamond Ring.
Who can ask for more? All that mystery happened at the Spring Mountain Ranch. It is located at the Spring Mountain State Park. That park is so easy to get to it is ridiculous. It is almost withing the Las Vegas City limits. Just drive east on Charleston Blvd. and it automatically runs into the the state park. I mentioned a German beauty. I am talking about Vera Krupp. She was married to Alfred Krupp, the German coffee king. She was tired of him, bought the Spring Mountain Ranch, and settled in to a life as a rancher. Mr. Krupp gave her a diamond ring worth about $350 000. (in 1945 or so). When she passed, Richard Burton, the actor , bought the ring in an estate sale and gifted it to his wife, Elizabeth Taylor. The Krupp ranch is still there, fully furnished as it was way back. It is now a museum, and open to the public. This is real close to the strip and worth a visit. Let me know if you liked your visit. The canyon also has a lot of wild burros and horses. And tons of hiking trails. http://www.redrockcanyon.org, http://www.thyssenkrupp.com, http://www.lasvegasvisitor.com
We try to support the arts as much as possible, this expensive space is a donation for example. We have three books on the list and all proceeds will go to the artist. They are: Nevada a Strange State, Silveropolis and The Great Lake Mead Water Caper. You can buy them on Amazon.
Three Ways to visit the Grand Canyon
This is a real surprise for many visitors to Las Vegas. Most of them, or perhaps I should say, all of them, have heard of the South Rim. But there also are the West Rim and and the North Rim. Let me explain the difference. Let me start with the closest to Las Vegas. It is the West Rim. A visit to that rim can be done in one day. I did not check the actual distance, but I think it may be around one hundred miles one way. On the road there you will be able to visit the historic Grand Canyon Ranch. The West Rim is owned and operated by a Native American tribe. It asks for an access fee to its land. I do not blame them, it is hard to make a living in a dry and forbidding land. But, in exchange for that fee it offers a lot of amenities in return. There is that famous SKYWALK. Walk out on a glass bottom viewing platform and you will be about 2 000 feet above the Grand Canyon. The next closest rim is the South Rim. That one has a lot to see and do, but it is about 285 miles one way from Las Vegas. Not doable in one day. Then you have the North Rim. For a visit to that one you first have to get over to Moab, Utah, and take the road from there. It goes up and up and up. To about 8 000 feet. It is a long drive through mostly brush country until you hit the tree line. I recommend at least three days for that trip. Let me know if you have visited that rim and what you think of the trip. It is a lot of driving. I still think that for a quick trip to the canyon, the West Rim is a good choice. The image is of the Skywalk at the West Rim. http://www.grandcanyontours.com, http://www.grandcanyonwest.com
We are very interested in helping local artists. This expensive space is a donation. We are promoting three books this month. They are: Nevada a Strange State, Silveropolis and The Great Lake Mead Water Caper. All proceeds will got to the artist. The books are on Amazon and we thank you.
Boulder City, a short trip takes you back to 1933
This is the rarest of the rare, a company town planned and built by the federal governmental. It went so far as to hire a Dutch landscape architect to get it right. All that for a project that was to be demolished as soon as the dam was built. Talk about picturesque. Just twenty miles south from the strip and you find yourself in a different world. Old time bars, cozy cafes, old world dining options, several brew pubs. Here is a small town of about 15 000 inhabitants. It is easy to walk. Karaoke is the thing here, and dining. Speaking about karaoke. At times there are three or four different venues competing for karaoke patrons. I myself do my thing here. I keep it exotic with “One Night in Bangkok”, “Bei mir bist du Schoen” and other eclectic selections. More often than not Johnny Cash or Don Williams are on the schedule. Fun is guaranteed. The Boulder City crowd is very laid back. Never a bar fight. I like to suggest a visit to the Boulder City Company Store. It is the original store as it existed in 1933 or so, but with updated merchandise. Nice shirts, gorgeous perfume, cute music boxes, and even Hoover Dam socks. Excellent coffee and pastries, always fresh. We have one bar that will give you a beer for free any time the sun don’t shine. It happens to be next door to the aforementioned store. Try to top that, Las Vegas. I want to wager that “Barbie Girl” will be prominent for the next few weeks. One more thing, Boulder City is the ideal stop over for visitors of Hoover Dam. The dam is actually only five miles south of the town. https://www.bouldercitychamber.com https://www.facebook.com/theHooverDam/ https://www.facebook.com/bigtscantina/
We support local artists. This expensive space is a donation. Three books are on our list for this month. They are: Nevada a Strange State, Silveropolis and The Great Lake Mead water Caper. All proceeds go to the artist, we thank you, and the books are on Amazon.
Las Vegas Traffic
Our roads are good to excellent. It is one mans opinion, I could be wrong, but I am standing firm on it. A recent survey by the U.S. Department of Transportation declared Nevada roads to be the best in the U.S. They need to be, we need to accommodate all those tourists. Bout 40 million of the at last count. It could be more, it should be more. The only troublesome stretch could be the I-15 between the Cactus off/on ramps and the Rancho Drive on/off ramps. That stretch of highway can be avoided by using either the Dean Martin Drive or the Frank Sinatra Dr. Those two act as frontage roads. I use them all the time. On the other hand, if you are a tourist and it is your first time in Las Vegas I recommend using Las Vegas Blvd. instead of the freeway. There is lots to see. But be prepared for lots of traffic. But slow traffic is an opportunity to see all those hotels and their attractions .I bet you have an opinion about it. Let us know, yell all you want. Tell me how wrong I am.
Just the Facts, man!
There are a lot of websites giving Vegas information, but one of the most comprehensive and reliable sources is the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors authority, LVCVA.com. On this site you will find not only a wealth of information for tourists coming to enjoy all Vegas has to offer, but also information on conventions for the business traveler and organizations planning conventions large and small. They have a comprehensive listing of all the show and events going on, as well as lists for perennial favorite sites and activities throughout the area.
The local city websites also Have some good information about special events. The city of Henderson has special events throughout the year at its Water Street Plaza. The City of Las Vegas has information on its attractions such as the Arts District and the Fremont Street Experience,and information about the city’s history. Clark County’s website has a whole section on the local parks, museums, and outdoors activities for visitors to enjoy.
Battista’s Hole In The Wall – History and Atmosphere
This restaurant is the real deal if you want to experience old time Las Vegas. It opened in 1970, around the era that was so convincingly portrayed in the movie “Casino”. The walls are lines with history, with autographed photos of the many big stars who have enjoyed meals there throughout the decades. The menu is classic Italian. and when you order a meal, you get a meal — with salad and bread included and, best of all, bottomless Italian wine, all at a reasonable price unlike the celebrity-chef joints in the casinos. This is a Vegas experience you truly should not miss. Check it out at battistaslasvegas.com.
We pride ourselves in supporting local artist. This expensive space is a donation. We have three books this month to offer for purchase. They are: Nevada a Strange State, Silveropolis and The Great Lake Mead Water Caper. All proceeds will go to the artist. The books are available on Amazon.
Resorts World Parking and Dining
I live close to Vegas, been here many years. I mostly agree except for Resorts World. Let me start with the parking. I know, it is not dining, but whoever designed the parking garage placement must not be familiar with the climate around here. Why force your customers to walk through fair weather or foul to get to the casino. Every hotel I know of has the parking garage as part of the main building. Not the Resorts idiots. Other than that is the dining options. A lot of the restaurants feature Asian dishes. That is fine and well. But good old American, Mediterranean would be nice also. Then you submit your order electronically. No wait staff. You are not sure what you will get. Then you look for a seating opportunity. There may be one or, if busy, there maybe none. There you are, food in hand, on a foam plate, wetting your pants. Crazy. There are dinner places also. But they are not open during the daytime. To me it is not what I like. I want to sit down, have someone take my order, the usual routine. The food is more like street food, like food truck food. Good enough, but not priced like food truck food. I have the distinct impression the owners/designers tried to transfer a far east hotel to the Vegas strip. They are late to the dance, it has been tried before. Vegas has seen most of it , found it wanting, and just blew it up. I hope it does not happen here. The best part is actually those three Hilton branded hotels that are integrated with the casino itself.,http://www.rwlasvegas.com.. :http://www.lasvegasvisitor.com
We are totally committed to supporting local artists. This expernsive space is a donation. We have three books on out list for this month. They are: Nevada a Strange State, Silveropolis, The Great Lake Mead Water Caper. All sales proceeds will go to the artist. The books are on Amazon. We thank tou and the artist thanks you.
An Ode to Old Vegas
A paean to the old days, by Boulder Betsy.
O Vegas, what’s become of you?
Alas, the bean counters now rule…
A new hotel with even more outrageous dimensions
How does this sound to you folks? 3,640 rooms, 174,000 square feet of casino space, 283,000 square feet of convention space, 2,000 slot machines, 212 table games, a theater of 6,265 square feet, a 5 acre pool and park complex, a music museum with 86,000 exhibits, and, to top it all off, a new hotel tower in the shape of a guitar. Is all of that large enough for you folks? It all will be constructed no sooner than 2024 by the Hard Rock Hotel group, which is owned by the Seminole Tribe of Florida. I know they can afford anything they want. Why? They own the only gambling places in Florida, on tribal land. And, by the way, it is the only , repeat only, native American tribe that was never defeated and never signed a peace treaty with the U.S. Osceola died a long time ago (1838), and a lot of them were deported to Oklahoma Territory, but the few in Florida kept going, until, finally, the U.S. caved and left them be. (Image: Hard Rock International) http://www.lasvegasvisitor.com, http://www.hardrock.com
We are very interested in helping local artists, and this expensive space is a donation. We have three interesting books for this month. They are:Nevada a Strange State, Silveropolis and The Great Lake Mead Water Caper. They are available on Amazon. Every penny from a book sale will go to the artist. We thank you for your help.
One casino falls as another rises
This photo shows the remaining rubble of what once was the Fiesta. Once a locals’ favorite, the Fiesta closed when the pandemic hit and never reopened. Bit by bit over the last few months the building was demolished, first the casino itself was removed, then the cladding from the high-rise hotel, and then, bit by bit, the concrete structure of the hotel was taken down starting at one end. Yesterday even the piles of concrete rubble had been removed and all that was left was the blue dumpsters. A few miles down I 215, the Durango resort is well on its way to completion.It is owned by the same company that was the owner of the Fiesta.
Best show in town?
Taylor Swift’s upcoming show in 2023 had a big fiasco when Ticketmaster reserved tickets for about 3.5 million fans for presale. Last I heard, Allegiant Stadium holds about 70,000 people. I think this qualifies as the hottest upcoming show in Las Vegas. What do you consider the must-see shows coming to Las Vegas this year? (Photo Cosmopolitan UK, CC BY 3.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0, via Wikimedia Commons) http://www.lasvegasvisitor.com
Someone dropped a big ball in the middle of town
About a month ago I was driving north on the Strip and turned right on Sands. This is what I saw in front of me, and I was a little taken aback. The MSG Sphere is an entertainment venue that has been under construction for about four years now but was delayed because of the pandemic. But here’s a very odd fact. I was looking at the historic aerials for that site, and right in the same place where the sphere is now, there used to be another circular building with about the same footprint. It was in the middle of an apartment complex, and although I lived right down the street, I don’t remember the complex. But I think it’s very interesting that the Sphere is replacing a round building that was practically in the same place that disappeared years ago. (Featured photo credit: SounderBruce, CC BY-SA 4.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0, via Wikimedia Commons)
Paid parking, ugh!
Until now, one of the attractions of Las Vegas was there was plenty of parking and it was free. These days, not only is parking getting hard because of the volume of visitors, but the casinos now CHARGE for you to park. I guess it’s not good enough that you’re handing over your money once you get inside! To be honest, you can get some of your parking validated if you do gamble or otherwise spend money. But the concept of charging for parking rankles the locals, who need incentives to go to the Strip in the first place. So has it been a success? It’s been about a year now, and not only are they still charging, but some fees have recently gone up! I guess it’s here to stay. Another example of the MBA’s calling the shots and sucking every possible cent out of the consumer. This is the exact opposite from the days the “so called MOB” ruled Las Vegas. I have no idea if that was even the case, but the Feds told us it was. In those days, and I was around then, the idea circulated, give the customer what it wants, free or as cheap as possible, because we have gambling here in Las Vegas, and sooner or later all that money will wind up in our pockets anyway. . I bet you folks out there have an opinion about it. Here is your chance to send a message to the suits. Use any language you want, we believe in free speech. http://www.lasvegasvisitor
We support local artists and this expensive space is a donation. Three books are on our list for this month. They are: Nevada a Strange State, Silveropolis and The Great Lake Mead Water Caper. They ar on Amazon. All revenue will go to the artist, not a penny held back. We thank you.
Nevada Strange Old Time Newspapers
These newspapers are now long gone, yet their names linger on.
Agai Dicutta Yaduan, Schurz, 1975-1977. Schurz was the 13th Sec. of the Interior (3-12-1877/3-7-1881) and served under Garfield and Hayes. The town is still around, on the Walker River, pop. around 700. I could not find a definition for the phrase. If you know what it means send me the information.
The Knocker, Manhattan, yes, Nevada had one of those. July or Aug. 1911.
Gabbs Gabb, June 14, 1943/Aug. 25, 1944. The town of Gabbs is still around. It is in Nye County, and sports a population of less than three hundred, and falling. B.t.w., Nye County is the second largest in the lower 48 with about 20,000 sq.m.
Rochester Paycrack, before you get any ideas let me explain. The title refers to a rich ore vein. This paper had an interesting printer, a Joe T. Cramp. He was a tramp (itinerant) publisher who carried his equipment from mining camp to mining camp. He started at least seven papers between 1910 and 1920.
Potosi Nix Cum Rouscht, Feb. 1861, handwritten. Linguists at UNR tried to find a meaning of those words. They could not. It seems to be a mixture of Latin and German. Interestingly there are at least three mining towns by that name around the world. The one in the Nevada is close to Las Vegas. There is one in Spain and another in Bolivia. The latter one has the “Mountain of Silver”. It has been continuously mined for over three hundred years.
More of these odd facts can be found in my book”Nevada, A Strange Place”.
I illustrated the book with 134 drawings, all done by me.