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Tag: 1950s Vegas

Las Vegas Vintage Postcards

The glitz and glamour of vintage Las Vegas in the 1950s and 1960s lives on through postcards captivating a bygone era. From the iconic neon signs to glamorous casinos and showgirls, these postcards provide a unique window into the golden age of Sin City.

Let’s open the vault to Vintage Vegas…


Disclosure: Some of the links on my blog from Etsy , eBay, are Affiliate Links, meaning, at no additional cost to you, I will earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase.


1950s & 1960s Las Vegas Vintage Postcards

“The Monaco”- 71 room motel with dressing rooms and queen size beds and a heated pool at the corner of Desert Inn Rd & the “Strip”. Postcard circa 1950s possibly early 1960s.

"The Monaco"- 71 room motel with dressing rooms and queen size beds and a heated pool at the corner of Desert Inn Rd & the "Strip". Postcard circa 1950s possibly early 1960s.

Source: Etsy

1950s Postcard of Wilbur Clark’s Desert Inn Motel.

1950s Postcard of Wilbur Clark's Desert Inn Motel vintage postcard

Source: Etsy

Greetings from Las Vegas and the Pioneer Club.

vintage las vegas postcards - Greetings from Las Vegas and the Pioneer Club.

Source: Etsy

Riviera postcard 1960s. Featuring Red Skelton, Peggy Taylor and Lionel Hampton.

Riviera Las Vegas Hotel Postcard Red Skelton Peggy Taylor Lionel Hampton vintage postcard

Source: Etsy

Vintage Postcard of The Stardust Resort Hotel and The World’s Tallest Sign and Home of the “Lido de Paris” Circa 1958.

Vintage Postcard of The Stardust Resort Hotel and The World's Tallest Sign and Home of the "Lido de Paris" Circa 1958

Source: Etsy

Nevada’s Finest Cocktail Lounge-The “Cinnabar -Truly Western.”

vintage postcard of the cinnabar cocktail lounge las vegas nevada

Source: eBay

Sahara Hotel Pool Area-Look at that fruit arrangement on the balcony..wow!

hotel sahara las vegas nevada vintage postcard

Source: eBay

At “The Thunderbird” in the 1960s you could go swimming and then pop over to the putting green to hit a few golf balls after. Fun! Fun! Fun!

Las Vegas, Nevada Postcard THUNDERBIRD HOTEL Swimming Pool Scene c1960s vintage postcard

Source: eBay

Buffets are as popular now as they were in the 1950s, ice swan included!

Las Vegas Desert Inn Postcard Buffet Line c1950s vintage postcard

Source: Ebay

Thanks for stopping by friends and if you are interested in more photos and vintage advertising from “Sin City”, then please check out my other Vegas Blog Post…..

Further Reading about Vintage Las Vegas:

You can also check some interesting hotels in Las Vegas HERE.

Question Time: Do you collect postcards when you travel (and send them)? Maybe you collect vintage postcards? I would love to hear all about it in the comments below.

Liz

Vintage Vegas-Golden Nugget Casino Hotel

I’m off to Las Vegas again for an event this weekend…yay! I’m only spending 3 nights in Vegas and then back to cold cold Canada I go. Got to save up those vacation days for VIVA Rockabilly weekend. While we are there we are staying at one of my favorite hotels, the “Golden Nugget“. I adore this hotel so very very much, it just screams old school Vegas. I also love Fremont Street that the hotel is on, so much fun to just wander from casino to casino, bar to bar exploring everything.

I thought for this post it might be fun to explore a bit about the Golden Nugget and see what we can unearth about one of my favorite hotels.

Golden Nugget Las Vegas Vintage Photo of Fremont Street.

Vintage Vegas-Golden Nugget Casino Hotel

Brief History of the Golden Nugget

The Golden Nugget was originally built-in 1946, making it one of the oldest casinos in the city. It was designed as a casino only as opposed to a combination casino and hotel. It’s original bullnose and signage was designed by Young Electric sign designers Kermit Wayne and Hermon Boernge. The 1905 on the sign (under the small Golden Nugget name) led many to believe that the Golden Nugget had been part of the original development of Fremont Street but that was a myth. Because of its bullnose and signage, the Golden Nugget became one of the most photographed buildings on Fremont Street. “Everyone knew the Golden Nugget sign” said the late president of the LVCVA, Manny Cortez (Source: Classic Las Vegas).

When the casino opened it was the largest and most luxurious casino in downtown Las Vegas. It had mahogany bars, imported marble floors and crystal chandeliers (seen below).

Vintage Ad for the Golden Nugget Casino in Las Vegas

(Image source)

1950s Golden Nugget postcard showcasing what the caino and hotel looked like inside.
1950s Golden Nugget postcard showcasing what the caino and hotel looked like inside.

In the 1960s more properties beside the Nugget were purchased but no expansion ever happened and it continued to remain as just a casino. That all changed though in the 70s when Steve Wynn purchased the casino and turned it into the hotel/casino we know it as today (note: it is no longer owned by Wynn and has gone thru some dramatic face-lifts but it’s still a hotel/casino and very beautiful inside).

Some fun facts about the Golden Nugget

In keeping with its name the Golden Nugget is home to the worlds largest gold nugget-“The hand of Faith” weighing 61 lbs., 11oz.

Hand of faith Golden Nugget

Frank Sinatra in 1984 at the twilight of his career performed at the Nuggets theater ballroom, a room that he actually inaugurated along with Willie Nelson. It was also rumored that he nicknamed the ballroom-” the dungeon” because it was so small but it must have not been too bad because it was his home for 3 years.

Vintage poster for Frank Sinatra performing at the Golden Nugget hotel and casino in las vegas. Frank Sinatra in 1984 at the twilight of his career performed at the Nuggets theater ballroom, a room that he actually inaugurated along with Willie Nelson. It was also rumored that he nicknamed the ballroom-" the dungeon" because it was so small but it must have not been too bad because it was his home for 3 years.
  • Negotiations to build the Golden Nugget took 30 minutes.
  • From 1946 until 1950, poker players dealt their own cards in no-limit games. The Golden Nugget was the first casino to introduce the center deal (a dealer who deals the cards to players).
  • The bar was a reproduction of an actual Carson Street bar during the Comstock boom, and each piece was hand fitted and carved.
  • The Golden Nugget was designed to replicate the original Golden Nugget built on San Francisco’s Barbary Coast.
  • 20,000 guests were invited to the opening.
  • A ribbon was wrapped around the Spa Tower for its 1984 Grand Opening (Source: Golden Nugget website).

Such fun facts!

I hope you enjoyed my little post on the Golden Nugget and now I’m off to pack and head off to enjoy my own Vintage Vegas experience just like the below picture.

Vintage Vegas slot machines as seen by two women and one man playing them.

 Image by © Michael Ochs Archives/Corbis

Have you been to Las Vegas and enjoyed the Golden Nugget? Any tips on some great Vintage Vegas places to check out?

Further Reading about Vintage Las Vegas:

Liz 🙂