Summerlin History

The Howard Hughes Corporation is engaged in the development and management of office, retail, commercial and industrial buildings and large-scale master-planned community land development in Southern Nevada. The company owns almost 23,000 acres in Nevada and is ranked among the most successful regional real estate development companies in North America.

History of Las Vegas

Early 1700's

Spanish traders en route to Los Angeles along the Spanish Trail seek a route that passes through the then unexplored Las Vegas Valley. The Spaniards refer to the route through the valley as "jornada de muerte," journey of death. A young scout named Rafael Rivera is the first person of European ancestry to look upon the valley. His discovery of a valley with abundant wild grasses growing and a plentiful water supply reduces the journey by several days. The valley is named Las Vegas, Spanish for "The Meadows."

1844

Famed explorer Captain John Fremont writes about Las Vegas - bringing the valley to the attention of others besides the Spanish explorers and missionaries and the indigenous Indian population.

1855

Brigham Young assigns 30 Mormon missionaries to build a fort in the Las Vegas valley. The fort constitutes the first non-Indian settlement in the region and is still located on the corner of Washington Avenue and Las Vegas Boulevard. Their primary purpose is to teach the Paiute Indians farming techniques. The Paiutes reject the teachings and occasionally raid the fort.

1857

Bringham Young's fort is abandoned

Late 1800

The discovery of minerals, including precious metals, leads to the beginning of the mining industry.

The completion of the main railway, linking Southern California with Salt Lake City, establishes Las Vegas as a railroad town. The availability of water makes Las Vegas an ideal refueling point and rest stop. The railroad is the principal industry in Las Vegas for the next 25 years.

1885

The State Land Act of 1885 offers sections of land at $1.25 per acre. Farmers move in and agriculture becomes the dominant industry for the next 20 years.

1905

Las Vegas is founded as a city on May 15, 1905, when 110 acres of land situated between Stewart Avenue on the north, Garces Avenue to the south, Main Street to the west, and 5th Street (Las Vegas Boulevard) to the east, are auctioned off.

1909

Las Vegas becomes the county seat for the newly established Clark County. Until now, the city is governed as part of Lincoln County.

1911

Las Vegas becomes an incorporated city and adopts its first charter on March 16th. At the time of incorporation, the city encompasses 19.18 square miles, and has approximately 800 inhabitants, less than 1 percent of the states total population. Clark County has a population 3,321.

On March 19th, gambling is legalized in the State of Nevada. One month later, the city issues six gambling licenses.

Divorce laws are liberalized in the State of Nevada, making residency easier to attain. A "quickie" divorce can be attained after six weeks of residency. These short-term residents stay at "dude ranches" which are the forerunners of the sprawling Strip hotels.

1930

Las Vegas grows to a population of 5,165.

1931

Beginning in 1931, the construction of Hoover Dam brings an influx of construction workers which starts a population boom and gives the Valley's economy, which was in the grips of the Great Depression, a needed boost.

1935

Hoover Dam is complete.

1940

Las Vegas' population has grown to 8,422. The outbreak of World War II brings the defense industry to the valley. The isolated location, along with plentiful water and inexpensive energy, makes Las Vegas an ideal site for military and defense related industries. The site for Nellis Air Force Base is located in the northeast, and the Basic Management Complex, providers of raw materials, is located in the southeastern suburb of Henderson. The defense industry continues to employ a significant number of valley residents.

1945

Following World War II, lavishly decorated resort hotels and gambling casinos offering top-name entertainment come into existence. Tourism and entertainment took over as the largest employer in the valley.

1955

Gaming Board is created.

Moulin Rouge, Las Vegas' first racially integrated hotel, opens its doors

1956

The city of Las Vegas annexes one square mile of land, its first such addition since incorporation 45 years earlier.

1957

Topless Showgirls debut on the Strip with "Minsky's Follies."

1959

"Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas" sign is created by Betty Willis.

1960

Las Vegas encompasses 25 square miles and has a population of 64,405. Las Vegas has more than 22 percent of Nevada's total population on less than .02 percent of the State's land. At the same time, Clark County has a population of 127,016.

Las Vegas hosts its first boxing match.

1960

During the 1960s, a phenomenon lead by Howard Hughes, occurs in Las Vegas. Corporations are building and/or buying hotel/casino properties. They have the capital necessary and the profitability makes entrance into the casino industry extremely attractive. Gambling becomes "gaming" and starts the transition into legitimate business.

1969

Elvis Presley opens at the International Hotel, now known as the Las Vegas Hilton.

1970-1980

Corporations continue to invest in the hotel/casino industry. Gaming becomes a legitimate business and some properties have stock traded on the market

1980

Las Vegas economy remains strong and the population increases to 164,674. Clark County, meanwhile, grows to a population of 463,087.

1980's

Starting in the mid 1980s, a period of unprecedented growth begins. Annual population increases averaging nearly 7 percent causes the city's population to almost double between 1985 and 1995, increasing from 186,380 to 368,360, a 97.6 percent increase. That is equivalent to building a city larger than Reno in 10 years! At the same time, Clark County's population increases from 562,280 to 1,036,180, an increase of 84.3 percent.

1993

The Dunes Hotel implosion.

1990's

Contributing to the population growth is a 4 percent annual increase in hotel rooms and a 9.18 percent annual increase in jobs

2000

The US Census reports the population of Las Vegas is 478,434 over a land area of 113 square miles. There are over 500 churches and synagogues, 799 acres of parks, 7 television stations, and 12 radio stations (4 AM and 8FM). Las Vegas is the largest metropolitan city in the U.S. that was founded in 20th century.\

2005

The city of Las Vegas celebrated its 100th birthday on May 15, 2005. The events celebrated the May 15, 1905 auction in which 110 acres of downtown Las Vegas laid the foundation for the city we know today. The celebration began on December 31, 2004, and lasted throughout 2005.

Fun Facts about the area of Las Vegas and Summerlin.

The city of Las Vegas celebrated its 100th birthday on May 15, 2005. The event celebrated the May 15, 1905 land auction when 110 acres of land in downtown Las Vegas were auctioned off.
A 1910 law made it illegal to gamble in Las Vegas. The Nevada Legislature later approved a legalized gambling bill in 1931.
The first hotel and casino to open in Las Vegas was the Golden Gate Hotel and Casino in 1906.
The Hoover Dam was completed in 1935. It took a total of 21,000 men five years to complete the structure.
The Moulin Rouge, the city’s first racially integrated hotel, opened in 1955.
In 1957, topless showgirls debuted on the Las Vegas Strip in “Minsky’s Follies” at the Dunes.
The famous “Welcome to Las Vegas” sign was created in 1959 by Betty Willis.
In 2004, more than 37 million people visited Las Vegas. Compare this to 1970 when a mere 6.7 million people visited the city.
More than 22,000 conventions were held in Las Vegas in 2004.
In 2004, visitors stayed an average of 3.6 nights.
More than 5,000 people move into the Las Vegas valley on a monthly basis.
Las Vegas is home to Clark County School District, the fifth largest school district, which currently handles more than 280,000 students.
The famous Las Vegas strip is for the most part, not within the city limits of Las Vegas. The majority of the strip is located within Clark County.
The Stratosphere Hotel and Tower, at more than 1,100 feet, is the tallest building west of the Mississippi and the fifth tallest building in the United States.
A marriage license costs $55 in Nevada. Many couples choose to marry in Nevada because there is no blood test or waiting period.
Fremont Street was closed to traffic in 1994. The Fremont Street Experience opened in December 1995