Dig two minutes of home movie footage showing an almost unrecognizable Las Vegas in August of 1960. Or is it actually 1958? I don’t know Vegas well–two of my three trips there were disastrous in multiple ways–but an erudite and Vegas-hip youtube poster–the aptly named ‘Vintage Las Vegas’– offered some clues that are fascinating and beyond me. I quote him/her with no permission whatsoever.
The label “Aug 1960” is pretty clear, but there’s a couple things that point to 1958. could it be that the film sat around for a couple years before being processed in Aug. 60? 1:07 the names at the Golden Nugget were listed week by week in the Henderson newspaper that has been digitized and posted online. 3 of these acts were regulars, but “4 Barons” were not. I can find this lineup listed only in Sep. 1958. 1:11 see the flags on that place half way down the block? they were there in 1958. By ’59 they moved them to the top of the building so they wouldn’t block an attraction board. 1:27 pioneer club: somewhere in the early part of ’60 this building was covered in a metal facade.