Accessibility links
The Story of Las Vegas' Rise from the Desert The real and lesser-known history of Las Vegas is an important part of the story of America's migration to the west: rail roads; the depression; the construction of the Hoover Dam; water, air conditioning; World War II and America's entry into the nuclear age.

Talk of the Nation

Neal Conan leads an exchange of ideas and opinions on the issues that dominate the news landscape.

The Story of Las Vegas' Rise from the Desert

Heard on Talk of the Nation

The Story of Las Vegas' Rise from the Desert

Listen
Transcript
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/4649395/4649396" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript

Bugsy Siegel's infamous mob hangout, the Flamingo Hotel. Nevada State Museum and Historical Society hide caption

toggle caption
Nevada State Museum and Historical Society

The real and lesser-known history of Las Vegas is an important part of the story of America's migration to the west: rail roads; the depression; the construction of the Hoover Dam; water, air conditioning; World War II and America's entry into the nuclear age.

Guests:

Michael Green, professor of history at Community College of Southern Nevada; coauthor of Las Vegas: A Centennial History

Darrell Luce, long-time Las Vegas resident; came to Las Vegas in 1932 at the age of 3 and remembers the building of the Hoover Dam

Alice Key, helped integrate Las Vegas casinos; executive director of the NAACP in the mid '50s; retired deputy labor commissioner of the State of Nevada and community activist; resident of Nevada since 1954