Nevada Northern Railway’s 1939 Cadillac, Executive Rail Inspection Car

The Nevada Northern Railway’s 1939 Cadillac is a fascinating piece of history. In the 1930s, the Nevada Northern Railway, which primarily served mining operations in Nevada, converted a 1939 Cadillac into a rail inspection vehicle. This vehicle, often referred to as a “track inspection car” or “track speeder,” was modified to run on the railway tracks, allowing officials and engineers to inspect the rails and infrastructure conveniently.

The 1939 Cadillac itself was a luxurious car for its time, and the conversion into a rail vehicle added a unique twist to its story. The car was equipped with flanged wheels to run on the tracks, and it retained much of its original automotive features, blending the elegance of a Cadillac with the rugged functionality needed for railway operations.

This Cadillac became a symbol of the ingenuity and resourcefulness of the era, showcasing how existing vehicles were adapted to meet the specific needs of the railway industry. Today, the Nevada Northern Railway Museum preserves this historic vehicle, and it remains a popular attraction for visitors interested in the history of railroads and vintage cars.

Las Vegas in the 1980s Through Amazing Vintage Photos

In the 1980s, Las Vegas was characterized by its iconic neon signs, smaller casinos, and motels along the Strip. The city began transitioning to larger, more extravagant themed resorts like the Mirage, marking the start of the mega-resort era.

The downtown area featured vintage casinos, while new developments reflected a shift towards more corporate and family-friendly attractions.

These vintage photos were taken by Meredith Jacobson Marciano that show street scenes of Las Vegas in 1983.

Golden Nugget, Las Vegas, January 1983

Golden Goose, Las Vegas, January 1983

4 Queens, Las Vegas, January 1983

Caesar's Palace, Las Vegas, January 1983

Caesar's pool, Las Vegas, January 1983

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In Goldfield, Nevada There Is a Grave for an Unknown Man Who Died Eating Library Paste in 1908

As the story goes, a vagrant wandering the streets of Goldfield, Nevada in 1908 was rummaging through the trash outside the local library, looking for something to eat. The best sustenance he came across was a jar of book paste.

He would have found the paste surprisingly sweet, because in addition to flour and water, it was 60% alum. Unfortunately, the concentration was deadly.

The legend continues to say that when the townspeople found the deceased drifter, he was buried in Pioneer Cemetery, which was little more than a dirt patch. The grave was topped with a headstone that stated what little they knew about him. It reads, “UNKNOWN MAN DIED EATING LIBRARY PASTE JULY 14 1908.”

Skeptics point to the fact that the grave’s red paint is very bright for being more than a century old. That being said, some ascribe the fresh paint to sympathetic cemetery-goers who regularly paint over the epitaph so that the unknown man can be remembered for years to come. Others say the whole thing is just a local prank. Whatever the case, the grave serves as a cautionary tale: don’t eat glue.

(via Atlas Obscura)

Las Vegas in the 1960s Through Amazing Found Photos

Las Vegas in the 1960s - a desert boom town, a destination not just for roulette and card games, it was an era of class where everyone dressed to impress on the casino floor, by the pool, or in the glittering showrooms.

These amazing vintage photos were found by Mark Susina that show what Las Vegas looked like in the 1960s.

Lucky Strike Club, Las Vegas, 1960.

California Club, Las Vegas, 1960

Casino Golden Gate, Las Vegas, 1960

Fremont Street, Las Vegas, 1960

Golden Nugget, Las Vegas, 1960

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30 Found Photos Capture Street Scenes of Las Vegas in the 1960s

Las Vegas is the 26th-most populous city in the United States, the most populous city in the state of Nevada, and the county seat of Clark County. The city anchors the Las Vegas Valley metropolitan area and is the largest city within the greater Mojave Desert.

Las Vegas is an internationally renowned major resort city, known primarily for its gambling, shopping, fine dining, entertainment, and nightlife. The Las Vegas Valley as a whole serves as the leading financial, commercial, and cultural center for Nevada.

The city bills itself as The Entertainment Capital of the World, and is famous for its mega casino-hotels and associated activities. It is a top three destination in the United States for business conventions and a global leader in the hospitality industry, claiming more AAA Five Diamond hotels than any other city in the world.

During the 1960s, corporations and business tycoons such as Howard Hughes were building and buying hotel-casino properties. Gambling was referred to as “gaming”, which transitioned it into a legitimate business.

Today, Las Vegas annually ranks as one of the world's most visited tourist destinations. The city’s tolerance for numerous forms of adult entertainment earned it the title of “Sin City”, and has made Las Vegas a popular setting for literature, films, television programs, and music videos.

These fascinating photos were found by Mark Susina that show street scenes of Las Vegas in the 1960s.

California Club, Las Vegas, 1960

Fremont Street, Las Vegas, 1960

Golden Nugget, Las Vegas, 1960

Golden Nugget, Las Vegas, 1960

Las Vegas at night, 1960

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“Free Aspirin & Tender Sympathy” Signs in Las Vegas

A lot of folks may not remember that the best thing about old Vegas was the free aspirin. There are signs from roadside motels and a mini-mart that beckoned hungover travelers headed back to California with “free aspirin and tender sympathy.”

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In the 1950s, Las Vegas Sold Atomic Bomb Tests as Tourism

Las Vegas is notoriously known for its bright lights and exciting nightlife, however, in the 1950s it became known for a different kind of light. In 1951, the Nevada Testing Site became the location for atomic bomb testing, located just 65 miles northwest of Las Vegas. The Yucca Flats of Nevada were located in the center of the American wasteland, making it the perfect place for nuclear testing.

First off by being located in the middle of the desert, it created very little threats to surrounding homes. Additionally, it provided a source of spectacles and entertainment for people who did live in this area. As a result, Vegas began to experience a new influx of people from across the country who would travel thousands of miles in order to catch a glimpse of this new show.

A Horseshoe Club advertisement touting its excellent views of nuclear tests.

Witness the power of the Atomic Bomb. A mere $3 for a safe viewing distance.

Bombs over Fremont.

Soon after Vegas was transformed from the original city of 25,000 people to the world-renown spectacle of three million people. Journalists everywhere began jumping on this new exciting event, and the topic of atomic tourism became the biggest headliner everywhere. Even writers in the New York Times began referring to it as, “the non- ancient but none the less honorable pastime of atom-bomb watching.”

Despite nuke testing occurring in multiple other places during this time, Vegas was the only one to turn it into an attraction. Inherently speaking, Vegas was designed for showmanship. Visitors are encouraged to live in the moment and focus on what is in front of them, by masking the individual from all reminders of time and location. Their motto: pay attention to what is in front of you. Therefore by taking advantage of this concept and its psychological effect, landowners and industry owners began turning these tests into spectacles of themselves. Organizations began hosting parties and picnics around the publicized atomic bomb testing schedule, and photos of these events began circulating across news sources everywhere.

However, in addition to these parties, Vegas also capitalized on the nuclear tests by providing itself as a source of relief and nostalgia from the surrounding terror. Gambling, games, and television were all sources of distraction that provided Vegas guests with an escape from the fear that was surrounding them.

Early morning bathers at a hotel pool in Las Vegas stop to watch the mushroom cloud of an atomic detonation at a test site about 75 miles from the city. May 8, 1953.

Guests at the Last Frontier hotel in Las Vegas watch the mushroom from a detonation about 75 miles away. May 8, 1953.

Watching poolside. Nuclear tests were a rather ordinary part of life in Las Vegas.

Bombs over Fremont.

Hotels offered panoramic views of the distant desert skyline for the optimum experience.

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Nuclear Test Dummies: Creepy Photos Show a Fake Town Filled With Mannequins to Test Out Nuclear Weapons in 1953

In order to better understand the blast and thermal effects of a nuclear bomb, the US dropped a 16-kiloton bomb on a fake town in the middle of the Nevada desert. The mission, dubbed “Operation Doorstep,” was used to determine if wooden-frame homes, cars, and mannequins — in place of people — could survive a nuclear blast.

The testing facilities’ employees manufactured and assembled shops, gas stations, and homes made of brick and wood — dubbing these areas “Doom Towns.” Inside these buildings, the workers staged the interiors with full-size mannequin families wearing various types clothing to witness how the different fabrics would hold up during the energy bursts and extreme heat.

After denotation, the homes that were within 6,000 feet from ground zero lost rooftops, suffered broken windows and the several coats of paint blistered and scraped off in a matter of a few moments.

Below are some haunting images from the March 17, 1953:

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25 Fascinating Photos of Las Vegas in the Early 1970s

The image of Las Vegas that emerged in the 1970s was one that would take decades to shed: A tacky tourist trap with aging casinos, cheap restaurants, and showrooms filled with performers whose careers were on their last legs.

With a few exceptions, investment had slowed to a crawl and Vegas didn’t seem as exciting anymore, especially when it was forced to compete with the sparkling newness of Atlantic City, where gambling was legalized in 1976.

These fascinating photos were taken by Peter Stratmoen that show what Las Vegas looked like in the early 1970s.

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Fascinating Color Pics Capture Street Scenes of Reno, Nevada in the 1950s

Reno is a city in the northwest section of the U.S. state of Nevada, approximately 22 miles (35 km) from Lake Tahoe, known as "The Biggest Little City in the World".

Reno is known for its casino industry. It is the county seat of Washoe County and sits in a high desert river valley at the foot of the Sierra Nevada and its downtown area (along with Sparks) occupies a valley informally known as the Truckee Meadows. The city is named after Union Major General Jesse L. Reno, who was killed in action during the American Civil War at the Battle of South Mountain on Fox's Gap.

Reno is part of Reno-Sparks metropolitan, 2nd most populous in Nevada after Las Vegas-Henderson, both of which are part of the Las Vegas Valley. Greater Reno which consists of Washoe, Storey, Lyon counties and Carson City (the capital of Nevada), is the second largest metropolitan area in Nevada.

Here below is a fascinating photo collection that shows what Reno looked like in the 1950s.

Flying A Service Station

Flying A Service Station

Harolds Club

Harolds Club

Harolds Club

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50 Fascinating Photos of Las Vegas in the Beginning of the Megaresort Era

The "Mafia/Rat Pack" Las Vegas of the mid-20th century came to a gradual end in the 1980s with the aging out of the World War II generation, the decline of organized crime elements, and the rise of baby boomer entrepreneurs who began a new chapter in the city's history, the so-called megaresort era.

Las Vegas began to become a more commercialized, family-oriented place with large corporations coming to own the hotels, casinos, and nightclubs in place of Mafia bosses.

The megaresort era kicked off in 1989 with the construction of The Mirage. More landmark hotels and other structures were razed to make way for ever-larger and more opulent resorts.

Holland-based photographer hans molenaar took these fascinating photos that show Las Vegas in the late 1980s and early 1990s.

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