Fremont Street in LAS VEGAS 1955

Another slide purchased at the estate sale several weeks ago.


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This was taken in 1955 on Fremont Street.

Fremont Street dates back to 1905, when Las Vegas itself was founded. Fremont Street was the first paved street in Las Vegas in 1925 and received the city's first traffic light in 1931. Fremont Street also carried the shields of U.S. 95, U.S. 93, and U.S. 466 before the construction of the interstates.

While gambling was well established prior to being legalized, the Northern Club in 1931 received one of the first 6 gambling licenses issued in Nevada and the first one for Fremont Street. (SOURCE: Wikipedia)

In the distance you can see one of the first big time casinos along the Strip called the Golden Nugget which still exists.


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A bit of history about the Golden Nugget.

Desperate to lure people to the state, Nevada legislators legalized gambling in 1931. Even so, Las Vegas remained a dusty saloon town full of small-time gambling operations. Guy McAfee embodied the casino owner of his day.

The Captain
McAfee, known around town as "the Captain," served for years as commander of the Los Angeles Police Department vice squad. While heading the vice squad, McAfee simultaneously pursued a profitable life in the underground. He owned saloons and brothels and had ties to organized crime.

In the 1920s and early 30s, while his wife worked as a high-profile Hollywood madam, McAfee operated a busy and lucrative circuit of gambling houses. His connections with mobsters and position with the L.A.P.D. proved invaluable, making him privy to inside information and especially lucky in his ability to stay one step ahead of raids.

Bowron Cleans Up L.A.
But in the late 1930s, Judge Fletcher Bowron was elected as the new mayor of Los Angeles. Bowron had campaigned heavily on a platform pledging to clean up Los Angeles' sordid underworld that had been allowed to flourish for the last two decades. Upon his election, Bowron lived up to his promises and began upending longstanding narcotic, prostitution and gambling operations like McAfee's.

As soon as the extent of the police commander's outfit was discovered, McAfee was forced to resign his post and, facing possible legal action, flee the city. Lured both by Las Vegas' proximity to Los Angeles and its permissiveness, McAfee arrived in Las Vegas in 1938.

McAfee Arrives on Highway 91
Eager to pick up his business career where he had left off, the next year, McAfee bought the Pair-O-Dice Club on Highway 91 from owners Frank and Angelina Detra (John Detra, son of the owners, remembers Al Capone visiting his parents, possibly planning to establish operations in Vegas before he was jailed). McAfee renamed the club the "91 Club" (later, it would become part of the Last Frontier), and ever the opportunist, delayed the club's grand opening to coincide with Clark Gable and Ria Langham Clark's infamous divorce in March 1939. McAfee's tie-in with the immense publicity garnered by the Gables' divorce was a public relations coup.

McAfee would continue to build up his interests, arguably the most famous of which was his casino, the Golden Nugget. Upon its completion in 1946, the Golden Nugget was touted as the world's largest casino. Eventually, the Golden Nugget would fall under the ownership of another Las Vegas casino owner, Steve Wynn. (SOURCE: PBS/American Experience)

The question is, how many of these other businesses still exist along the strip?

Coming or GOING?

All I can tell you about this vintage snapshot is that it's from the George Kallman collection, specifically from his mother, Lorena Aina Beck's, photo album.

I have no idea what is going on here, but I can speculate. It's an odd photo.


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This is my submission for this weeks Sepia Saturday. From the prompt image I went with groups of people doing things that make no sense to me, but for which I know there is a story.

MEN and THEIR CARS: Part 8

How fortuitous that this weeks Sepia Saturday is about cars? I've been featuring men and their cars in seven previous posts which can be seen at the links below:

Part 1 a proud fella with his shiny car

Part 2 a car salesman in my imagination

Part 3 Bill and Dick's adventure in Chicago

Part 4 somewhere near San Bernardino

Part 5 young men and old jalopies

Part 6 a car along the Potomac River in Washington D.C.

Part 7 a "Spanish River Pulp" truck in Canada

The actual Sepia Saturday post is an old advertisement for Chevrolet which got me thinking about how much ads have changed over the decades.

The basic car ad has always been about freedom; the freedom you get once you own a car. Then there's the romance of a car and how stylish it makes you look and feel. These days it's also about power; not just the power of the engine, but the power you'll have over others because of the choice you've made. Sometimes we really are so stupid to fall for all of it.

The car itself has become a sex object photographed to look almost unattainable. Glistening chrome and paint shines like lipstick on a pouty mouth. Car ads have changed, but for most people a purchase is still for practical reasons. You need a car to get from point A to point B. Some people want function, others want glamour.

A car and an open road, at least in the mind of a Californian, is almost a birthright. Ultimately we're now paying a dear price for this frame of mind, but I don't want to give up my shiny red car. It's an extension of me. When I get behind the wheel it feels like an extension of my own body. I'm thinking all those years of watching tv commercials has me right where the industry wants me...that and the fact that most of my county is two lane twisty roads that are a joy to drive.

This photo of a gentleman out for a ride along a dirt road somewhere amongst the redwoods in Northern California is a classic. A drive out of necessity or pleasure? It's just a moment captured in motoring history.

And for more motoring madness check out the Studebakers at my other site, Tattered and Lost Ephemera.

MEN and THEIR CARS: Part 7

This shot comes from an old album I purchased many years ago at an estate sale. The album features the life of a woman who was born in Canada and died in Northern California after a full and rich life.

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This vintage snapshot, from what I can discern, was taken in Canada. On the side of the truck bed the signage says "Spanish River Pulp" which was the name of a paper company in the town of Espanola in Ontario, Canada.

The Town of Espanola originated as a company-owned town. In 1899 the Ontario government signed the Espanola Agreement with the Spanish River Pulp and Paper Company, which gave the company the authority to begin logging operations over a 5,600 km area for the next 21 years. Under the agreement, a pulp mill capable of employing 250 people was to be constructed. A company-owned town site was established which stretched from the Spanish River to where Second Street is today. (SOURCE: Corporation of the town of Espanola)

To read more about Espanola click here.

It was nice to have this bit of signage because it put the photo in some sort of context. We now know that this man most likely was a driver for the company. Other than that, he'll forever be a mystery.

MEN and THEIR CARS: Part 6

This is Mr. Roberts in Washington D. C. next to the Arlington Memorial Bridge which crosses the Potomac River. To the right of the bridge is the Lincoln Memorial.

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This photo was taken in 1941 when Mr. Roberts and his wife, Lolly, visited D.C. As you can see the film was processed at a Peoples Drug Store.

MEN and THEIR CARS: Part 5

Another shot from the estate sale of Mr. Roberts belongings. The young man leaning on the back of the car which looks like a race car is Mr. Roberts years before he was in the Coast Guard and off on his adventures in Alaska.

This shot, like the one from yesterday's post, was also most likely taken near San Bernardino. The fellas were out and about and taking shots of themselves with their cars. What an adventure it must have been in those days before paved roads, interstates with repair garages and gas stations, and of course, no cell phones thus no way to easily call the auto club. Mind you, the Automobile Club of Southern California had been in existence since 1900. Phonebooths...harder to find.

I think the old jalopies are grand!

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MEN and THEIR CARS: Part 4

Other than remembering where I purchased this snapshot (the Mr. Roberts estate sale) I have no idea what's going on. I purchased a series of shots of men and young men in cars/jalopies driving on dirt roads. This one with the sign is the most telling of location. Perhaps there's someone out there who knows something about the sign and road. I'm guessing this was the "highway" of its time located in Southern California. The photo was most likely taken in the late 1920s to early '30s. As to what the tower is in the background, I haven't a clue.

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The copy on the sign:

History of the United States

San Bernardino 2 Miles

Six miles northeast of San Bernardino in the Arrowhead with its hot springs, one of which has a temperature of nearly two hundred degrees and a daily flow from the rock of half a million gallons.

UPDATE from reader Daniel Nauman. Thanks Daniel!

I believe that's a mid 1920s Hudson---at least all Hudsons had a triangluar emblem on the radiator. I'd date the photo circa 1930, because the tire on the billboard (a US Tire) is starting to 'balloon' into the tires we're familar with, which became standard circa 1934. A side note would be that US tires were made at the old Samsome factory south of LA---they one with the hyroglipchics(sp), now an outlet mall. I suspect this is taken near the shoulder of US 99, which ran through Colton at the time, about that many miles south of San Berdoo (US 66 actually went into Berdoo). The Sierra Madres are probably hidden behind the billboard. The tower looks like to be a rock crusher to me---the area is all river washes, and it may have been used to grade gravel for a paving project.

MEN and THEIR CARS: Part 3

This vintage snapshot is from Bill and Dick's Excellent Adventure. Bill is on the left...or Dick...I'm not sure. I do know, because of the May 25th diary entry, the fellow driving is Mr. Nelson the "Chief of Factory Inspection for State of Illinois."

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As to the model of car, haven't a clue.

I've featured photos and diary entries from Bill and Dick's adventure before, including here, and I'm sure they'll be featured in the future.

MEN and THEIR CARS: Part 2

"So, tell me...what will it take to get you into this little baby today?"

MEN and THEIR CARS

Men are much more fascinated with cars than women. I believe this is a fact. This isn't to say there aren't women in love with cars and how they work, it's just that generally I believe women look at the styling while men look at the engine. Each valid points of view.

I personally love the look of some cars, mainly old cars. Newer cars all tend to look the same. And if the cars are made in Japan or Korea even the car logos begin to look the same. A silver circle with some icon inside it. Very unimaginative. Take a look at the Honda logo and the Hyundai logo. Seriously. In one the "H" is roman, in the other it's italic.

Recently I saw the Tucker car that was used in the movie. A stunner. Its paint and chrome gleamed. And all I kept thinking when looking in the interior was that "the Dude" sat in it. As close as I'll ever get to Jeff Bridges.

I have no idea what car this is in the photo. I'm betting sooner or later some guy will step forward to tell me. Then again, it might be a very astute woman who will recognize it. For me, it's just a car, a shape, a beautifully shiny shape.

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SUMMERTIME: Part 3

Summertime is a picnic on a lazy warm afternoon with family and friends.

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Tomorrow: bathing beauties

__________

I collect vernacular photography which I think of as photographs of the ordinary by the ordinary. Snapshots are my favorite, especially showing people involved with their surroundings and not lined up and posed.

There are people who believe collecting these photos is odd and a waste of time. Why collect something taken by an amateur of people you don't know? It has no value? Why not collect something with a pedigree?

The obvious answer for me is money. I can't afford photos by the greats, but I can afford these. But more important it's the challenge of searching through junk to find a jewel. An amateur snapshot that is as beautiful as many I've seen by professionals. And since I know nothing about the photographer who am I to say they were an amateur? Perhaps the photographer was a professional or it was just a very lucky shot by an amateur. Makes no difference to me. The shot is perfect.

Others might not agree with me and that's fine. It's my little gem and I have no idea if there are more copies floating around somewhere. This may be the only one in existence and I might be the first person to react this way to it. For awhile it was someone else's trash. Not anymore, at least not for now.

This is my contribution to this weeks Sepia Saturday. To see more summertime shots click here and here. More will be added over the next several days.

WOMEN and TRANSPORTATION

To think there are places in this world where women aren't allowed to drive makes my head spin. I won't go into it other than to say the men in those countries have some serious problems. Anything that impedes on a woman's right to make self-determined choices in her life, all aspects of her own life, are simply wrong.

Using this weeks Sepia Saturday image as my jumping off point I give you Women and Transportation, all sorts of transportation.

Most of these images come from the Ten Buck Box. A couple come from the estate sale of Mr. Roberts.

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On the door it says "Just an old Ford" and "Merry Widows".

I believe this may be Gertrude (Rich) Bowen.

This one is from the Robert's estate and I'm guessing this was taken at Catalina Island off the coast of Southern California.

I'm guessing this one was taken in Nebraska.

I'm hoping this is homesteader Frances (Rich) Cheney in Colorado.

If anyone knows what model these cars are drop me a line so I can add the information to the post. Why? Well, just because. Oh heck, if you know what the farm equipment is called give me that too. I'm seriously doubting anyone will have any info about the horses...then again....

Now get out there and drive, drive, drive wherever your heart takes you...and a full tank of gas.

Watching the FERRY

Really, I think the title just about sums up what's going on here. Even enlarged I cannot tell what state the license plates are for, but the one does appear to have "35" on it. So I'm guess we're talking around 1935 for this shot.

I haven't been on a ferry in a long time. I don't know of any in California anymore. We have bridges. Lots of bridges. It's always a challenge to figure out which roads to take to go around the San Francisco Bay so as to not have to pay a toll. It can be done.

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