Skip to main content

Search the Special Collections and Archives Portal

Search Results

Display    Results Per Page
Displaying results 19001 - 19010 of 19583

Photographs of Girls of Glitter Gulch signs, Las Vegas (Nev.), June 24, 2016

Date

2016-06-24 to 2017-09-17

Description

The famed Vegas Vickie sign advertising the now permanently closed Girls of Glitter Gulch adult entertainment club sits at 20 Fremont Street at the Fremont Street Experience. Information about the sign is available in the Southern Nevada Neon Survery Data Sheet.
Site address: 20 Fremont St
Sign owner: Derek and Greg Stevens
Sign details: Glitter Gulch is next to the Golden Goose. This now closed property has a long history in Las Vegas. In 1959, the Fortune Club was where the Glitter Gulch would soon replace it. For the history of the Golden Goose: Herb Pastor bought the Mecca Club from Sylvia Sioratta in 1974 then opened up the Golden Goose soon after. Mr. Reed's was the property that sat next to the Golden Goose at this time; however, that then became Bob Stupak's Glitter in 1980. In 1981, Pastor ended up buying the Glitter Gulch. In 1991, Pastor merged both of these properties into a strip club. Both of these properties ultimate closed in the summer of 2016. The signage was taken down in 2017.
Sign condition: Vegas Vickie has been taken down and half the Glitter Gulch sign was also taken down.
Sign form: Blade and sculptural sign
Sign-specific description: Perched atop the signage for the Glitter Gulch is Las Vegas favorite girl, Vegas Vickie. She is dressed up in cowgirl attire and kicking her leg out onto Fremont Street. She is painted so you can see all her details in the day and she is a channeled sign lined with neon tubes that matches her paint so you can see her at night as well. She sits on top of a very geometric piece of gold (like a golden nugget) that shines brightly and dotted with incandescent light bulbs. The "Glitter Gulch" letters are open channeled, lined with neon tubes that glow red at night, and filled with neon tubes that glow blue at night and oscillate as well. During the day these letters are a bold white font and instead of a dot for the "I" it is a four point star. Underneath the golden nugget like structure of the sign is a bunch of silver coins lined with neon tubes.
Sign - type of display: Neon, incandescent, back lit
Sign - media: Steel, plastic, fiberglass
Sign - non-neon treatments: Fiberglass and back lit plastic
Sign animation: Neon in Glitter Gulch text oscillates
Sign environment: These signs sit in the midst of the excitement on Fremont Street Experience. Some of the other properties that sit near them are Binion's, Golden Gate Hotel & Casino, and the Plaza Hotel & Casino.
Sign manufacturer: Ad Art
Sign designer: Jack Dubois and Charles Barnard of Ad Art
Sign - date of installation: 1980
Sign - date of redesign/move: Vegas Vickie was taken down in 2017 for restoration and may return back to Fremont after.
Sign - thematic influences: Both of the Glitter Gulch and Golden Goose signs are extremely iconic signs in Las Vegas history and combine elements that are typically used in signage throughout the city, such as: sculptural signage and signs that have a dominant theme for the property. Vegas Vickie being a part of the signage for the Glitter Gulch also gives some indication that this property is a gentleman's club. They are elaborately designed to draw people's attention to these businesses, which many other signs throughout the city aim to do as well.
Sign - artistic significance: These signs are significant because the design of them is elaborate and they are excellent examples of signs that use sculpture/image to help convey the theme of the property. They are also crafted in such an excellent manner and filled with numerous details.
Survey - research locations: Fox news website http://www.fox5vegas.com/story/31783315/d-las-vegas-owner-buys-3-more-fremont-properties , Vintage Las Vegas website http://vintagelasvegas.com/search/glitter+gulch, Review Journal Article https://www.reviewjournal.com/business/casinos-gaming/mermaids-la-bayou-and-glitter-gulch-come-to-a-close-on-fremont-photos/
Surveyor: Lauren Vaccaro
Survey - date completed: 2017-09-17
Sign keywords: Blade; Sculptural; Neon; Incandescent; Backlit; Plastic; Oscillating; Steel

Mixed Content

Photographs of Monterey Motel sign, Las Vegas (Nev.), February 12, 2017

Date

2017-02-12
2017-09-04

Description

Monterey Motel sits against a cloudy sky at 1133 South Las Vegas Boulevard. Information about the sign is available in the Southern Nevada Neon Survey Data Sheet.
Site address: 1133 S Las Vegas Blvd
Sign owner: Monterey Motel Corp.
Sign details: The building was constructed in 1944 (Assessor). The business opened as the Monterey Lodge Motel (RoadsideArchitecture). A vintage postcard from 1954 shows The Monterrey Lodge Motel with much of the current architecture, although a different sign is present (Las Vegas motels then and now). The motel advertises itself as endorsed by several automobile clubs, including the Automobile Association of America (AAA).
Sign condition: Condition is 4, good. The cabinets, light boxes and neon are intact and in good condition. The paint shows slight fading and no flaking or peeling, except for light to moderate deterioration and rust on the bottom of the lower cabinet.
Sign form: Double pole sign
Sign-specific description: Double poles painted in bands of pink topped by bands of white support a rectangular reader board with a pink metal cabinet. Plastic pink sans serif letters spell out "FAMILY UNITS" on the face of the readerboard. On the lower motel side of the readerboard is a rectangular black plastic sign which states, "COLOR TV by RCA" in multi-colored san serif letters. At the top of the cabinet on the motel side is an arrow pointing toward the business. At the top of the north face of the cabinet is white coated skeleton neon tubing which states, "ENTER NO VACANCY" in sans serif letters. On the south face of the cabinet the lettering is reversed to say, "NO VACANCY ENTER". Mounted above the readerboard are three poles. The two outside poles are painted white and consist of round pedestals, shafts and capitals. The capitals are outlined in white skeleton neon. The rectangular interior pole is painted pink. A pink, rectangular bar (from an asterisk now covered by plastic wrap advertising) intersects the middle of all three poles. A rectangular shield shaped metal cabinet painted pink sits on the poles above the readerboard. White sans serif letters outlined in black paint and clear skeleton neon spell out "MOTEL". The three poles continue out of the cabinet to support a second pink metal readerboard which features "Monterey" spelled in plastic cursive letters. The three poles extend above the second reader board where they join to make an arch. The two outside poles are outlined in white skeleton neon.
Sign - type of display: Neon and Reader boards
Sign - media: Steel and Plastic
Sign - non-neon treatments: Reader boards
Sign environment: This is located on Las Vegas Boulevard South just north of the strip.
Sign - date of installation: Circa 1950's-1960's (RoadsideArchitecture)
Sign - date of redesign/move: A 2009 photograph shows the sign painted blue (Virus, 2009). Flaking paint under the "COLOR TV by RCA" sign shows an older layer of blue paint. A sign of similar age in the parking lot of the motel is still painted the same light blue shown in the photograph.
Sign - thematic influences: There is a Googie star on the sign as well as an arch which was a popular 1950's/60's sign design. Also they advertise automobile clubs on their sign and have a western ranch style building which are also Mid-Century Modern trends as well.
Sign - artistic significance: The sign showcases Googie, Western and motor court artistic aspects.
Survey - research locations: Clark County Assessor, Parcel No. 162-03-112-034. Retrieved from http://www.clarkcountynv.gov/assessor/Pages/PropertyRecords.aspx?H=redrock&P=assrrealprop/pcl.aspx Las Vegas motels then and now. (n.d.) Monterey Lodge - 1133 South Las Vegas Blvd. Retrieved from http://stefanidrivesvegas.com/8.html RoadsideArchitecture. (n.d.). Monterey Motel. Retrieved from http://www.roadarch.com/signs/nvvegas3.html Virus, R. (2009 April 5). Monterey Motel, Las Vegas, NV. Retrieved from https://www.flickr.com/photos/25229906@N00/5769946413/in/photostream/
Surveyor: Mitchell Cohen
Survey - date completed: 2017-09-04
Sign keywords: Steel; Plastic; Reader board; Neon; Pole sign; Back to back; Backlit

Mixed Content

Transcript of interview with Brad Friedmutter by David G. Schwartz, September 12, 2016

Date

2016-09-12

Description

Brad Friedmutter is the architect behind a number of Steve Wynn’s prominent casinos in Las Vegas, Nevada and Atlantic City, New Jersey. He obtained his degree in architecture in 1973 from the Cooper Union School of Architecture in lower Manhattan and worked on a number of smaller projects before connecting with Steve Wynn. After meeting the famous Vegas tycoon, Friedmutter built a number of well-known casinos, like the Golden Nugget and the Mirage. In this interview, he discusses the development of his numerous projects, explains his process for starting and completing architectural projects, and the future of urban planning and casino design.

Text

Transcript of interview with Stanley Hyman by Eleanor Doble, March 10, 1981

Date

1981-03-10

Description

Interview with Stanley Hyman by Eleanor Doble on March 10, 1981. In this interview, Hyman discusses his job as a district manager for Farmers Insurance group, which brought him to Reno, Nevada in the 1940s, then to Las Vegas in 1951. He talks about the population growth of Las Vegas, and comments that the infrastructure of the city did not improve with the population growth. He also talks about some local disasters, the economy, entertainment, and the convention business in the area. He speaks briefly about recreation at Lake Mead and Mount Charleston, and atomic tests. The interviewer asks about women in leadership positions in hotels and in the insurance business.

Text

Transcript of interview with Lawrence Hawley by Andy Sturgeon, March 13, 1981

Date

1981-03-13

Description

On March 13, 1981, Andy Sturgeon interviewed attorney Lawrence Hawley in his office on 302 East Carson Street, Las Vegas, Nevada. The two discuss how Hawley first came to Nevada, as well as his personal family history. Hawley describes Hoover Dam as it was being built, the effects of the Depression on Nevada, and how Las Vegas has grown in size. Hawley also discusses liquor laws and how practicing law has changed since he first moved to Nevada.

Text

Transcript of interview with Don Hayden by Steven Cohen, March 1, 1979

Date

1979-03-01

Description

On March 1, 1979, collector Steven Cohen interviewed school administrator, Don Hayden (born in Ogden, Utah) in his home in Las Vegas, Nevada. This interview offers a historical overview of the education system in Nevada. Don also discusses gambling, the early atomic tests, the first hospitals built in Las Vegas, and offers his own personal account on home and family life in Nevada.

Text

Transcript of interview with Elbert Edwards by Layne Covington, October 16, 1986

Date

1986-10-16

Description

On October 16, 1986, Layne Covington interviewed Elbert Edwards (born 1907 in Panaca, Nevada) about his life in Southern Nevada. Edwards first talks about his family background before talking about what it was like to live in Panaca. He then talks about changes in Southern Nevada, particularly those in Boulder City that have taken place over time. Edwards later talks about the work of his wife and both of their political involvement and his involvement and career in education. The latter part of the interview includes discussion of the building of Boulder Dam, Edwards’ job as a registrar in the Selective Service, and the effects that the war years had on Las Vegas.

Text

Meeting minutes for Consolidated Student Senate University of Nevada, Las Vegas, May 14, 1999

Date

1999-05-14

Description

Includes meeting agenda and minutes, along with additional information about workshops. CSUN Session 29 Meeting Minutes and Agendas.

Text