Floyd Francis (center), Jake Beckley (right), and unidentified man in the "Old Swimming Hole" on the Von Tobel and Beckley property
Transcribed Notes: Transcribed from photo sleeve: "Floyd Francis (center), Jake Beckley (right), and unidentified man (on left) in an old swimming hole formed on the property of Von Tobel and Beckley."; Transcribed background history: "Early Las Vegas History by Florence Lee Jones, April 1969: Creating their own oasis in the Las Vegas Valley was the hobby of the late Ed Von Tobel, Sr., and his partner, the late Jake Beckley, when they came to Las Vegas in 1905 as gay young bachelors. At their ranch in Paradise Valley, where they owned the 120 acres now comprising the Sierra Vista Ranchos, exclusive residential area, they used the facilities at hand to form an 'old swimming hole.' From one of the three wells they drilled they diverted the free-flowing water into a nearby creek bed, built a cement dam to contain the water, and had their own pleasure resort. In this picture, from left, an unidentified man; Floyd Francis, early employee of the Von Tobel Lumber Company; and Jake Beckley, a partner in the fi
Floyd Francis, an unidentified man, and Jake Beckley in the "old swimming hole" on the Von Tobel and Beckley property
Transcribed Notes: Transcribed from photo sleeve: "Another view of Floyd Francis, an unidentified man and Jake Beckley in the swimming hole on the property in Paradise Valley owned by Von Tobel and Beckley."; Transcribed from background history: "Early Las Vegas History by Florence Lee Jones, April 1969: In the years immediately after the auction of lots and the start of Las Vegas in 1905, a swimming pool was unknown in the area - but the late Ed Von Tobel, Sr., and his partner in the lumber business, Jake Beckley, solved that problem, as this picture shows. Von Tobel took this picture, showing from left Floyd Francis, who worked for more than 20 years at the Von Tobel Lumber Company; an unidentified man; and at right, Beckley. At their 120-acre ranch in Paradise Valley, which was a week-end retreat for the partners, they drilled three wells so they could irrigate their fruit orchard and truck garden. One of the wells had such a heavy flow that they dammed up a natural wash and created a swimming pool, a
Drilling in the Las Vegas Heights District with Mr. Booth and Mr. Madison performing the work.
Transcribed Notes: Transcribed from front of photo: "1st well. Vegas Hts. About 1907. Booth & Madison, Drillers."; Transcribed from photo sleeve: "A drill rig which put down the hole for the first well in the Las Vegas Heights District in Las Vegas in 1907. The crew were Booth and Madison."
Aerial view of St. Thomas, Nevada, being covered by Lake Mead. Stamped on back of photo: Photograph by Bureau of Reclamation, Boulder Canyon Project, Boulder City, Nevada
Aerial view of downtown Las Vegas looking east toward Frenchman Mountains. The following buildings are visible in the photograph: Lucky Casino, Horseshoe Casino, Fremont Hotel and Casino, Four Queens Casino, Golden Nugget, El Cortez Hotel, First National Bank, Bank of Nevada.
Transcribed Notes: Transcribed from photo sleeve: "Aerial view of Downtown Las Vegas"