Louise Lorenzi Fountain was born on Nov. 14, 1913, to David Lorenzi, a French immigrant, and Julia Travese Moore from La Belle, Missouri. Her younger years were devoted to helping her father develop and manage Lorenzi Lake Park, which was built by Lorenzi and is considered a primary landmark in the development and life of the citizens of Las Vegas. Louise Lorenzi's father has been noted as one of the 100 most influential citizens of Las Vegas by the Las Vegas Review Journal. He opened the park in 1926 with a pair of man-made lakes and a swimming pool, dance hall, band shell and other amenities. In the interview, Louise talks about her father and mother and describes Las Vegas during its early years. Louise Lorenzi married Edgar Fountain in 1936. He had hitchhiked from Georgia in search of work on the construction of Boulder Dam, now Hoover Dam. The couple left Las Vegas for 10 years and lived in Grand Coulee, Washington, where he helped build Grand Coulee Dam. After returning to Las Vegas, Louise became a full partner in several business ventures the couple started. Those included the Nevada Amusement Co., a collection of 35 coin-operated phonograph machines; Frontier Radio and Appliance Co.; and later a television sales business; partnerships in two soft-drink bottling companies and a Toyota dealership. Louise Lorenzi Fountain was active in two Methodist churches and was a member of the First Presbyterian Church. She was a charter member and regent of the Valley of Fire Chapter of The Daughters of the American Revolution. Louise Lorenzi Fountain passed away on January 29, 2006 at 92 years of age.

Newsletter issued by the Las Vegas Rotary Club