Houghton, Fred B., 1894-1977

Fred Houghton was born in Chicago, Illinois on August 27, 1894. Houghton attended the University of Chicago Law School, and passed the Illinois State Bar examination at the age of 25. He received his Bachelor of Laws (LLB) degree in 1919. The next year, Houghton opened his own law practice and maintained the law firm until 1943, when he moved to California.

Houghton worked as a public defender for the state of California from 1943 to 1950. He lost the only case of his career there, and subsequently decided to retire. Houghton retired to Las Vegas, Nevada, and on April 17, 1951 he purchased property just west of the city, and called it the Blue Chip Ranch.

The City of Las Vegas attempted to prevent citizens from drawing water from underground wells, and this policy galvanized Houghton to join the Las Vegas Well Users Association (LVWUA), an organization that contested Las Vegas’s water politics. The LVWUA fought to secure well water access for private properties throughout Las Vegas. Houghton spent the rest of his life living on the ranch, and died in November of 1977.

Source:

Johnson, Nell. “Desert Ranch Brings Peace to Attorney.” The Nevadan. June 7 1964.