The area that Las Vegas occupies was once a lush, humid swamp full of rich vegetation. But as the swamp receded and the waters disappeared, the region became an arid desert. Located many kilometers away from the nearest big city, Las Vegas is situated in the middle of a desert. The Golden Gate Hotel and Casino, located in the center of the city, is the oldest continuously operating hotel and casino in Las Vegas; it opened its doors in 1906 as Hotel Nevada.
Eleven years later, members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints chose Las Vegas to build a fort midway between Salt Lake City and Los Angeles. This fort can still be seen at the intersection of Las Vegas Boulevard and Washington Avenue. The Las Vegas monorail on the Strip was privately built and, in case of bankruptcy, passed into the hands of the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority. Las Vegas is home to an extensive downtown arts district, which hosts numerous galleries and events, including the Las Vegas Film Festival.
The city also faces significant challenges due to its remote location in the desert. The mountains surrounding the Las Vegas Valley accumulate snow every winter, but significant accumulation within the city is rare. RTC Transit is a public transportation system that provides bus service in Las Vegas, Henderson, North Las Vegas and other areas of the valley. Although today a thriving city, Las Vegas also faces significant challenges due to its remote location in the desert.
Over time and under the influence of climate change, droughts in Southern Nevada have been increasing in frequency and severity. The main attractions in Las Vegas are casinos and hotels, although other new attractions have begun to emerge in recent years. You may have heard rumors about a curfew in Las Vegas; however, this is not true. The Las Vegas Valley metropolitan area is the largest within the great Mojave Desert and the second largest in the southwestern United States. Las Vegas is an iconic destination for tourists from all over the world.
But why is it located in such an arid desert? To understand this phenomenon, we must look back at its history.
The History of Las Vegas
The area that now houses Las Vegas was once a lush swamp full of vegetation. But as time passed by, this area became an arid desert due to receding waters. In 1906, Hotel Nevada opened its doors as one of the first establishments in what would become one of America's most iconic cities. Eleven years later, members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints chose this area to build a fort midway between Salt Lake City and Los Angeles.This fort can still be seen today at the intersection of Las Vegas Boulevard and Washington Avenue. The monorail on The Strip was privately built and eventually passed into the hands of The Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority when it went bankrupt. This monorail has become one of Las Vegas' most iconic attractions.
Challenges Faced by Las Vegas
Las Vegas is home to an extensive downtown arts district which hosts numerous galleries and events such as The Las Vegas Film Festival. However, due to its remote location in a desert environment, it faces several challenges. The mountains surrounding The Valley accumulate snow every winter but significant accumulation within city limits is rare. Additionally, droughts have been increasing in frequency and severity due to climate change.Attractions in Las Vegas
The main attractions in Las Vegas are casinos and hotels but other new attractions have begun to emerge over recent years.Contrary to popular belief there is no curfew imposed on visitors or locals. The metropolitan area is also one of the largest within The Mojave Desert and second largest within The Southwestern United States.
