Las Vegas: The Early Years

“The City of Las Vegas: The Early Years” is a documentary produced by Catherine Sager, written by Ken Chowder, and directed by Jennifer Boyd. This film provides a comprehensive exploration of the early development and history of Las Vegas. It delves into how the city evolved from a small desert town to become one of the most iconic entertainment hubs in the world. Through interviews with historians, locals, and archival footage, viewers gain insights into the significant events and individuals that shaped Las Vegas during its formative years. From its origins as a railroad stop to its transformation into a gambling and entertainment center in the mid-20th century, this documentary offers valuable perspectives on how Las Vegas became what it is today.

The City of Las Vegas: The Early Years

From Boyd Productions:

“The City of Las Vegas, the Early Years tells the amazing story of how this community came to be.

Las Vegas in its early days embodied all of these things we think of as being a frontier mentality – financial freedom, personal freedom, moral freedom. You could come to Las Vegas and do what you wanted to do and probably succeed at it, and if you don’t then you, it’s probably your own fault.-Dennis McBride, Director, Nevada State Museum.

The people at first that came to Las Vegas were either looking for a first start or a second start… or one last chance. –Bob Stoldal, Historian.”

Here is the documentary summary from the KCLV Channel 2 YouTube Channel‘s video description:

““The City of Las Vegas, the Early Years,” was commissioned by the Commission for the Las Vegas Centennial, and focuses on the founding and first 20 years of the community from 1905-1920. The documentary was funded by the Commission for the Las Vegas Centennial. The commission has established a grant program to support community initiatives that are of a historic nature, by utilizing the revenue generated from the special commemorative Las Vegas Centennial license plate. Read more Las Vegas history on our blog“