19 Photos That Capture Las Vegas Over the Years

Back when the Strip glowed with vintage marquees, big-band music spilled from casino lounges, and headliners like Sinatra and Elvis turned every night into an event, Las Vegas had a different kind of allure. This was the Vegas of smoky rooms, endless buffets, and star-studded stages — a time when the city was just beginning to earn its reputation as the ultimate playground for adults. These pictures tell its origin story.

1. Honest John’s and Centerfold Casinos (1975)

2. Cocktail Waitress at Caesars Palace (1968)

3. Children Waiting Outside the Casino While Their Parents Are Inside (1954)

4. Playing Slots (1942)

5. Nighttime on Fremont Street (1967)

6. The Strip (1976)

7. Pinball in Vegas (1965)

8. Hotel Fremont (1960s)

9. Cocktail Lounge of the Howard Johnson Hotel (1974)

10. Las Vegas Wedding Chapel (1950s)

11. Outside The Mint (1950s)

12. Tom Jones Cutting His Birthday Cake at Caesars Palace (1974)

13. Showgirls Coming Out of Their Hotel Rooms (1957)

14. Golden Nugget Gambling Hall (1950s)

15. Fremont Street (1958)

16. Outside the Nevada Club (1959)

17. Posing With Cash at a Card Table (1970s)

18. Vegas Elopement (1977)

19. Rodney Dangerfield Posing With His Billboards (1976)

Curious about what other cities looked like years ago? 

Take a look at 17 Retro Photos That Show How Times Square Has Changed Over the Years and Step Back Into 1990s Los Angeles With These 21 Nostalgic Photos. And for a trip across the pond, check out 20 Dreamy Photos That Show Why Paris in the 1920s Was Pure Magic.