The Thomas D. Leavitt House, built c. 1896, is a two-story brick dwelling built by Leavitt for his first wife, Luella. The building sits on a .63 acre site enclosed by a wooden picket fence. There is one contributing ancillary structure on the site, a stone granary building now used for storage. The primary structure remains a residence, is in good condition, and retains a fairly high degree of integrity.
The Thomas Leavitt House is located in Bunkerville Nevada, a village of approximately 1000 people, 80 miles northeast of Las Vegas, near the Utah border. The house in on lot 2, block 17 of the Bunkerville town Plat, at the northeast corner of First West and Second South Streets. Neighboring structures include one-story ranch and bungalow residences, and the c. 1950 L.D.S. Mormon Temple to the north. The Thomas Leavitt House is the largest and best preserved residential structure in the vicinity. Landscaping consists of a lawn to the north and west, with several mature trees. There are two honey locust trees on the south side of the lot, approximately 75 years old. Forty to fifty year old cottonwood trees stand on the northwest corner of the lot, and on the south side. There are some young fruit trees peach, apple, pear, almond and apricot to the north of the house. The contributing out-building (approximately 20′ X 15′), a one-story uncoursed rubble building, with a corrugated metal-clad gable roof, is located to the east of the house on Second South Street. Non-contributing buildings consist of three chicken coops located to the northeast of the house.
Located in Bunkerville, Nevada and added to the National Register of Historic Places (#91001653)
The Thomas Dudley Leavitt House is a two-story brick structure with an intersecting, composition shingled gable roof and random rubble foundation. The plan of the building forms a “T”, with the principle elevation parallel to the roof ridge of the principle block. The building has three brick chimneys, one at each gable end. The inside corners of the “T” have been infilled with twostory wood-framed shed-roofed structures. There is a full cellar under the rear wing of the building.
The principle elevation, on the west side of the building, consists of four bays. The two outer bays, on both floors, contain paired, double-hung wood windows with segmentally arched heads. The two inner bays each contain a transom-covered door, also in an arched opening. On the second floor, these doors open onto a wooden porch, which extends the entire length of the facade.
Windows on other elevations are single, unpaired. In addition to the paired entry doors on the front elevation, the ground floor has two outside doors, on the north and south facades, while the second floor has one additional door, on the north facade. Originally, there were six outside doors on each floor, or twelve doors total. Outside stairs descend from the front porch on the south elevation of the structure.
The interior is characterized by large, simple rooms. Walls are plaster. Moldings are simple, with fluted door surrounds and wide baseboards. A flat, zig-zag cresting over bull’s-eye moldings are found at the top corners of doors and windows. There are pine board floors.
The house has undergone some changes in the approximately 100 years of its existence minor on the exterior, and slightly more extensive on the interior. On the exterior, the two rear porches flanking the leg of the “T” have been infilled. The porch to the south is open on the ground floor and enclosed on the second, while the north porch is fully enclosed, containing bathrooms on both floors. This work was done in the 1940s or 1950s. Another exterior change is on the main facade, where brick has been replaced to approximately four feet up the wall. This was done in the 1980s, because the original soft, locally made bricks were beginning to spall. Finally, the original cedar shake roof has been replaced by composition roofing, also in the 1980s.
The Parley Hunt House, built 1907, is a one-story stone dwelling built by Hunt for himself and his mother, Susan Naney Hunt. The building sits on a .824 acre site surrounded on three sides by a chain link fence. There are three non-contributing structures on the site. The residence is in good condition, but, because of extensive remodeling, retains only a moderate degree of integrity.
The Parley Hunt House is located in Bunkerville Nevada, a village of approximately 1000 people, 80 miles northeast of Las Vegas, near the Utah border. The house is on tract 37, section 25 of the Bunkerville plat. It is on Canal Street, named for the irrigation canal that runs alongside it. Neighboring structures include the one-story Nephi Hunt house to the east, built by Parley’s brother Nephi c. 1900, and some mobile homes to the south. There is a cemetery to the west. The Hunt house is approached by a circular, asphalt-paved driveway from canal street, looping to the structure’s main entrance. Non-contributing buildings consist of a small, one-story gable-roofed wood frame dwelling, c. 1980, to the east of the house, and two wooden sheds on the western boundary of the property. A trellised patio, c. 1990, is to the structure’s east. There are two mature deciduous trees on the site (locally known as “salt trees”), one at the south west corner of the lot, and one to the rear of the house on the site’s west boundary. There is a lawn and several young fruit trees to the north of the structure.
Located in Bunkerville, Nevada and added to the National Register of Historic Places (#91001652)
The Parley Hunt House is an “L” shaped uncoursed rubble building, one and one-half stories, with a crossed gable roof and shingled gable ends. There is no cellar. The inside corner of the “L” has been partially infilled with a frame addition. The shingled gable ends are the most character-defining existing features. These gable ends flare at the base, with rake moldings that die into the flared base. There is a window centered in each of the three gable ends.
The building has modern aluminum windows, a composition roof, a plastic “bubble” skylight and a modern interior. On the interior, there is a modern, concrete block fireplace between the two south, front rooms. A modern kitchen has been built in the southeast room. The rear, northwest room has been partitioned into bedroom, bath and corridor. The attic has been opened up over the south west room, and now consists of two loft bedrooms.
When Parley Hunt completed the house, it was composed of three rooms, with the room at the rear used for cooking. There was a large fireplace between the two front rooms, the larger of which served as a sitting room. A stove in the rear room connected to a second chimney.
Parley lived in the structure until 1915. The building changed hands at least three times before the 1950s, when a Mr. Freeman purchased and remodeled it. Freeman opened up the attic to create the loft rooms, partitioned the rear, northwest room as previously described, and infilled the porch at the crook of the building to create a utility room. The kitchen was also added at this time.
wo subsequent owners, Dan Eastman and Nick Bartlett, continued the remodeling process, possibly replacing the wood windows with aluminum and replacing the original fireplace with concrete block. The Bartlett’s built the small dwelling structure to the east of the main building for their son. The current owners have added new insulation and gypsum board to walls and ceilings, replaced the roof, and installed a “bubble” skylight.
Jens C. Anderson, a Danish immigrant, built this 12-story brick house in 1884. It is one of the earlier homes in Spring City constructed of locally fired brick. The original section is a hall-parlor plan. The brick addition on the east was built in 1995. Jens and Kristen Anderson joined The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Denmark and came to Utah in 1863, settling in Spring Town in 1868. Jens died in 1895; his son Christian and his wife, Jannette, a daughter of Reddick Allred, purchased the home and raised their family here.
This Queen Anne style house with its decorative gable shingles, turned porch posts, and spindles was built for John R. Baxter in 1903. Baxter, a teacher, farmer, and prosperous merchant, also served as mayor of Spring City from 1894 to 1895. Danish mason Jens Peter Carlson was responsible for the fine brick and stone masonry. The house remained in the Baxter family until 1979.
12 West 300 North in the Spring City Historic District in Spring City, Utah
The Green Shack Restaurant is historically significant under Criterion A because of its association with the rapid growth era of Boulder Dam construction in southern Nevada. It is significant also because, unlike the few other establishments of the tune, it provided a comfortable, rural, and egalitarian environment which ideally suited it to serve as a social center for dam workers, the city’s political and legal elite, young people, various civic and fraternal groups, and the populace at large. It serves as a reminder of the years of the Great Depression when, paradoxically, Las Vegas was growing and optimistic and was yet to experience the great transformation of the tourism and gaming boom which followed World War II. Still operated by members of the family which opened it, it retains the ambience, perhaps better than any other single Las Vegas building of its kind, of immediate pre-war Las Vegas.
Located at 2504 East Fremont Street in Las Vegas, Nevada and added to the National Register of Historic Places (#94000552)
From its founding in 1905 until about the time that Mrs. Mettie Jones started her restaurant activities in Las Vegas, the city was a very small town centered almost wholly on the railroad which was the cause for its existence. In 1928, Congress passed the Boulder Canyon Project Act which assured the construction of Boulder (Hoover) Dam. While actual construction did not begin until 1931, the area experienced considerable growth in the early years of the Great Depression in anticipation of the opening of construction jobs. The official census for 1930 shows Las Vegas as having a population of just over 5,000.
Mrs. Jones and her husband had been involved in real estate in Taft, California. She came to Las Vegas following the death of her husband in 1928 and purchased a considerable amount of desert property in the Las Vegas area. Probably in 1929 (the exact date is uncertain) she opened the Colorado Restaurant at a location then considered far out of town on what amounted to a dirt trail leading to the Colorado River. From a window in her residence she sold orders of fried chicken and bootleg whiskey. During the years of prohibition, there were many establishments ringing the city which sold illegal whiskey.
Construction on a new highway to the dam site began early in 1931 and the road was opened for traffic by that August. During that period, scores of new establishments along the highway, many of them selling liquor, had stirred controversy in Las Vegas. By late that year or in 1932, Mrs. Jones had relocated her operation a short distance to the west side of the new highway just inside the city limits. For her new restaurant she purchased (from the Union Pacific Railroad, according to family information) a green barracks-style building, and had it hauled to the new site. The building suggested the name, and the Green Shack Restaurant has operated at the same site by members of the same family ever since.
The original barracks constitute the main part of the present dining room. The northeast and northwest walls were removed and an additional eight feet of space was added to those two sides of that section in 1939. Large single-pane windows replaced the small barracks windows. Following the repeal of prohibition, the portion of the building which houses the present bar and lounge was built onto the rear of the original building, probably in 1934 when the sale of beer was permitted. The present owner’s father, Frank McCormick, who was a nephew of Mrs. Jones, was asked to operate the bar. According to family lore, Mrs. Jones received Clark County liquor license number 1 after the repeal of prohibition.
Few other alterations have been made except for the addition of a storeroom to the southeast side in 1960 and small, disconnected outbuildings. The original hardwood floor is still in place, though carpeted, in the main dining room, and wall paneling was added about thirty years ago. Stone fireplaces, one in each of the building’s main sections, are not original, but a newspaper reports that at least one of them was added during remodelling in 1939. Since the interior stonework and the exterior brickwork of the chimneys on the barracks and bar addition are similar, these almost certainly date from the same year.
Mrs. Jones, who had done most of the cooking with a long-time friend, died in 1967. Frank McCormick died three months later. Frank’s wife Elaine managed business thereafter. Between 1980 and 1985, the Green Shack was sold, reclaimed, leased for a brief period and then closed. Since 1985, James McCormick, son of Frank and Elaine, has operated the establishment with his wife Barbara.
The Green Shack is additionally significant because of its location beside the highway which carried many dam workers to and from their jobs. Indeed, the establishment was a particular favorite of dam workers of the era. While there were a few other restaurants during the 1930s, the comfortable rural atmosphere of the Green Shack, featuring large fireplaces and easy chairs, made it unique. There was a hitching post where nearby residents could tie their horses. (The present hitching post is not original.) During the years when the population shrank in the late 1930s, the establishment added regular entertainment, dancing and gambling tables in the cocktail lounge section. In a city where easy marriage was a trademark, weddings were a common occurrence at the Green Shack. Western movie star Hoot Gibson, who owned a divorce-oriented dude ranch in Las Vegas, was a frequent visitor.
The Green Shack was also a favorite “hangout” for the local political and legal fraternity. Its regular patrons included one local lawyer who became a Nevada Supreme Court justice and another who became Lieutenant Governor. The present owner, who has lived on the property since 1939, recalls that many legal disputes were resolved at the Green Shack before going to court. Other informants recall that it was a favorite place for young people to go after school dances, graduation ceremonies, etc. Through the years, the restaurant has also hosted meetings of numerous civic and social clubs.
Though quite a few Las Vegas residences and public buildings remain which date from the period of rapid growth associated with Boulder Dam construction, the special significance of the Green Shack derives from its location beside the highway which carried dam construction workers to and from their jobs. It is the only remaining such roadside establishment to retain its structural integrity along the 25-mile highway associated with that event of momentous significance to the entire region.
Narrative Description
The Green Shack, consisting of two parts, is of very simple construction. The front section, which was the original building moved to the site about 1932, is of simple, rectangular barracks construction with a gable roof. It is of stuccoed wood frame construction. The original dimensions of this building were about 32′ by 22′. During remodelling, probably in 1939, eight-foot extensions with shed roofs were added to the northeast (front) side and to the northwest. The extensions feature large single-pane windows. The original entrance, which was on the northeast side facing the highway, was removed during the remodelling and the entrance moved to the northwest. Other significant alterations to this portion of the building are the covering of the original open-truss construction with a lowered ceiling, the carpeting of the original hardwood floor, and the addition of a large stone fireplace and brick exterior chimney on the southeast side. About 1960, a wood frame storeroom was added to that side. A semi-circular neon-lighted sign attached to the front gable dates from the early 1940s.
A rectangular wood frame building of similar dimensions (25* by 40′) was added circa 1935, but possibly as late as 1939. The gable roof line continues that of the original structure. The exterior siding of this part of the building is clapboard. As befits the name, both parts of the building are painted a bright green. This section, which has served as bar, gambling area and lounge since the 1930s, features a stone fireplace and brick exterior chimney virtually identical to that in the front portion. Interior walls in both parts are wood panelling. Except for carpeting, a lowered ceiling and decorations, the interiors of both portions of the building appear as they did in the 1930s. A canopy which extends over the entrance along the northwest side dates from i960
The building, maintained as it has been since its opening by members of one family, has been kept in excellent repair and appealing appearance. The restaurant is separated from part of its parking lot on the northwest side by a very short and little-used street. Applications to have the street vacated are underway. The property is also occupied by two disconnected sheds and a small brick building which serves as the owners’ home and office.
From facebook: The Green Shack was a landmark eatery in Las Vegas, celebrated for its signature fried chicken and deep-rooted history. Founded in 1929 by Mattie “Jimmy” Jones as the Colorado, it was later renamed the Green Shack in 1932 after expanding into a repurposed Union Pacific Railroad barracks. Situated along Fremont Street, the restaurant became a staple for locals, celebrities, and workers traveling to and from the Hoover Dam construction site.
Its rustic charm and longstanding reputation earned it a place on the National Register of Historic Places in 1994, recognizing its significance in Las Vegas’ early development and evolving dining scene. Despite its historical prominence, the Green Shack closed its doors in 1999, and the building was ultimately demolished in 2005. Yet its legacy endures as a nostalgic chapter in the city’s culinary and cultural history.
From wikipedia: The Green Shack closed in May 1999 by Jim and Barbara McCormick who were the owners, and was demolished several years later. When it closed, the Green Shack was the oldest restaurant in Las Vegas.
The Jay Dayton Smith House, located at 624 South Sixth Street in Las Vegas is significant as a locally outstanding example of Spanish Colonial Revival style residential architecture (Criteria C). The building and its accompanying garage are located in a cohesive residential neighborhood surrounding the Art Deco style, Las Vegas High School. The. principal buildings of the High School were listed in the National Register on September 24, 1986.
Located at 624 South 6th Street in Las Vegas, Nevada and added to the National Register of Historic Places. (#87000077)
The J. D. Smith House is exemplary of the Spanish Colonial Revival style in Las Vegas with its irregular massing, asymmetrical facades, and red tiled, low pitched gabled and. flat, red tiled roofs. The stuccoed exterior is pierched by round and pointed arches on the front facade. Its exterior details include a round tower, a wing wall enclosing the sideyards, and a carport with arched entry. The interior boasts a sunken living room with a timbered truss cathedral ceiling, a central fireplace with decorative trim, and a random width plank floor. Built in 1931-32, the structure survives intact and has undergone no major changes.
The J. D. Smith House is a substantial example of the Spanish Colonial Revival style, a popular style in Las Vegas during the 1930s. 28 other residential structures and 10 apartment and commercial buildings have been identified as designed in the Spanish Colonial Revival or Mission Revival styles for the 1984 Clark County Historic Property Survey. The Smith House is one of four elaborate Spanish Colonial Revival styled residences included.in the survey. The three Spanish Colonial Revival styled residences which rival the J. D. Smith House in size, scale, and details are the Whitehead Residence at 333 North Seventh Street (Built in 1922, altered 1955, 1965), the Foremaster House at 701 South Seventh Street (Built in 1927, altered 1942, 1945), and the Henderson House at 704 South Ninth Street (Built 1930). The J. D. Smith House is the only one of the four which has had no modification of its massing or detail.
Las Vegas was founded in 1905 by the San Pedro, Los Angeles and Salt Lake Railroad Company as a division point for its main line between Salt Lake City and Los Angeles. The railroad laid out the city and formed the Las Vegas Land and Water Company to manage the townsite. Las Vegas was a small railroad company town until the late 1920s when the economy begain to diversify. (The population was 945 in 1910 and 2304 in 1920.) Congress passed the Boulder Canyon Project Act in 1928 assuring the construction of a dam across the Colorado River. Las Vegas, with its rail access, became the main supply center for the dam site some 20 miles away. In 1930 construction of the dam began and Las Vegas’ population swelled to 5, 165. New subdivisions were platted between 1928 and 1934 including the South Addition where Dr. Smith purchased three lots. Dr. Jay Dayton Smith (1894-1984), a dentist, was born in Monona, Iowa and settled in Las Vegas in 1926. Smith subsequently became a community leader particularly active in the field of Education. He served on the Clark County School District Board from 1935-1953. In 1964 his commitment to local education was honored when the first junior high school in Las Vegas was named the J. D. Smith Junior High School. In 1931, the date of construction of the Smith House, Las Vegas experienced the most active year to date for construction of all types of buildings. The Jay Dayton Smith House is significant for its association with the City’s first major building boom.
The Jay Dayton Smith House was designed by architects Warner and Nordstrom and built by the Hampton Brothers, contractors. The original drawings produced by Warner & Nordstrom indicate that they were Las Vegans; however, there are no records of where they lived or worked in Las Vegas. A literature search does not show them as prominent architects in southern California or as Bureau of Reclamation architects working on Hoover Dam. The four Hampton brothers operated Hampton Brothers Construction Company. The 1984 Clark County Property Survey cites the Hampton Brothers as “the most successful venture in the local building trade” in the 1930s. Hampton Brothers Construction Company built many other houses in the area. Identified in the 1984 Clark County Historic Property Survey iare the Nevada Electrf.ic Company at 201 South Bridger, 327 North Ninth Street, 816 South Third Street and 818 South Third Street.
Dr. Smith lived in the 624 South 6th Street house until 1947 and his wife continued to live in the house until her death in 1970. The property remains in the family and is presently owned by Jeanne Smith Stewart and Cassandra J. Smith Vincent. Dr. Smith’s office was on the second floor of the Mesquite Building at 103 Fremont. The building has been razed.
Although modest in comparison to many national examples of the Spanish Colonial Revival style, the Jay Dayton Smith House is an outstanding local example of the style. Constructed during the major Las Vegas building boom in the 1930’s, the Jay Dayton Smith House is one of the few Spanish Colonial Revival style dwellings to survive from the period and the only such dwelling to survive intact.
The white stucco walls are pierced by arched and rectangular openings. An ogee arched window opening is the focal window on the front facade. All the other window openings are rectangular in shape with no surrounds. The thirty-one original windows are all framed in wood and are a combination of fixed, casement, and double hung windows. The three exterior entries have eight paneled, wooden doors. The front door is generous and original. The kitchen and basement doors have been replaced with appropriate eight paneled wooden doors. A canted bay and chimney project from the north wall.
The front portion of the house is covered with an intersecting gabled roof of Mission type red tiles laid regularly. The rafter ends are exposed and painted a dark brown to contrast the white stucco walls. The rear portion of the building is covered with a built up, flat roof. The slight parapet walls surrounding the flat roof are topped with red tiles.
The modest exterior decoration includes a wrought iron weather vane topping the tower, wrought iron light fixtures, weep holes in the tower, and curvilinear gussets between the short patio walls and the carport wall.
The interior walls and ceilings are finished with a rough textured plaster which is painted white. The living room is the most elaborate. The rest of the rooms are modest in decoration with arched, recessed niches and arched doorways as the most common decorations. The house retains its original interior four panel wooden doors with original hardware and original dark wood built-ins.
The living room is sunken with a doweled, random width, hard wood floor. The major focus of the room is the fireplace which is sheathed in white plaster to integrate it into the rest of the wall and is decorated with elaborate decorative ceramic tile. Round arched niches are above and to each side of the fireplace. The dark wood, trussed beams elaborate the cathedral ceilings. The original wrought iron curtain rods remain. Patterned ceramic tiles decorate the risers leading to the dining room and the rest of the house.
The original yellow and green tiles and dark wood built-ins remain in the bathroom.
The basement has a red, coursed, concrete floor and original interior wood doors.
The Huntridge Theater opened for business on October 10, 1944. S. Charles Lee, a renowned theater architect, was influenced by the Moderne and International architectural styles when he designed the building. The Huntridge served as a movie house for almost five decades before its conversion to a performing arts center in 1992. Although the original landscaping has been lost, and minor changes to the interior and exterior have been undertaken, the theater retains its historic integrity.
The Huntridge Theater is located at the large, busy intersection of Maryland Parkway and Charleston Boulevard. It is currently surrounded by various commercial establishments, including car dealerships. The theater is just north of the Huntridge neighborhood, constructed during the 1940s. Originally, a bank and the post office were located next to the theater. Future plans for the Huntridge Performing Arts Center include purchasing and rehabilitating these two buildings and, to some extent, restoring the appearance of this important corner for the neighborhood.
Located at 1208 East Charleston Boulevard in Las Vegas, Nevada and added to the National Register of Historic Places (#93000686)
The theater is an approximately square, one-story, brick and concrete structure with a flat roof interrupted by a tower above the marquis. The bank of glass front doors are emphasized by projecting rectangular piers which support the marquis, and above, a curved wall. The 75′ high rectangular tower with flutes rises above the entrance. The tower is surmounted by a neon sign which spells “Huntridge.” The building has no windows and has no surface treatments other than those which surround the entrance area. The exterior doors lead into a lobby with a concession counter; the auditorium (approximately 1000 seats) is located to the left. The projection room can be accessed by a stairway beyond the concession counter.
Alterations to the theater include paving over the original, curved driveway which lead to the theater entrance, the addition of air-conditioning units on the roof, and the replacement of the original “Huntridge” sign, which was written in script. In 1992, the interior of the auditorium was unified as originally built, reversing the division into two theaters in the 1980s. The original murals have been lost. In spite of these changes, the. Huntrictcje Theater retains its integrity and will serve the Las Vegas for many years to come.
The Huntridge Theater is eligible for the National Register of Historic Places under criteria A, for its contribution to Las Vegas recreation and entertainment, and under criteria C, for its modern style of architecture.
The Huntridge Theater was designed by S. Charles Lee, one of the country’s well-known theater architects. In addition to designing more, than 300 theaters throughout the United States, Lee built several theaters in Mexico, Construction of the Huntridge began in 1943, during the height of World War II. Materials and labor were in short supply due to the war; the brick and concrete shell was common to buildings of this period. The contractor for the project was Pioneer Construction Co. ; several local sub-contractors were also employed. The Huntridge interiors were designed by A.B. Heinsbergen of Beverly Hills. At the time Mr. Heinsbergen was the veteran of over 376 large theaters and was recognized as the Designer of the Year by the United States Government in 1940.
The historic Huntridge Theater opened on October 10, 1944. It is believed to be the oldest operating movie theater in southern Nevada. Located on the corner of Maryland Parkway and Charleston Boulevard, it serves as the cornerstone for the Huntridge neighborhood, which includes houses and commercial buildings constructed in the 1940s. The original builder and proprietor of the Huntridge Theater was Commonwealth Las Vegas Theater, Inc., whose officers at the time of opening were C,A. Schultz, President, O.K. Mason, Vice-President and General Manager, and A.J. (Sim) Simrnons who managed the Huntridge from the construction phase to its opening.
The opening films on its first day were “Hi, Neighbor” and “Hellzapoppin,” The promotion for the opening of the theater included a contest to name the movie stars, with the first prize of a $25.00 war bond and 10 guest tickets. The Huntridge Development Co. , owned by prominent Las Vegas Thomas Oakey, was responsible for the contracting of the property. Mr. Oakey was also a partner in the venture. It is unclear from historic records as to when Commonwealth Las Vegas Theater, Inc., group dissolved but it is know that prior to 1951 Mr. Oakey had new partners in the property, including legendary actresses Irene Dunn and Loretta Young.
In 1951, a 27 year lease of the Huntridge Theater was begun with Lloyd and Edith Katz of Las Vegas. Mr. and Mrs. Katz operated the Huntridge Theater, the Fremont Theater, and the Guild Theater, all located in Las Vegas. The Huntridge was operated by the Katz’s until 1978 when the theater was purchased by Mr. Frank Silvaggio, a Las Vegas contractor.
During the nearly 50 years of its operation, the Huntridge has hosted many famous personalities. In March of 1947 Abbott and Costello appeared live on the Huntridge stage to present their new movie “Buck Privates Come Home.” In the 1950s such artists as Frank Sinatra, Judy Garland, Jerry Lewis, Marlene Dietrich and Vincent Price appeared at the Huntridge in promotions for their latest movies. The Huntridge Theater, along with the Fremont Theater, was host to the world premiere of the “Las Vegas Story” in which all of the major actors in the picture were in attendance.
The Theater is also eligible for the National Register under criteria C. The building is a combination of the Moderns style of architecture and the International style. Characteristics of the Moderne style, known also as the “streamlined style,” include curved corners, asymmetrical fenestration, smooth wall surfaces, and small round windows. The style was inspired by industrial design of the 1930s and eventually replaced the earlier, more, ornate Art Deco style. The Huntridge Theater displays features of the Moderne style such as the rounded facade and corner, the smooth wall surfaces, the fluting on the tower, and the small “porthole” under the “Huntridge” neon sign. International style characteristics include the minimal surface decoration, the asymmetrical massing of the building, and the flat roof. The theater is one of the few buildings to survive in Las Vegas from this decade.
The Huntridge Theater is best remembered as the place to go for Saturday matinees. Thousands of Las Vegas children passed through the portals of the theater to view many Disney films which had their Las Vegas premieres at the Huntridge. Many prominent Nevadans worked at the Huntridge in their early years. Such notables as Frankie Sue Del Papa, the state’s Attorney General, and others were ushers and concessions personnel at the theater. Senator Richard Bryan grew up in the Huntridge neighborhood and spent many hours in the Huntridge Theater.
After the purchase by Mr. Silvaggio in 1979, the theater was converted to a twin theater in 1980. During the subsequent 10 years the theater was operated by a number of different individuals and companies, including United Artists Corporation. The theater began to decline in popularity in the 1980s due to the advent of multi-theater complexes and its inability to compete in the marketplace. The theater closed in 1990 after repeated attempts to find a niche in which it could survive.
In January 1992, the theater was leased by Richard and Tamara Lenz, The theater was restored to a single space and much of the original decor was maintained, including the decorative wing walls on either side of the stage , the pillars in the lobby area, and the 75 foot high “Huntridge” sign.
In a city with few landmarks over thirty years old that have not been destroyed or extensively remodeled, the Huntridge stands intact as a tribute to its time. It is filled with the memories of the local people who grew up in Las Vegas.
The Liberace Mansion 4982 Shirley Street in Las Vegas, Nevada Owner – Martyn James Ravenhill
This private residence is the former home of American pianist, singer and actor Wladziu Valentino Liberace, known professionally as Liberace (1919-1987). The mansion is the first of its kind listed on the Clark County, Nevada, Historic Register.
This property was the primary residence and business headquarters of Liberace. He joined two smaller homes at this site into the larger mansion, where he lived from 1974 until his death in 1987. The mansion was featured on Liberace’s Valentine Day television special and on a tour with Robin Leach for the “Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous” television program. Liberace hosted numerous holiday and dinner parties at this house.
At the height of his fame from the mid-1950s to the mid-1980s Liberace was listed as the highest paid entertainer in the Guinness Book of World Records. He was known as “Mr. Showmanship.” His trademarks were exquisitely designed grand pianos, including one that was played by Chopin, and the candelabra. He wore elaborate costumes and jewelry, and always maintained special rapport with his audiences. Liberace was known and loved throughout the world and captured the attention of fellow entertainers, royals and world leaders and the average citizen. He achieved two Emmy Awards, six gold albums, two stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame as well as Instrumentalist of the Year, Best Dressed Entertainer and Entertainer of the Year.
The Liberace Mansion contains many original features installed during Liberace’s residency, including the Hall of Mirrors replicating Louis XIV’s palace at Versailles, unique murals patterned from the Sistine Chapel, glass wall etchings personalized for Liberace, the Parisian grand staircase, and the beautiful and original Moroccan Room, which was Liberace’s favorite space inside the 15,000-square foot mansion.
An expansive ballroom now covers the former piano-key tiled pool. Restoration work on The Liberace Mansion is ongoing by the Friends of the Liberace Mansion and Mr. Ravenhill.
Liberace’s fans continue to visit the mansion to pay tribute to this extraordinary entertainer. The mansion’s historic designation and preservation are supported by visitors and the local Las Vegas community.
Liberace was born on May 16, 1919, and died on February 4, 1987.
The Washington School was built in 1932 and represents the Moderne architectural style. Its architect and builder are unknown. The school retains integrity of its design including stylistic elements, plan configuration and massing. It also retains integrity of construction materials and building details. The Washington School has been in continuous use as a school from the time of its construction until the present day.
The Washington School is located in Las Vegas, Nevada within the SW 1/4 of Section 23, T20S, R61E. The building is situated on the southwest corner of Lake Mead Boulevard and White Street, and faces east toward White Street. The original school site measures 240 feet along Lake Mead Boulevard and 250 feet along White Street. The site is characterized by asphalt and grass surfaces, mature cypress trees at the entrance, and three non-contn’buting buildings.
The Washington School is a one-story building with a symmetrical, cruciform plan containing two classrooms. The basically rectangular structure measures 25 by 85 feet, with a stepped projecting entry and rear restroom wing forming the cruciform plan. The school is constructed with concrete foundations and concrete block walls which are divided into bays with Moderne style pilasters. A flat roof is located behind the parapet and is covered with asphalt shingles.
Located at 1901 White Street in North Las Vegas, Nevada and added to the National Register of Historic Places (#92000120)
An important exterior element that articulates the building’s symmetry is the central, paired metal doors within a projecting frontispiece detailed with stepped corner reveals. The original windows are steel frame with eight lite casement, awning, and fixed sash variations. A notable decorative feature of the otherwise undecorated building are the concrete band courses at the cornice and parapets. Original interior elements include two panel wood doors with eight lite transoms, blackboards, and plumbing fixtures.
The site contains three additional structures. At the rear of the site, about 100 feet behind Washington School, are a portable classroom building and a wood frame and stuccoed classroom building. The third building is situated about 50 feet to the southeast of the school and is wood frame with a gable roof. Its function is unknown.
The Washington School is significant under Criteria C in the area of significance of Architecture. It is representative of the historic context “Schoolhouse Architecture in Southern Nevada’s Fifth Supervision School District, 1870 to 1942.” Built in 1932, the Washington School is a rare regional example of the Moderne Style influence in elementary school design. Only one other school in Southern Nevada, the Las Vegas High School, is designed in the Moderne Style. The building is also significant as an example of the early use of concrete block. The Washington School is a good illustration of the Custom Architecturally Designed Schoolhouse property type, and is one of only twelve such buildings in the Fifth Supervision District. The building possesses the important characteristics of the property type, specifically the combination of standardized functional criteria with a mainstream style to form one unified architectural statement.
The Moderne Style incorporated the concepts of the modern movement into architectural design. Those concepts denounced superfluous ornamentation and the reliance on historical precedent, and emphasized instead structural simplicity and the use of the most up-to-date materials and construction processes, as well as allowing the essential qualities of the building’s function to drive the aesthetics of the design.
Elements of that style, illustrated by the Washington School, include the overall simple geometry of the structure, and smooth or undecorated surfaces. Symmetrical arrangement of the principal facade, another characteristic of the style, is also evident in the Washington School design. A projecting central frontispiece divides the facade into three bays. The walls are further articulated by two horizontal cornice bands and a series of pilasters. The pilasters, as well as the building corners, are detailed with stepped back blockwork, a typical technique of the Moderne Style.
The Washington School is also important for its association with the development of Las Vegas, which experienced a population and building boom as the beginning of the 1930s. The boom was brought about by a diversification of the city’s economy that greatly changed its pre-1930 status as primarily a railroad town. From 1931 through the end of World War II, three events lead to the creation of many new jobs in Las Vegas. First, Las Vegas was designated as the supply center for the nearby Boulder Dam construction project. Second, gambling was legalized, and third, several wartime industries were located near Las Vegas. The expanding job market resulted in the city’s population growing from 5,952 in 1930, to 8,422 in 1940, to 24,625 in 1950. Built in 1932, Washington School reflects the citywide school building expansion program during that year.
Camp Floyd was established in 1858 by order of President James Buchanan. During its three years of operation, Camp Floyd was the site of the largest assembled troop concentration in the United States prior to the Civil War. No buildings remain in this area from the encampment, but the site was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1974.
The Camp Floyd Cemetery was established in 1858 and abandoned three years later as the troops stationed at Camp Floyd returned to fight in the Civil War. The actual number, location and identities of soldiers buried in the cemetery is not known with certainty as the Army did not keep burial records during this period and all surface evidence of grave locations was destroyed.
Efforts to commemorate the cemetery included a monument dedicated by the War Department in 1913 and 84 granite markers placed by the American Legion in 1960. Army records have since revealed that almost half of the names on the markers were of individuals who died someplace other than Camp Floyd or were never with Johnston’s Army.
The following list of possible burials has been reconstructed from army records that record the names of soldiers who died at Camp Floyd. No list of civilians could be found. Ground penetrating radar done in 2009 revealed 33 burials and one double burial. The radar may not have detected all possible burials. New headstones were placed in 2011 to reflect the locations of the known burials. These headstones read “Unknown” in order to reflect that the identity of the burial is not known.
Camp Floyd /Stagecoach Inn State Park would like to thank the Veterans Administration, Curtis Allen, Ephriam Dickson with the Fort Douglas Museum, Andrew Murphy, Tyler Bartholomew and Troop 1460.
Bergen, James. Private, Co. C, 4th Artillery. Born c. 1837. Died June 27, 1860, accidental drowning
Bryan, William. Private Co. I 7th Infantry. Bom c. 1830. Died December 27, 1859, murdered
Edinger, Benjamin F. Private, Co. C, 4th Artillery. Born c. 1839. Died December 11, 1859, cause unknown
Farrell, Edward. Private, Co. F, 10th Infantry. Born c1831. Died May 12, 1859, self-inflicted gunshot
Fuhr, George. Private, Co. G, 5th Infantry. Born c1833. Died May 17, 1860, disease
Gallagher, Daniel. Private Co. E, 7th Infantry.
Born c. 1834. Died September 11, 1859, pneumonia
Giers, Robert. Private, Co. I, 10th Infantry. Born c. 1835. Died November 7, 1859, typhoid fever
Goodman, Patrick. Private, Co. D, 7th Infantry. Born c. 1815. Died January 2, 1860, pneumonia
Green, Charles R. Sergeant, Co. E, 2nd Dragoons. Born c. 1830. Died August 6, 1859, self-inflicted wounds
Hardy, James. Private Co. B, 2nd Dragoons. Born c. 1836. Died December 21, 1859, cause unknown
Kennedy, Patrick. Private, Co. B, 2nd Dragoons. Born c. 1833. Died April 9, 1860, cause unknown
Krause, Antion. Private, Co. A, 7th Infantry. Born c. 1836. Died November 26, 1859, typhoid fever
Mahers, Richard, Recruit, 4th Artillery. Born c. 1839. Died September 17 1860, dysentery
Main, James L. Private, Co. A, 7th Infantry. Born c. 1825. Died September 13, 1859, alcohol poisoning
McCabe, James. Private Co. D, 7th Infantry.Born c. 1833. Died November 5, 1859, consumption
McNickle, Daniel. Private, Co. B 5th Infantry. Born c. 1837. Died November 24 1858, cause unknown
Means, John. Private, Co. H, 2nd Dragoons. Born c. 1836. Died July 17, 1859, disease
Moore, William H. Private, Co. D, 7th Infantry. Born c. 1839. Died March 29, 1860, pneumonia
Mullen, James. Private, Co. 1, 5th Infantry. Born c. 1837. Died March 10, 1859, cause unknown
Newell, Benjamin F. Private, Co. A, 7th Infantry. Born c. 1832. Died April 8, 1860, suicide
Nieland, Edward. Private, Co. K, 7th Infantry. Born c. 1834. Died March 27, 1859, typhoid fever
Noble, Robert W. Private, Co. H, 5th Infantry. Born c. 1837. Died October 7, 1859, disease
O’Brien, Charles, Private, Co. B, 2nd Dragoons. Died July 15, 1861, disease
O’Brien, Michael. Private, Co. A 2nd Dragoons. Bom c. 1827. Died February 23, 1859, aneurism
O’Connor, Thomas. Private, Co. H, 10th Infantry. Bom c. 1831. Died December 10, 1859, disease enteritis
O’Hara, Edward. Private, Co. D, 7th Infantry. Born c. 1831. Died March 12 1860, shot by a sentinel of the Camp Guard
Otterback, Christian. Corporal, Co. 4th Artillery. Born c. 1835. Died February 11, 1860, found murdered
Paige, George H. Captain, QMD. Bom c. 1825. Died April 18, 1859, disease
Pike, Ralph. 1st Sergeant, Co. I, 10th Infantry. Bom c. 1837. Died August 14, 1859, assassinated in Salt Lake City
Potts, Elias K. Second Lieutenant, Co. C, 7th Infantry. Born c. 1838. Died April 23, 1859, disease
Redding, William. Private Co. C, 7th Infantry. Born c. 1828. Died December 20, 1859, alcohol poisoning
Rooney, Terence. Private, Co. A, 7th Infantry. Born c. 1832. Died March 30, 1860, diabetes
Shields, Henry, Private, Co. B 2nd Dragoons. Born c. 1830. Died September 17, 1860, cause unknown
Sliter, Thomas M. Private, Co. B, 7th Infantry. Born c. 1835. Died December 19, 1858, disease
Stewart, James, Private, Co. D, 5th Infantry. Born c. 1829. Died January 22, 1860, accidental shooting
Sweeney, James. Private, Co. C, 7th Infantry.Born c. 1835. Died November 18, 1858, hemorrhage of the stomach
Thrall, Charles C. Private, Co. E, 5th Infantry. Born c. 1832. Died November 28, 1858, cause unknown
Trittle, Theodore. Private, Co. C, 4th Artillery. Born c. 1832. Died January 9, 1860, disease
Tucker, Henry C. Sergeant, Co. 1, 5th Infantry. Born c. 1833. Died March 4, 1859, cause unknown
Warren, James H. Private, Co. K, 5th Infantry. Also known as James H. Richards. Born c. 1836. Died February 21, 1860, disease
These soldiers died before Camp Floyd was finished but may have been buried in the cemetery:
Akerly, Charles W. Private, Co. A, 5th Infantry. Born c. 1836. Died August 1, 1858, cause unknown
Grava, Heinrich. Private, Co. G, 5th Infantry. Born c. 1828. Died July 29, 1858, cause unknown
Isaacs, John E. Private, Co. D, 7th Infantry.Born c. 1830. Died September 27, 1858, disease
McDougal, Archibald T. Private, Co. E, 10th Infantry. Born c. 1837. Died October 12, 1858, cause unknown
