African American History of North Las Vegas Heritage Trail

Entries on This Tour

1. Moulin Rouge Hotel (1955)

Listed in 1992 on the National Register of Historic Places, Moulin Rouge Hotel was a symbol of the Black civil rights movement and a reminder of Las Vegas's racist past. The Moulin Rouge Hotel open its doors on May 24, 1955 and became the first Las Vegas hotel and casino to cater to all races. Although preservationists and supporters of African American history hoped to save the historic property, most of the original hotel was demolished.

2. Harrison's Guest House

For a number of years in the 1940s and 1950s, Genevieve Harrison operated Harrison's Guest House out of her home on F Street. It was a time when, even in a comparatively tolerant place like Las Vegas, African-Americans faced discrimination and were often prohibited from staying at local hotels. Located in west Las Vegas, which was predominantly African-American, the guest house provided a place for entertainers passing through the city, or simply traveler who could not stay at other hotels in the city. The house is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

3. Town Tavern

Opened in 1955, Town Tavern flourished for many years in Las Vegas's predominantly African-American West Side. Until the 1960s, much of downtown Las Vegas was segregated and bars, restaurants, and hotels often prohibited African-American patrons. For much of the 1950s and 1960s, the Town Tavern was one of the most popular nightspots on the West Side, and some of the leading entertainers of the day appeared there. The tavern closed in 2010.

4. Berkley Square

Berkley Square, located in what was at the time the far northern side of the Las Vegas metropolitan area, is a cluster of ranch-style homes built and designed by world-renowned African American architect Paul R. Williams. The first group of homes in this neighborhood was were constructed between the years of 1954 and 1955. The housing development marked the first Black-owned subdivision in the state and provided homes to many of the Black families who had moved to the city during the boom years of the late 1940s and 1950s. The neighborhood expanded and the name of the community is derived from the financier, Thomas L. Berkley, a very influential African American attorney and business leader in Oakland who was also a leading voice for civil rights. Berkley Square was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2009.

This Tour is a Thematic Tour or Heritage Trail.

African American History of North Las Vegas Heritage Trail

Created by Clio Admin on January 21st 2018, 10:08:37 am.

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Description

This heritage trail connects a variety of locations of historical significance in the Berkley Square neighborhood of Las Vegas. The trail includes businesses that catered to all races in the era of segregation and demonstrates the response of African American leaders and entrepreneurs to segregation. As the trail expands, we hope to include institutions such as churches that represent a fuller view of the experience of African Americans in Las Vegas.

Entries on This Tour

African American History of North Las Vegas Heritage Trail

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