Timeline of Las Vegas

1900s-1950s

1900 - The population of Las Vegas, five years before it is founded as a city, is 22.

1905 - Las Vegas is founded as a city on May 15 when 110 acres (45 ha) of land adjacent to the Union Pacific Railroad tracks are auctioned off by the railroad company. The areas that were auctioned off were situated between Stewart Avenue on the north, Garces Avenue to the south, Main Street to the west, and 5th Street (Las Vegas Boulevard) to the east and would later become the downtown area.

1905 - San Pedro, Los Angeles and Salt Lake Railroad begins operating, linking Southern California with Salt Lake City and making Las Vegas an ideal refueling point and rest stop due to the availability of water.

1906 - Las Vegas & Tonopah Railroad built.

1909

Las Vegas becomes seat of Clark County.

Clark County Review newspaper begins publication.

1910 - Victory Hotel in business.

1911

June 1: Citizens of Las Vegas vote 168 to 57 in favor of incorporation.

June 1: Peter Buol is elected first mayor of Las Vegas, Stewart, VonTobel, McGovern and Gaughlin become city commissioner and assure a "conservative city government".

1920 - Population: 2,304.

1929 - Las Vegas Evening Review and Journal newspaper in publication.

1930 - Population: 5,165.

1931

Gambling legalized.

Hoover Dam construction begins near Las Vegas.

1933 - Post Office built.

1934 - Helldorado festival begins.

1940

Population: 8,422.

Las Vegas Union Pacific Station built.

1941 - Las Vegas Army Airfield activated.

1943 - Las Vegas YMCA active.[1]

1944 - Huntridge Theatre built.

1946 - Flamingo Hotel and Golden Nugget casino in business.

1950

Population: 24,624.

U.S. military Nellis Air Force Base dedicated.

Las Vegas Morning Sun newspaper begins publication.

Desert Inn casino in business.

1951 - Binion's Horseshoe casino in business.

1952

Unitarian Universalist Congregation founded.

Sands Hotel and Casino in business.

1953 - City of Henderson chartered in vicinity of Las Vegas.

1956

The City of Las Vegas annexes one square mile of land, the first such addition of land since incorporation 45 years earlier.

Las Vegas Air Force Station in use.

Fremont Hotel in business.

1957

University of Nevada, Las Vegas and United Way of Southern Nevada established.

Tropicana in business on the Strip.

1958 - Legal Aid Center of Southern Nevada established.[2]

1959

The Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas sign is built, designed by Betty Willis at the request of a local salesman who sold it to Clark County.

Oran K. Gragson becomes mayor.

Las Vegas Convention Center opens in Winchester.

1960s-1990s

1960 - The population of Las Vegas has grown to 64,405, which represents more than 22 percent of Nevada's total population, even though with just 25 square miles it occupies less than 0.02 percent of the state's land.

1964: Bonanza Air Lines Flight 114, flying from Phoenix, Arizona to McCarran International Airport, crashes on a hill just southwest of Las Vegas during a landing approach in poor weather conditions. All 26 passengers and 3 crew members were killed when the plane exploded on impact.

1966 - Aladdin casino in business.

1967

Las Vegas Marathon begins.

Barrick Museum of Natural History established.

1968

Circus Circus in business on the Strip.

1970 - Population: 125,787.

1973 - Las Vegas City Hall built.

1979 - Liberace Museum opens near city.

Faith Lutheran Middle School & High School opens

1980 - Population: 164,674; metro 463,087.

1981

Cinedome movie theatre in business.

KUNV college radio begins broadcasting.

1982 - Nevada State Museum, Las Vegas established.

1983 - Harry Reid becomes U.S. representative for Nevada's 1st congressional district.

1984

Spanish Trail Country Club opens.

Meadows School established.

1985 - Paradise 6 cinema in business.

1989 - Mirage casino in business on the Strip.

1990

Guinness World Records Museum established.

Population: 258,295; metro 741,459.

Excalibur casino in business on the Strip.

1992 - Cannon Aviation Museum established near city.

1993

MGM Grand, Treasure Island, and Luxor casinos in business on the Strip.

Las Vegas Business Press begins publication.

Defcon hacker convention begins.

1994 - Zen Center founded.

1996

September: Murder of Tupac Shakur.

Neon Museum founded.

Las Vegas CityLife newspaper begins publication.

Stratosphere and Monte Carlo casinos in business on the Strip.

1997

City website online (approximate date).

New York-New York Hotel & Casino in business on the Strip.

1998

Bellagio (hotel and casino) in business on the Strip.

Las Vegas Weekly newspaper begins publication.

Las Vegas Philharmonic Orchestra founded.

1999

Mandalay Bay, Venetian, and Paris casinos in business on the Strip.

Oscar Goodman becomes mayor.

21st century

2000

Population: 478,434.

Aladdin Casino rebuilt on the Strip.

2001

Omar Haikal Islamic Academy opens.

Palms Casino in business near the Strip.

2004 - Las Vegas Urban League established.

2005

World Market Center built.

Wynn casino in business on the Strip.

2006 - Miss Exotic World Pageant and Burlesque Hall of Fame relocated to Las Vegas.

2007 - Palazzo casino in business on the Strip.

2008 - Encore casino in business on the Strip.

2009 - CityCenter opens.

2010

Syn Shop hackerspace opens.

Population: 583,756; metro 1,951,269.

Cosmopolitan casino in business on the Strip.

2011

Carolyn Goodman becomes mayor.

Population: 589,317; metro 1,969,975.

2012

Smith Center for the Performing Arts opens.

Las Vegas City Hall rebuilt.

2013

Zappos.com headquartered in city.

Steven Horsford becomes U.S. representative for Nevada's 4th congressional district.

2014

8 June: 2014 Las Vegas shootings occur.

Downtown Summerlin opens. Downtown Project continues expanding the Fremont East district.

2015 - May 2: Mayweather-Pacquiao boxing match takes place.