Las Vegas & Reno Vacations - 1962, 64 & 65 - Driving Around Old Vegas!

[@Tom-mc6fm]

Thanks so much for sharing your memories!

[@RFToob]

Truly, 100 x better than today’s.

[@d.martin7692]

My mother worked for Greyhound so we took a lot of trips all around the West. We stayed at the Fremont, The Mint and the Stardust around this time. Just how I remember it. Always remember the heat still hanging around at midnight. We saw Dean Martin with Count Basie at The Sands. A different era.

[@JoseGonzalez-se3ky]

So lucky to have Dean Martin live and see this back then. It looks like a whole other universe. This is a time that was very unique and I dont see it coming back sadly

[@keithwarner6997]

Nice

[@Nolongerangry]

Okay I can admit I am jealous of you for getting to see Dean Martin!

[@H.pylori]

A true walk back in time. I had forgotten exactly the location of the Imperial Motel, where I stayed in 1967, now thanks to you I know that it was a block or two north of the Sands Hotel. Then the recordings downtown show the locations of the old casinos, hard to imagine since they are all gone. Even saw Trader Bll's. Just think, seeing the construction of the DUNES hi-rise hotel. The Landmark and the old convention center. The entertainers on the marquees. We all all thankful to the person who had the foresight to film driving down the Strip. Also, note how well dressed everyone was then. Thank you sir and thumbs up

[@davehue9517]

Las Vegas was much classier then.... must have been great

[@Mikefngarage]

Now its just a money grab....back then they straight up made money on gambling. now it is EVERYTHING.....I just dont go there anymore.

[@alfred929]

I absolutely love watching footage of the old Vegas. It's so nostalgic to see how much the city has changed.

[@Backinblackbunny009]

So true! I grew up in Vegas but left after I married in 06, tho my family still lives there I hadn't had a chance to visit since 13 and it was shock coming back in 20. I can't believe how built up the south is! There is barely any space between Vegas and enterprise! When I graduated in 02 enterprise was like visiting the moon, it was so empty.

[@escape2204]

oh how i wish to be there, in that frame of time

[@dondressel452]

Me too

[@realrealonerealrealone2182]

I'd head right for the 2$ steak and lobster buffet. then hit the tables, sports bets then get some cocaine and hookers😄

[@dannyruiz6868]

This is awsome. This is my time period when I spent 2 and a 1/2 years living in Vegas. My first job was working at one of the first Mexican Restaurants in Vegas. It was called "The Macayo Vegas Mexican Food." I saw a lot of movie stars. One of my favorites was Harry James and Betty Grable and their two daughters. They came in almost every Wednesday night.

[@texasstardust6010]

.....Macayo Vegas, ( as it became known as ) was still around up until around 2017 or 2018, I think. There may still be one location left in Vegas, they actually had 3 or 4 locations, over a number of years.

[@zombywoof1072]

@@texasstardust6010 The last two closed in March of '19.

[@dannyhemphill7618]

Love those cars ! Was there in 65 myself as a young teenager with my folks.

[@briand4000]

The Dunes...DOB 1964. Blown up (down) 1993! Pretty good run. Love this nostalgic film...just a baby I was in '64.

[@artiehess7110]

The Dunes Hotel was a hotel and casino on the Las Vegas Strip in Paradise, Nevada, that operated from May 23, 1955 to January 26, 1993.

[@MrMikeTauber]

wow so great thanks so much - the cars and fashions reflect the times

[@dougsilva8603]

I love seeing the old gas stations flying A , mobil and signal

[@Mikefngarage]

phillips 66 and richfield are cool too. Texaco. all gone now.

[@philadelphia3117]

Let me start by thanking you for sharing this awesome footage. I was born in 1968 and raised just West of Philadelphia. I moved out here in 1996 and can't get over how much it has changed since then but then I see this incredible footage before I was even a thought or an "oops". I remember in 1997 me and my girlfriend went out for a ride one evening and we ended up parking and sitting on a rock pile at the intersection of Tropicana and Rainbow. I don't think one car past us that night. At that time that was the edge of the city and now it's more like the middle of the city. Also in 1997, Hoover dam had a slow flow of water going over the spillway even with the metal gates slightly raised. You could feed fish on the Arizona side from the first parking lot with popcorn purchased in a small store that was located in the same parking lot. The store has been gone for some time now but so has the water that reached it. It looks like it dropped around 100ft since then but that's just a guess. I noticed in 1962 it was much higher than it is today, nearly 60 years later. This really made my night so I thank you again. Funny thing is that I, I'll call it stumbled upon this video. I wasn't searching for anything related to Vegas. I want to share this with others that I know will enjoy it as much as I did but it's 12:15AM. The nostalgia is heavy.

[@KenButz]

Great memories! Thanks

[@jbsmith966]

a great time capsule , thanks for posting

[@MrZola1234]

Crazy how large the Dune’s construction of the circle building looks in the empty skyline of the strip.

[@robparadise6099]

Great job - nice seeing the marquees with the performers names of that time.

[@KenButz]

The old marquees of Vegas and Times Square are always fun!

[@farmhand6524]

Ken Butz, thank you for this upload... It is the nicest Vegas video I've seen.

[@KenButz]

Thanks & I agree its one of the best...

[@kurtporter1323]

I'm 67 yrs young and remember vividly visiting Las Vegas as a youngster. We drove at night to avoid the heat. My Dad would wake us up 50 miles before arriving. He said "look for the glowing lights on the horizon " We used to stay at the Bagdad Motel. Great pool! Remember 99° atop Sahara Hotel at midnight.

[@otrdriverchris]

The old Vegas looked genuinely inviting. The new Vegas looks and is genuinely gimmicky.

[@TicklerDude]

My grandfather told me that the hookers in Vegas in the 1960's only cost $15.

[@otrdriverchris]

@@TicklerDude Dude, not cool.

[@TicklerDude]

@@otrdriverchris I'm not trying to be cool. I told the truth.

[@otrdriverchris]

@@TicklerDude Do you think you are glued together properly?

[@TicklerDude]

@@otrdriverchris Yep, I'm totally cool

[@MrNahatej]

I can't even watch this anymore. Looking what world we live in in now compare to all these videos from the past makes me like giving up on everything, because nothing matters anymore. The glory and beauty is permanently gone.

[@KenButz]

Agreed - I feel for the generation that is growing up today.

[@chrisanderson6611]

Right now is the future's good old days. Enjoy

[@sheldonturley1849]

No Fancy machine s in those days no pennies at 240 pennies at a crack.only 1 arm bangers

[@larryaldrich4351]

Went with my folks back then but it breaks my heart that they passed up those swell headliners to pull handles.

[@dave1956]

I would have loved to have visited Vegas in this era.

[@KenButz]

Me too!

[@universityofnowhere]

Fantastic footage that's genuine. When I started watching, I wondered if Mamie Van Doren's name would make an appearance and sure enough there she was listed at the Riviera along with Dennis Day (search on KZbin them singing You Make me Feel so Young together). That new MCM subdivision with show home looked amazing and would have been priced well because they were wanting to attract people to move there. So glad you posted this and made this film before the counterculture era took over, triggering rapidly changing tastes

[@tomp1612]

This is cool. I'd never heard of Scotty's Castle. Have to go there next trip. The "old" convention center is still the current one just greatly expanded. There are pictures inside of it when it started in the 50s, when it was half the size as shown. Now it's maybe 20 times the size. First time i ever went to Las Vegas in 1986 it looked a lot closer to the 1962 version than today's version. We drove down Fremont St, went to the strip and parked at the end where the Stratosphere is now and walked in 110 degree heat seemingly miles between each neighboring casino across the parking lots and bits of desert to get to the nice air conditioning. Been there and Reno many times since.

[@ray_ray_7112]

Classic video footage! I think that was the newlywed Griswalds in the station wagon, pulling into the convention center at 11:57. They probably were going to see The Beatles in concert but then realized they were a day late.

[@KenButz]

The original family truckster! Good catch!

[@edwardjnarrojr3135]

Riding sea dews around those intake valves in the 1990's while listening to to music 🎵🎶 was such a sweet escape.

[@RyansColoradoRailProductions]

I wish they saved the Dunes sign, they didn’t have to blow it up in 93

[@Ranger-BILLs-World]

Sorry Ryan. I watched from the Bally's parking lot across the street from the Dunes when they imploded the hotel. Only a few hundred feet away, I watched the hotel pancake into itself. Incredible. But, the opening implosion before the main attraction of the hotel imploding surprised everybody when the first attraction was the implosion of the massive Dunes sign. Yeah, It would of been another great addition to The Sign Graveyard ... but instead the Dunes sign went out in eclectic Vegas style and fanfare and remains a favorite memory.

[@RyansColoradoRailProductions]

@@Ranger-BILLs-World also I forgot to mention my dad was there too... he watched the implosion. Also I wonder who the actor playing the “captain of the Britannia” was. So many unanswered questions since I first heard about it, despite the fact it happened almost 10 years before I was born...

[@Kenna198]

For those who may not know: approximate minute 14:45 that’s Scottie’s Castle in Death Valley, highly recommend if you ever get a chance to tour it, beautiful place

[@KenButz]

Thanks!

[@josephalfonsoamantia7028]

I agree. Death Valley is beautiful. Especially in the spring. Don't let the name fool you.

[@johnegli1308]

Thanks. I was wondering as well. Pretty sure it wasn’t Excalibur. Lol

[@hooligan2005]

Thanks... I was searching for a comment that would explain that!!

[@sunnyscott4876]

The Stardust...✨️✨️✨️✨️✨️✨️😢😢😢✨️✨️✨️✨️✨️✨️✨️✨️✨️

[@jonh1870]

Thank you! Brings back great memories. Visited Vegas in 62 and 64 to play in the basketball state championships at UNLV (from northern NV). But unlike some commenters one thing was not great back then. It was my first experience with WHITE and BLACK restrooms (and lockers). Blew my mind when we (our team) saw it. We were assigned BLACK likely because half our players were native American.

[@KenButz]

Yes, segregation was not just in the South!

[@gp10020]

my parents liked vegas and we'd often drive up on weekends from the LA area during these times. $1 minimum bet tables and lots of free drinks and food

[@williamp.9045]

@ 10:40 at the Dunes, casino de Paris, Line Renaud this old french lady is still alive!

[@dfygoh3215]

almost 60 years ago and there advertising Shecky Green and Tony Bennett both men still alive

[@nolfrombc2224]

Thanks......awesome to watch.......

[@stephendacey8761]

This was back when Elvis owned Vegas, and the mafia ran it. I wish I was old enough to have gone there those years.

[@tommyguns9008]

Elvis wasn’t even a big splash when he was here. Own it? Ha

[@stephendacey8761]

@@tommyguns9008 I was never there in those days, but I believe through his death he's more popular in Vegas than when alive.

[@mikeystheone]

i think i would have enjoyed vegas of that time more than todays vegas

[@KenButz]

That's for sure!

[@TiltBrook]

What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas, and what happens in Reno……is why we go to Vegas!

[@Idelia412]

Look how full Lake Meade was back then, and what it looks like now 2/3rds empty. I remember when I was kid and we had a trip to California in 1960, and came to Vegas, nothing like it is now.

[@Curly34584]

Just look at the Cars!

[@repromark]

fantastic

[@tommercer3226]

Lake Mead was a tad bit low even back in the day.

[@MrMikeTauber]

at 5:33 it shows motel lobby that in now relocated and in opearatio as LV Neon Museum #lasvegas #neon #neonmuseum

[@KenButz]

Thanks Mike, that's really cool! Added this to the copy..

[@briangulley6027]

Notice how low the water is at the lake, 20 years later it was overflowing in the slipways. Now it even lower.

[@johnegli1308]

The short bit. Showing Reno. Back then. Almost makes it look more built up than Vegas. Back then.

[@marksitts2290]

Back when cars ran on Leaded Gasoline.

[@ziggy2shus624]

And the world didn't come to an end. Now the California Gov is banning the little plastic hotel shampoo bottles....They will destroy the universe!

[@countalucard4226]

I have or had relatives uncles, aunts, who all moved to Florida in 60s. When I moved to LV in 70s I saw them when they came to LV for a vacation. They all said if they knew how great LV was that they would of moved there instead of Florida.

[@Howrider65]

The days when you won some money.. Now forget it.. And the Hotels had talent.

[@tomloft2000]

you could see a good act for 15 or 20 bucks.

[@adc-professionalunderwater7775]

Cool

[@zone47]

All those old buildings were pure artwork just like the cars of the same era. It's a shame they demolished all of them ... I'm sure many were in ill repair but many were knocked down simply to update in the name of making money.

[@Mark_4_Now]

Was that Palmer & Snead on the driving range in '64???

[@tommyguns9008]

That was Mary Palmer and the 5 fingers

[@Dr.Pepper001]

6:37 The year I joined the Marines. I should have gone to Vegas instead.

[@tomloft2000]

the workouts would probably have been more enjoyable.

[@otrdriverchris]

Very rare for a home movie to not be a jerky, sloppy, unwatchable mess. Kudos.

[@otrdriverchris]

You can have your Freemont Experience....and everything else for today's "improvements". Blah, Humbug.

[@KenButz]

Thanks - my films are digitized "frame by frame" and then the single images are stitched - this ensures no jitters..

[@TravelSpy4k]

is that the hoover dam and are they doing tours, if so is it expensive, i will check, just asking, i never been and i went to vegas alot of times.

[@EdDunkle]

Corbett Monica. Wow.

[@jstratten5326]

So fun and interesting seeing this history👍🏻 Where do you get all this fabulous footage ?

[@scottbutler1561]

Outstanding video, some background sound would be nice though.

[@kenttyler1243]

In 63 you can see the Dunes hotel being built 7:05 , in 64 you can see it finished 17:34

[@KenButz]

Thanks - I added that detail to the copy

[@encomanenco7347]

Wow, look at all that Detroit Iron going down the streets. All those American jobs gone.

[@KenButz]

Thats for sure! Soon it will be all batteries and fiberglass going down the street....

[@keithwarner6997]

Denny's across street were the palace would be. Then mirage to the rt

[@tjcronley9462]

I wonder if Sambo's Pancakes (19:24) is still there.

[@larrywheeler9917]

Great old casinos. These were the carpet joints the mob built. The cowboy casinos were sawdust joints but they modernized downtown . They buried the cheats in the desert.

[@vegasjay9731]

7:10 Gass Peak still looks the same

[@johnjuarez8005]

Interesting. No bums. How come??

[@paulklemer]

Hoover dam already existed?

[@KenButz]

Hoover Dam opened in 1936

[@paulklemer]

@@KenButz wow they had that much technology to build it way back then?

[@KenButz]

@@paulklemer yes, I understand that over a hundred people died building it.

[@ChatGPT1111]

It was called Boulder Dam until 1947.

[@patricknesbitt4003]

@@paulklemer Yup. And believe it or not the concrete at it's core is STILL curing.

[@mbtadhl]

Nice vid..add some music maybe.

[@killgazmotron]

America was so much cooler when everything was googie style.

[@cliffordshue7153]

Where is the sound!?

[@KenButz]

This film never had sound - most 8mm film shot before 1965 did not have sound. Sound went mainstream after 1965 when super 8 film was released and even then most was silent until the 1970s.

[@ziggy2shus624]

Weddings....$15

[@KenButz]

They start at $400 today according to Google

[@tomloft2000]

there's an easy solution-stay single.

[@tommyguns9008]

Does that golfer wanna play for $$$$?

[@johnegli1308]

Haaaaaaaaaa. Hear that. 👍

[@nofatchxplzthx]

great to see footage before the dark times, before the sjw and pc culture

[@keithwarner6997]

Amazing