About Las Vegas, Nevada
Bright Lights! Gambling! Wayne Newton! Yes, these are synonymous with “Vegas” which is internationally renowned as a resort area. These terms surely conjure up a stereotypical picture of Las Vegas, but that’s not all there is to this vibrant city. Actually, what this picture really represents is just a 4.5 mile stretch of Las Vegas Boulevard which actually lays mostly outside the incorporated city limits of Las Vegas.
Once known as Las Vegas Valley, the area gets its name from the green areas which were kept watered by artesian wells. Las Vegas is Spanish for The Meadows. It was originally established as a railroad town in 1905 when 110 acres of land owned by Montana Senator William A. Clark’s railroad company was auctioned off. It became the county seat of Clark County in 1909 and became an incorporated city in 1911.
The climate of Las Vegas is an arid desert and typical of the Mojave Desert, where it is located, with very hot summers and mild winters. Abundant year-round sunshine and very little rain is to be expected. The city itself is situated in a basin which is surrounded by mountains of a particular coloration varying from pink to rust to gray. The rocky landscape around the city lies in stark contract to the mountains.
The Economy of Las Vegas
In the early 1900s, Las Vegas was a stopover on the old pioneer trails to the west. It served as a staging point for all of the mines in the surrounding areas to ship their goods to the rest of the country. Over time and with the mines playing out, the economy began to slump and Las Vegas became less important.
However, when the Hoover Dam was built, tourism began to pick up and gambling was legalized. Soon many hotels and casinos sprung up to accommodate the influx of tourists and military personnel. A land development and building boom began and is still continuing today.
Education in Las Vegas
Primary and secondary education is the responsibility of the Clark County School district which is the 5th largest school district in the country, serving over 314,000 students in grades K-12. The University of Nevada, Las Vegas, The U of N Medical School, Nevada State College and other institutions of higher education have campuses located near the center of town.
A Place to Call Home
There are many amenities, conveniences, business opportunities and municipal advantages available to the residents of the Las Vegas/Clark County area. So, whether you’re looking a home in town, or a farm, ranch, resort property or outdoor property, Nevada real estate offers many selections from which to choose to meet your real estate needs.
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