LAS VEGAS POSTCARDS
"A gambler never makes the same mistake twice. It's usually three or more times." MORE LAS
"Poker exemplifies the worst aspects of capitalism that have made our country so great." |
"Baccarat is a game whereby the croupier gathers in money Vintage Vegas Postcards Postcards from Las Vegas. It was really a treat to get one of these colorful cards from someone you knew who vacationed in the wonderland of gambling. Sadly, looking over these images from the the 1970s, we discover so many of the landmarks that made Sin City great are long gone, world renowned casinos demolished to make way for a bigger and brighter future in the city that slot machines, card games and roulette made famous. Here's the fabled Strip in the 1970s, The Riviera is one of those beloved Vegas casinos that has since been demolished. Many of the most beloved entertainers in show business played The Riviera's two glamorous showrooms. The Riviera opened in 1955, the first high rise on the Strip. Liberace was their most popular headliner... from the resort's opening and through 3 decades of performances after.
"Hold em is to stud what chess is to checkers." - Johnny Moss A bit away from the Strip we would have found The Freemont Hotel & Casino, frequented by the older crowd in the 1970s and 1980s. You can still visit this landmark, located on what is referred to as the four corners. Scenes from the movie Swingers were filmed inside the Fremont gaming rooms. The Nevada Club and the Pioneer Club, also located on Freemont Street, were destinations for tourists who were into the gaming first; Keno and slot machines were king here.
The Frontier (in 1955, the resort was renamed the New Frontier, following a complete overhaul.) was another old school hotel and casino, one of the larger spots in town to stay. The Frontier opened to happy gamblers back in 1942, when Las Vegas really was a desert frontier, but was demolished in 2007. (The property actually started as a small joint called Pair-O-Dice in the 1930s.) The final performance of Diana Ross and The Supremes took place in their showroom on January 14, 1970. Slots, craps and Bingo were the hot games at the Frontier.
"If you're playing a poker game and you look around the table The Westward Ho was more about gambling than entertainment, their marquee was all about the free champagne and liquor drinks to go along with the Crap games, Keno and Roulette. The Westward Ho opened on April 1, 1971 and closed on November 25, 2005, note the distinctive 1970's architecture. Of all the casinos on the Strip "The Ho" had the lowest table minimums... as little as $3. That understandingly made the place very popular with the more serious gamblers - not to mention the locals who like to get out from time to time for poker and blackjack.
A postcard for the Stardust where the topless showgirls at the Lido de Paris were a big draw - and so was entertainer Wayne Newton. The Stardust was home to 73 gaming tables, along with 1,950 slot, keno and video poker machines in the 1970s.
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VINTAGE YOUR GO-GO HOST: Billy Ingram "All the evidence shows that God was actually quite a gambler, and the universe is a great casino, where dice are thrown, and roulette wheels spin on every occasion." "I've been playing Texas Hold 'em and other forms of poker since I was about 12."
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