Glitz, Glamour and Intrigue Remain Alive At The Neon Boneyard

There is something so exciting and glamorous to me about Las Vegas in the 1950’s and 60’s. The glitz and glamour of the fancy hotels, the celebrities that would party there and even the stories of mobster activities intrigue me. So when I had the opportunity to set up a photo shoot at the Neon Boneyard in Las Vegas, I didn’t hesitate.

The Neon Boneyard is a museum and non-profit organization dedicated to preserving a bit of Las Vegas history by restoring old signs that have been salvaged from demolished buildings. Some of the signs have been refurbished and placed on display throughout the city of Las Vegas. The remaining signs, that are waiting for refurbishment, are stored on a 2 acre lot at the end of town.

I could barely contain my excitement as my contact, Jennifer, unlocked the gate. The poor woman must have wondered what flew by her as the gate opened and I was set free. I had one hour to roam around and photograph whatever I wanted. I knew the hour was going to fly by so I wanted to use my time as efficiently as possible.

As I photographed each sign, I could feel the energy and excitement of a by-gone era. I could hear the The Rat Pack signing and joking, I could see Marilyn with a drink in her hand surrounded by her admirers, and I could even envision a hit-man or two….Yes, I have a vivid imagination! But I can only imagine the secrets these signs must hold, if you believe all the Vegas stories told over the years.

The Famous Stardust…

Binion’s Horseshoe

The infamous El Cortez where a lot of mob activity allegedly occurred.

The Las Vegas Club

The Fox Theater and some pink feathers from Bugsy Seigal’s the Flamingo Hotel.

The Desert Inn, Stardust stars and Caesar’s

What’s old is new again…apparently there had been an area called City Center and, as of a couple years ago, they completed the new, very modern City Center.

Here is a gallery of some of the images I captured. I will do another post hi-lighting some of the restored signs that have been refurbished and are located throughout the town. Click on the first picture and you can view all the photos in a slideshow format. Enjoy a moment in time gone by….