In an online world, postcards help preserve Las Vegas history — PHOTOS

A group photograph of unidentified miners on shift in Virginia City, Nevada. Printed on the front of the card: "Miners on shift - Virginia City, Nevada." Original Collection Fred and Maurine Wilson Photo Collection

Postcard showing a man on a horse at the Hotel Last Frontier, Las Vegas, circa 1940s Group Creator Frashers Inc. Description A view of an unidentified man on a horse outside the Hotel Last Frontier; the slogan,"The Early West in Modern Splendor" is printed on the postcard. Source Image ID: 0100 2930 Original Collection Manis Collection Original Date 1942;

Digital ID pho000776 Title Postcard of the Las Frontier Hotel, Las Vegas, circa 1945 Group Creator Frashers Inc. Description Photograph of the Livery Stable at the Last Frontier Hotel and Casino. Source Image ID: 0100 0108 Original Collection Manis Collection Original Date

Postcard for Las Vegas, circa 1930s to 1950s Boulder Dam Service Bureau Original Collection Fred and Maurine Wilson Photo Collection Original Date 1930;

Postcard showing Hoover Dam, circa 1930s-1940s Boulder Dam Service Bureau Original Collection Manis Collection

An old postcard of Fremont Street that's held at the Clark County Museum in Henderson on Monday, June 25, 2018. Rachel Aston Las Vegas Review-Journal @rookie__rae

An old postcard of Fremont Street that's held at the Clark County Museum in Henderson on Monday, June 25, 2018. Rachel Aston Las Vegas Review-Journal @rookie__rae

An old postcard of Fremont Street that's held at the Clark County Museum in Henderson on Monday, June 25, 2018. Rachel Aston Las Vegas Review-Journal @rookie__rae

An old postcard that's held at the Clark County Museum in Henderson on Monday, June 25, 2018. The problem of an online world, according to Historian Mark Hall-Patton, is that information is easily deleted and more difficult to collect. Hundreds of years from now personal online posts may be impossible to find to paint a picture of today's world. Rachel Aston Las Vegas Review-Journal @rookie__rae

Historian Mark Hall-Patton speaks to the Review-Journal about postcards and maps and how important they are as a record of the past at the Clark County Museum in Henderson on Monday, June 25, 2018. Hall-Patton is the Museum Administrator for the Clark County Museum system. Rachel Aston Las Vegas Review-Journal @rookie__rae

Old postcards of Las Vegas at the Clark County Museum in Henderson on Monday, June 25, 2018. Hall-Patton is the Museum Administrator for the Clark County Museum system. Rachel Aston Las Vegas Review-Journal @rookie__rae

Old versions of Sate Farm Road Atlases, one from 1962 and one from 1968, at the Clark County Museum in Henderson on Monday, June 25, 2018. Hall-Patton is the Museum Administrator for the Clark County Museum system. He says the lack of printed maps in today's world is problematic for historians who use them as a tool to study the changes of the past. Rachel Aston Las Vegas Review-Journal @rookie__rae

A 1962 Sate Farm Road Atlases at the Clark County Museum in Henderson on Monday, June 25, 2018. Hall-Patton is the Museum Administrator for the Clark County Museum system. He says the lack of printed maps in today's world is problematic for historians who use them as a tool to study the changes of the past.Rachel Aston Las Vegas Review-Journal @rookie__rae

pho020264 Title Postcard of the Las Vegas Convention Center, day and night views, 1959 Description Postcard with day and night views of the front exterior of the Las Vegas Convention Center shortly after it opened in 1959. Caption: "Las Vegas, Nev. 'World's newest convention capital.'" On back: "P29548. Union Pacific Railroad color photo." Group Contributors Las Vegas News Agency Source Image ID: 0063 0007 Original Collection Billie Mae Polson Photograph Collection Original Date 1959 Subject (FAST Topical) Convention facilities Site Name Las Vegas Convention Center (Las Vegas, Nev.) Address1 (#, street) Paradise Rd

Digital ID pho024936 Title Postcard of the Dunes Hotel, Las Vegas, (Nev.), 1955-1970 Description Night view of the Dunes Hotel and Casino. Postcard reads "Greetings from Las Vegas" Source Image ID: 0164 0010 Original Collection Steven Segal Collection Original Date 1955; 1956; 1957; 1958; 1959; 1960; 1961; 1962; 1963; 1964; 1965; 1966; 1967; 1968; 1969; 1970 Subject (FAST Topical) Hotels Casinos Postcards Spatial Coverage (TGN) Las Vegas (inhabited place), Clark (county), Nevada (state), United States (nation) Site Name Dunes (hotel and casino) Graphic Elements (TGM) Hotels Neon signs Postcards DC Type Still Image Genre (TGM) Postcards Photographic postcards Cards Language eng Rights This material is made available to facilitate private study, scholarship, or research. It may be protected by copyright, trademark, privacy, publicity rights, or other interests not owned by UNLV. Users are responsible for determining whether permissions are necessary from rights owners for any intended use and for obtaining all required permissions. Acknowledgement of the UNLV University Libraries is requested. For more information, please see the UNLV Special Collections policies on reproduction and use (https://www.library.unlv.edu/speccol/research_and_services/reproductions) or contact us at special.collections@unlv.edu.

Advanced Search Home Photograph Collections Postcard of a dinner theater show, Las Vegas (Nev.), 1950s-1960s Postcard of a dinner theater show, Las Vegas (Nev.), 1950s-1960s Postcard of a dinner theater show, Las Vegas (Nev.), 1950s-1960s, side 1 Result 1 of 1 Back to results Postcard of a dinner theater show, Las Vegas (Nev.), 1950s-1960s, side 1 1 of 2 Object Description Digital ID pho020266 Title Postcard of a dinner theater show, Las Vegas (Nev.), 1950s-1960s Description Postcard of an audience watching showgirls and dancers performing onstage, Las Vegas, Nevada. Caption: "Showtime in Las Vegas, Nev." Caption on back: "Typical lavish floor show." "P29125. Color courtesy Desert Sea News Bureau." Group Contributors Las Vegas News Agency Source Image ID: 0063 0009 Original Collection Billie Mae Polson Photograph Collection Original Date 1950; 1951; 1952; 1953; 1954; 1955; 1956; 1957; 1958; 1959; 1960; 1961; 1962; 1963; 1964; 1965; 1966; 1967; 1968; 1969 Subject (FAST Topical) Dinner theater Address2 (TGN) Las Vegas (inhabited place), Clark (county), Nevada (state), United States (nation) Graphic Elements (TGM) Entertainers Dancers Entertainment Nightclubs DC Type Still Image Genre (TGM) Cards Postcards Photographic postcards Language eng Rights This material is made available to facilitate private study, scholarship, or research. It may be protected by copyright, trademark, privacy, publicity rights, or other interests not owned by UNLV. Users are responsible for determining whether permissions are necessary from rights owners for any intended use and for obtaining all required permissions. Acknowledgement of the UNLV University Libraries is requested. For more information, please see the UNLV Special Collections policies on reproduction and use (https://www.library.unlv.edu/speccol/research_and_services/reproductions) or contact us at special.collections@unlv.edu. Digital Publisher University of Nevada, Las Vegas University Libraries Digital Col

Digital ID pho003251 Title Postcard of an atomic explosion, Nevada, circa 1950s Group Creator Desert Supply Company Mike Roberts Color Productions Description Photograph of an atomic explosion at Frenchman's Flat which is located in the Nevada National Security Site. It is just south of Yucca Flat, in Southern Nevada. Source Image ID: 0100 3270 Original Collection Manis Collection Original Date 1950;

Digital ID pho016275 Title Postcard of Roulette players, Las Vegas, circa 1940s Description Postcard of people playing roulette, addressed to Mr. Fred Longstore in Salt Lake City, Utah. Handwritten message on back of postcard reads: "Hi, Fred and Merlene: Rec'd your letter just before leaving on vacation must say you missed a swell time by not staying over in Frisco. Will write later. Are in Las Vegas now doing what you can see. Hope we have enough to get home on. Going back by way of Los Angeles. As ever, Geo. Chugg." Source Image ID: 0014 0147 Original Collection Fred and Maurine Wilson Photo Collection Original Date 1940;

Postcard withPostc caricature map of attractions in and around Las Vegas, Nevada, 1959-1960s Description Oversized postcard with caricature map of attractions in and around Las Vegas, Nevada, featuring the Strip and Fremont Streets. Caption: "'Howdy Podner' from Las Vegas, Nevada, the world's largest gambling and casino area." "P29859."

Digital ID pho020268 Title Postcard of people playing blackjack at the Flamingo Hotel and Casino, Las Vegas (Nev.), late 1950s-early 1960s Description Postcard showing people gambling at a blackjack table in the Flamingo Hotel and Casino, Las Vegas, Nevada. Caption: "Hit me!" Caption on back: "'21' -- or 'blackjack,' Las Vegas, Nevada. Color courtesty -- Flamingo Hotel." "P35067." Group Contributors Las Vegas News Agency Source Image ID: 0063 0011 Original Collection Billie Mae Polson Photograph Collection Original Date 1956; 1957; 1958; 1959; 1960; 1961; 1962; 1963

Greetings from Nevada, color postcard for business promotion. Reads "No Retail Sales Tax, No Corporation Tax, No State Income Tax, No Inheritance Tax, No Thumb Tax, The One Sound State." Copyright Curt Teich & Co., Inc. Source Image ID: 0164 0042 Original Collection Steven Segal Collection

igital ID pho016458 Title Postcard of a cowgirl and cacti in the southwest desert, circa 1930s to 1950s Description A joke Card with a poem about the cactus and cowgirl pictured in postcard. Curt Teich & Co. is credited as the picture's creator. Source Image ID: 0014 0346 Original Collection Fred and Maurine Wilson Photo Collection Original Date 1930; 1931; 1932; 1933; 1934; 1935; 1936; 1937; 1938; 1939; 1940; 1941; 1942; 1943; 1944; 1945; 1946; 1947; 1948; 1949; 1950; 1951; 1952; 1953; 1954; 1955; 1956; 1957; 1958; 1959 Subject (FAST Topical) Deserts Graphic Elements (TGM) Cactus Cowgirls

Digital ID pho016395 Title Postcard for Hoover Dam, circa mid 1930s to 1950s Description A postcard advertising Hoover Dam made up of a composite of pictures of the site. Curt Teich & Co. is credited as the image's creator. Source Image ID: 0014 0282 Original Collection Fred and Maurine Wilson Photo Collection Original Date 1935; 1936; 1937; 1938; 1939; 1940; 1941; 1942; 1943; 1944; 1945; 1946; 1947; 1948; 1949; 1950; 1951; 1952; 1953; 1954; 1955; 1956; 1957; 1958; 1959 Subject (FAST Topical) Dams

An old postcard of Fremont Street that's held at the Clark County Museum in Henderson on Monday, June 25, 2018. Rachel Aston Las Vegas Review-Journal @rookie__rae

Photograph of shops on Fremont Street, Las Vegas (Nev.), 1930s Description Fremont Street postcard, Las Vegas Nevada. Text at the bottom reads: "New shops along the Main Street-Las Vegas, Nev." Source Image ID: 0164 0040 Original Collection Steven Segal Collection Original Date 1930;

Postcard of the Copa Room, Sands Hotel and Casino, Las Vegas, circa 1960s

Postcard of the Chuck Wagon Buffet at the Flamingo Hotel, Las Vegas (Nev.), 1950s

Postcard showing a 150 man transport for the Boulder Dam Project, Hoover Dam, circa 1930s Group Creator Boulder Dam Service Bureau

Some of the millions of tourists who visit the Strip and downtown Las Vegas every year may not realize it, but they become accidental archivists helping to preserve our city for future historians.

When they take a moment to scrawl a message on a postcard that they’ll send to family and friends back home, they contribute to Las Vegas’ always-expanding historical archive.

The postcard collections of the Clark County Museum and UNLV Libraries Special Collections and Archives tell terrific stories — who we were via long-ago panoramas of the Strip, gone-but-not-forgotten casinos, proud chefs showing off a buffet’s bounty and tourists of the ’60s playing blackjack or catching a show.

Postcards offer historians a photographic record of the past, says Peter Michel, curator of collections for UNLV Libraries Special Collections and Archives. “What’s interesting about postcards is how common they were and how far back they go historically.”

Postcards, maps and atlases are “sort of plebeian articles, common things,” says Mark Hall-Patton, Clark County Museums administrator. “But in those common things are history and an ability to understand how we have changed and where we came from and how we have gotten to where we are today.”

Contact John Przybys at jprzybys @reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0280. Follow @JJPrzybys on Twitter.