Professional Documents
Culture Documents
by John Yee
Photograph Courtesy of: Glenn Davis Collection University of Nevada, Las Vegas Library
The Kiva Bar and Casino was separate from the Kiva Club at the Hotel Apache (c. 1942)
Introduction modern gamblers as the El Dorado Las Vegas area. The railroad depot
Club or, for the last forty two years, was at the beginning of Fremont
Similar to a modern day Grand as Binions Horsehoe. During the past Street, just behind the present day
Opening of a megaresort on the 70 years, the Hotel Apache and its Plaza Hotel. With the railroad came
strip, Las Vegans with their excite- gambling establishments have growth and Las Vegas became an
ment and glory, came out to welcome changed ownership or names fifteen incorporated city adopting its first
the newest, most modern, and plush- times. In addition, the Hotel Apache charter on March 16, 1911. At that
est hotel west of the Mississippi in was referred to synonymously as the time there were less than 800
March of 1932. The building erected Apache Hotel. residents in Las Vegas and 3,321
in less than a year would stand the residents within Clark County.
test of time and house the Hotel In 1905, the Union Pacific However, the downtown area of
Apache but probably better know to Railroad routed its trains through the Fremont Street was the hub for gam-
On March 19, 1932, 5 oclock Intersection of 2nd and Fremont Streets. The Oasis Caf sign on the left was the first
p.m., the hotel officially opened to the neon sign in Las Vegas built in 1929 followed by the Las Vegas Club sign in 1930.
public. Mayor E.W. Cragin opened Thomas Young Sr., founder of Yesco had a temporary office at the Hotel Apache
the doors to the new hotel and thus
began the largest party Las Vegas had newspaper articles. The coffee shop Apache, was leased to Charlie E.
ever seen up to that point. The first whose purpose was to satisfy the gen- Mason and Jack Doyle.
registered guests of the hotel were eral public and hotel patrons sat on
P.O. Silvagni along with Mrs. Robert the South East corner of Second and It was not all too uncommon in
Russell, wife of the secretary and Fremont, with the means of transfer- Las Vegas for a hotel and a casino of
treasure of the Apache Hotel ring food down below to the hall via a different name to cohabitate on the
Corporation. The Indian Princess, a private stairway. same premises. Examples of this
Rose Marie a beautiful Apache girl cohabitation include the Sal Sagev
acted as the hostess for the evening. The operating corporation for the Hotel and Golden Gate Casino. In this
hotel was named the Apache Hotel case, the Apache could refer to the
The major players Corporation and its board consisted of hotel, bar, casino, or the banquet hall.
Sydney Smith, president and hotel And to mix it up even more, the
P.O. Silvagni built the building and manager, William A. Brown, vice Apache Drug Store, owned by Frank
leased the hotel, coffee shop, casino, president, and Robert R. Russell, Crookston opened up May 10, 1932
and the downstairs banquet hall, also secretary and treasurer. The Apache in one of the storefronts.
referred to as the caf in several Casino, sometimes called just the
P.O. Silvagni William Brown Sydney Smith Colonel Robert Russel Charles E. Mason