"Old Las Vegas" by Paul McGehee. A late afternoon view of the future gaming and entertainment capital of the world, looking west down Fremont Street in 1916. Las Vegas, Nevada was founded as a city in 1905, when 110 acres of land adjacent to the Union Pacific Railroad tracks were auctioned in what would become the downtown area. In 1911, Las Vegas was incorporated as a city. The original mission-style train station can be seen in the middle of this view, at the end of Fremont Street. Vegas was a relatively sleepy western town until the 1930s when gambling was legalized by the state of Nevada. In the same time period, the construction of the nearby Boulder Dam (later Hoover Dam) brought an influx of workers to live in the burgeoning city, which bolstered the economy of the region through the difficult years of the Great Depression. The second World War brought the establishment of the Las Vegas Army Air Corps Gunnery School, now known as Nellis Air Force Base. Following World War II, a series of hotels and casinos were built and attracted the well-to-do of the Hollywood scene. Las Vegas quickly became famous not only for its casinos but as a venue where one could see the performances of many well-known entertainers. Today, with its resorts, gaming and quality entertainment, Las Vegas has grown into one of the top tourist destinations in the world. "Old Las Vegas" is faithfully reproduced from Paul's original color pencil drawing as an archival quality print issued in a strictly limited edition of only 2,000 pieces each hand-signed by the artist. Image size 11" x 19 1/4".