1. In 1995, the Las Vegas Sands hotel and casino opened on the Las Vegas Strip. The resort is now the Venetian Las Vegas and features a replica of the canals of Venice.

2. On June 29, 1864, the Battle of Las Vegas occurred during the Civil War. Confederate troops led by General Sterling Price were defeated by Union soldiers in the city of Las Vegas.

3. In 1929, Hoover Dam construction began on the Colorado River near Las Vegas. The dam would become a major source of hydroelectric power for Nevada and the surrounding states.

4. On June 29, 1988, MGM Grand hotel and casino in Las Vegas caught fire, killing 85 people and injuring over 700. It remains the deadliest hotel fire in United States history.

5. In 1914, the town of Goodsprings, Nevada, experienced a 5.8 magnitude earthquake. The seismic event caused damage to many buildings in the area but fortunately did not result in any fatalities.