Las Vegas, Nevada at night in the 1950's - Viva 50's Vegas Neon!

What happens in Vegas SHOULD HAVE stayed in Vegas. But, not everything in Vegas has stayed in Vegas, as we can see in this home movie shot in 1957. These neon signs were AMAZING. They were so amazing that someone was willing to shoot a bunch of them with their camera back in the 1950's. Film was costly, so for someone to use this much film just to shoot the neon signs is proof in itself how dazzling these signs were.

Neon signs, to me, are like permanent fireworks. To see this many all in one place is like a grand finale explosion of fireworks - in neon.

I can remember as a little girl on car trips being mesmerized by the neon hotel and motel signs (such as the Holiday Inn sign) along the way. The brightly lit Arby's sign and Kentucky Fried Chicken giant bucket were also entertaining to me on car trips. So, to see a whole strip of neon lights and fantastic signs like this in the 1950's must have been magical. I didn't get to see Vegas until the 1980's, when people were calling most of the 1950's hotels the "old, rundown hotels".  Now people wish they could see some of those old buildings again... and especially the signs.

Retropolis would like to thank gerlock11 for posting this video to youtube. It was stated that it was "Part of the Elmer Gerlock Film Project". I assume it was Elmer Gerlock who was behind the camera of this film. Thanks to him too! What a priceless home movie!