LAS VEGAS (KLAS)– The Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority (LVCVA) archive collection has documented Las Vegas’ history and helped promote tourism to Southern Nevada since 1947 making this year mark its 75th anniversary.
The LVCVA will mark the anniversary of its Las Vegas Bureau collection by curating and presenting some of the most iconic photo’s of the collection to the public for the first time.
The collection began as part of the Las Vegas Chamber of Commerce in 1947 with the goal of promoting Southern Nevada and all its offerings. Over the years, the collection has become a valuable resource for the news media, movies, documentaries, and researchers with many of the images gaining worldwide acclaim.
“For decades the Las Vegas News Bureau has played an integral role in promoting tourism to Las Vegas, documenting and sharing worldwide the sights and sounds of our dynamic city,” said Steve Hill, president and CEO of the LVCVA. “We are thrilled to showcase the iconic images that have become synonymous with Las Vegas.”
There are more than 7 million images, 11,000 pieces of film and video, and 1,300-linear-feet of manuscripts and artifacts, the archive is estimated to be the largest and most comprehensive post-World War II collection of southern Nevada imagery in the world.
To celebrate this milestone, the LVCVA created a website that features some of the most famous photos from the collection, beginning with the 75 most iconic images based on how frequently the photos have been requested and published.
Additional photo collections, including celebrities, entertainment, downtown, then & now, sports, implosions, and more will be released online regularly throughout the celebration. Other anniversary programming will include resort partner integrations, a social media campaign, and special events.
“If it were not for the Las Vegas New Bureau, essential elements of the visual history of Las Vegas starting in the late 1940s would not have been recorded and, just as important, preserved,” said Bob Stoldal, retired television news executive and Las Vegas historian. “From its group of talented film and still photographers, the archives of the News Bureau continue to provide a unique record of the development of Las Vegas, as well as Southern Nevada. History comes alive thanks to the Las Vegas News Bureau.”
To check out the website for the 75th anniversary celebration and additional information, visit Las Vegas History | Las Vegas News Bureau 75th Anniversary (lvcva.com).