1940s and 1950s in Las Vegas

 

Bugsy Siegel started out in Las Vegas in the 1940s.  He took some already existing properties and just added to them.  In 1941, the El Rancho Vegas was built among these properties almost right across the street from where the Sahara Hotel is located now. 

      Las Vegas was promoted as the Wild West combined with glamour.  Hollywood's connection helped the town grow and become a playground for celebrities.  In 1947, Siegel opened the Flamingo Hotel and its showroom boasted many headline entertainers.  There were Dean Martin, Jerry Lewis, and Bill “Bojangles” Robinson.

      Hotel growth was phenomenal during the 1950's.  The town was moving from a frontier type to an entertainment type of place.  Entertainers such as Charlie McCarthy and Edgar Bergen brought an elegance with them and builders started to add golf courses and tennis courts to the hotels.  In 1952, the  Binion Horseshoe Club would opened and would later become famous as the home of the World Poker Series.  In 1955, the Showboat Hotel opened that not only had the best buffets in town, but also had a bowling alley and twenty four hour bingo games.

      In 1956, Elvis Presley appeared at the New Frontier, but his fans were too young at the time to appreciate the shows.  In 1958, the 1,065 room, 10 million dollar Stardust hotel was opened.  The show that opened there “Lido de Paris” was the longest running show ever in Las Vegas.

      Competition for tourist monies also brought sporting events to the town.  The 1950's saw the start of the PGA Tournament of Champions for golfing.  Also, the wedding venue took off and Las Vegas became a popular destination to go and tie the knot.  A lot of celebrities sparked this takeoff in weddings getting married there themselves.  Paul Newman and Joanne Woodward are just one of the couples that took advantage of the chapels in Las Vegas.

Until Next Time,

Jeané Elliott Bennett

Elliott Exquisite Vacations

A History of Alcatraz Island

 

Alcatraz Island is a small isle with a colorful history. Located in the San Francisco Bay, the land has filled important functions for the United States since California’s Gold Rush.

Today it is best known for housing the Alcatraz Federal Penitentiary. Alcatraz Island has been a national recreation area since 1963.

The island first became known to Europeans in 1775. That year, Spanish naval officer Juan de Ayala discovered it while charting the San Francisco Bay. He named the land mass “La Isla de los Alcatrices”, which translates to Pelican Island.

Spain put the island under Mexico’s jurisdiction. After a few sales and legal battles, the island eventually became the property of the United States government; explorer John Frémont purchased it on the nation’s behalf for $5000 in 1846.

Two years later, when gold was discovered at Sutter’s Mill, ships from around the world set sail for San Francisco Bay. Sailors urgently needed a lighthouse for navigation, and

Alcatraz Island was a prime location. A lighthouse was set atop Alcatraz in 1853.

That same year, the US Army began studying the island’s potential as a defense base.

The Army Corps of Engineers began a five-year fortification project in 1853. Soldiers moved in by 1859. When the American Civil War broke out, resident soldiers mounted more than 100 cannons around the island’s perimeter. They never fired the cannons, but they did use a guardhouse basement to imprison west coast Confederate sympathizers, Native American Hopis, and other persons deemed threats to the Union. 

Following the war, the government transitioned Alcatraz Island from a center of military defense to a detention center. The island’s isolation amidst cold water and powerful currents made prisoner escape highly unlikely. A brick jailhouse was quickly constructed, and long-term military prisoners were delivered there by 1868.

Alcatraz Island began housing civilian prisoners by the hundreds in 1906. This was a result of the San Francisco earthquake; with jails destroyed on the mainland, law enforcement needed a new secure location for the inmates. In 1907 the building was designated the Western US Military Prison. The original lighthouse gave way to a three-story concrete cell block in 1909. (A second lighthouse was constructed later that year.)

As a military prison, Alcatraz held a range of prisoners from convicted murderers to World War I conscientious objectors. Those who behaved well might enjoy time outdoors. Some even worked as servants for families who lived on the island! However, others experienced the military’s strict discipline; punishments included solitary confinement, severe food and water restrictions, and hard labor.

The prison drew interesting characters as Prohibition era crime developed. Famous mobsters like Al Capone and George “Machine Gun” Kelly found Alcatraz was their new home. The government responded to their especially ruthless reputations by upgrading security. This included such additions as iron bars, metal detectors to screen visitors, teargas canisters, and the cementing of old underground tunnels. Prisoners were closely monitored with the issuing of one guard for every three inmates. There were also twelve inmate countings per day!

According to prison records, no inmates successfully escaped during the penitentiary’s 29 years in operation. Most people who fled the island were shot, were returned, or were found to have drowned. Some escaped convicts are unaccounted for, but most people assume they perished in the frigid San Francisco Bay. A $1 million recapture reward offered by a local ferry operator remains unclaimed.

Despite the restrictions, prisoners also had recreation. By the 1920s these prisoners had formed baseball teams, and on Fridays the Army hosted “Alcatraz Fights”, a tradition of boxing matches between inmates.

The War Department closed the famous military prison in 1934. The prison had unusually high operational costs, and waste from island residents was polluting the San Francisco Bay. The Department of Justice assumed management until 1963.

Today, the island is part of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area. The National Park Service provides tours. During the warmer months, tourists reach the island via a ferry that departs San Francisco’s Fisherman’s Wharf neighborhood. Some Alcatraz Island attractions include the scenic bay view, the island’s flora and fauna, and tours of the famous prison.

Until Next Time,

Jeané Elliott Bennett

Elliott Exquisite Vacations

All About La Jolla

 

Attracting tourists from all over the world, La

Jolla's community is one that combines trends with

traditional class.  Located 12 miles north from

downtown San Diego, this highly prosperous

community offers seven miles of coastline at an

elevation of 110 feet.  The land here is so desired

that it's impossible to find property in La Jolla

for less than 1.25 million an acre!

 

The lucky 38,000 plus who live in this heavenly

seaside town live among Mediterranean style

architecture with a unique flair.  From the

crashing waves along the shore to the high rise

buildings in the business district, you can expect

everything in La Jolla to be first rate quality.

 

Business district

Even though La Jolla is mostly known for its

incredible shoreline, the city's business district

is hardly modest to say the least.  Located to

the east in La Jolla, there are professional centers,

financial buildings, law firms, and technological

industries that dominate this district.

 

There are also modern shopping centers here as well,

along with a wealthy residential area.  The

world renowned Scripps Memorial Hospital & Medical

Research Center is here as well as the San Diego

Mormon Temple - a remarkable 59,000 square foot

building that resembles a large ice sculpture.

 

The Village

The downtown area of La Jolla offers shops, hotels,

boutiques, restaurants, coffee houses, salons,

and art galleries.  Even though this area is

rather small, the district is full of trendy

establishments that draw wealthy visitors from all

over the world. 

 

Girad Avenue is the main street of La Jolla, even

though Prospect Drive is known as "Rodeo Drive" in

San Diego. 

 

Shoreline

Although the business area and La Jolla Village are

both impressive communities, the most memorable

region in La Jolla is the areas and communities

along the Pacific shoreline. 

 

La Jolla offers some of the most impressive shore

lines in Southern California, with remarkable

caves, cliffs, beaches, and sunsets.  The best

view of La Jolla can be seen from the air.  Daring

visitors can take in La Jolla via the Torrey Pines

Gliderport and learn flying.  If you seek a more

tame view of the coastline, try the scenic drive

along North Torrey Pines Road.

 

All along the coastline, La Jolla offers you a

first rate shopping district.  You can visit

jewelry stores, art galleries, souvenir shops,

and fashionable boutiques.  Once you have been

shopping, you can complete the day by dining above

the water of the Pacific.

 

From the art galleries and trendy shops to the

world class golf courses, La Jolla has attractions

to please tourists from all over the world.  Each

district is unique, yet they are all similiar when

it comes to quality.  You won't find anything short

of the best when you visit the best Southern

California has to offer.

Next Until Time,

Jeané Elliott Bennett

Elliott Exquisite Vacations

Air Jamaica Vacations

 

Jamaica is one of the finest islands and tourist destinations in West Indies. The island is filled with delicious food, pleasing music, white sandy beaches and several other things. Air Jamaica Vacations offer a nice opportunity of turning your dreams of visiting Jamaica into reality with holiday packages to the hottest destinations of Caribbean. During air Jamaica vacations, you will visit most famous destinations like Negril, Montego Bay and Ocho Rios.

Jamaica is the most picturesque beach, as the history, nature and culture smash together in a breathtaking islet and by air, Jamaica vacations would start from the very moment you set your feet on this beautiful land. Tourists can enjoy scuba diving and snorkeling on the beaches of Jamaica and they can rejoice in excellent reggae music and can taste spicy jerk cuisines.

Some major attractions of Jamaica are Doctor’s Cave Beach, Seven Mile Beach, Treasure Beach, The Black River, Somerset Falls and Boston Bay Beach. All these places are worth visiting and are specially known for their exclusive attractions and histories.

Visit Montego Bay during air Jamaica vacations. It is the second largest city near Jamaica and is famous for Caribbean shopping and the fascinating Rose Hall Great house. This island is always full with tourists and vacationers. The Dune’s River Falls is one of the popular attractions there. Tourists can take pleasure in Snorkeling in the waters near Ocho Rios, which is the incredible, palm lined white sand beach.

There are superior hotels and spicy food stall on all the beaches of Jamaica, where you can tantalize your taste buds. Numerous couples come here to celebrate a honeymoon in the presence of it immense natural beauty. You can enjoy various adventure sports like river rafting and water diving here.

The city of Jamaica is also famous for the finest golf courses in the country. Thus, tourists can enjoy air Jamaica vacations with all these activities.

Air Jamaica vacations offer a nice opportunity of visiting picturesque beaches. Doctor’s Cave Beach is one of the popular beaches near Jamaica. This white sand beach is spread over eight km of lands. Water of the sea is plain, so tourists can enjoy swimming and water sports here. There is a beach bar and changing rooms to change clothes on the beach.

Cornwall Beach is another beautiful beach at Montego Bay. The beach is always full and it is surrounded by white, smooth, sugary sand. The water of the sea is clear; therefore, it is an ideal place to visit with the whole family. Treasure Beach is one of the most popular beaches, which is sited on the South coast of Jamaica.

Though the beach is always full with travelers, yet it is not suitable for swimming. The booming waves of the sea convert it into the most impressive beach capes of Jamaica.

Somerset Falls are the most amazing falls, where waters of the Daniel River fall down in a deep chasm through a forest. Blossoming vines, foaming flows and beautiful waterfalls surround the place and increase the beauty of the site.

Until Next Time,

Jeané Elliott Bennett

Elliott Exquisite Vacations