Summer is the season for lemonade, an American tradition that goes back decades. Just look at this historical photo, which shows four children working a lemonade stand in the summer of 1932. It was taken on 2nd Street, which is now Casino Center Boulevard.
🚂 Look in the background and you’ll see a couple of the 64 railroad cottages built by the Las Vegas Land & Water Company for Union Pacific Railroad employees who worked the San Pedro, Los Angeles, and Salt Lake train lines.
🏡 The cottages were built between 1909 and 1911. Most were demolished, but you can still see one in its original location at 629 S. Casino Center Boulevard, converted to an insurance and bail service. Drive down the 3rd Street side of the block and you’ll see former cottages converted into Cupid’s Wedding Chapel and another bail bond service (with a front exterior extension) while a third appears to be a private residence or office.
🌳 Four railroad cottages were relocated to the Springs Preserve and added to the Boomtown 1905 walking exhibit. The interior of one was restored to reflect domestic life in the early 1900s, long before televisions and microwaves came along.
💰 The preservation effort was led by the Las Vegas Rotary Club at a cost of $30,000 per house. Much of the work was done at night, removing lights and blocking traffic to transport the homes in full to the Springs Preserve.
