We were sitting around the campfire talking about Las Vegas in the olden days (50's - 60's era) and I thought it might be of interest to some of you to pass on some of this stuff that is getting harder to remember each passing decade.

Feel free to add to it if you have any old time stories to pass on to the the rest of us.

Let's limit input to 1970 and earlier if possible.

My earlier remembrance confuses me so maybe someone out there can offer some clarifications when needed.

In them "olden days" there was no major road from LA direct to Las Vegas that I was aware of. In fact you had to drive through some pretty small towns such as Pasadena and a few other small hamlets once you got east of LA proper.

And that drive included crossing numerous railroad tracks and watching and waiting for the passing trains which were usually loaded with oranges and apples heading north or south or further points east.

Those passing trains always smelt like fermenting fruit.

I assume that we followed Route 66 (the Mother of all highways heading east and west) because I do recall frequent stops in Needles, California, to get a 50 pound block of ice from one of those huge ice dispensing machines where the ice slid down with a resounding sound of "KLUNK".

We were always told to "watch your fingers!"

On many an occasion we would break up that major ice cube and sit on it for the remainder of the ride into Las Vegas.

I think there was a Dairy Queen by that ice machine and we never passed up a Dairy Queen on a hot summer, desert day,

So we always managed to arrive in town with wet trousers and stickey fingers.

And so did many others.

So here is a question ...... Before the present highway was built (I5), was it really necessary to drive through Needles to get to LV, or did we simply take that route to get that block of ice and stickey ice cream cone?

And I do recall driving down that 11 mile incline which now leads to the Prim casinos, but back then it simply led to Whiskey Pete's which was nothing like the Whiskey Pete's that blasts you in the face today.

Back then Whiskey Pete's was a little six or eight stool bar where you could top to get a cold been on the side of a desert road.

You could see Whiskey Pete's location from way atop that hill because a string of blinking light bulbes flashing in the pitch black desert nite got your attention immediately.

Yellow light bulbs hung from a high pole to a lower pole invited you inside a rustic hut with cold beer inside. It would temp you from ten miles out.

That was the original Whiskey Pete's, but this is what confuses me.

My memory says that the original Whiskey Pete's was on the downslope side of that hill heading towards the Nevada boarder.

Could it have originally been on the California side?

Or could they have possibly moved the border?

That old road into LV was just an old road all the way. Just a typical two lane desert road.

Calling it a "highway" would have been a complimentary exaggeration.

I think it's still there so feel to drive along it someday. Take one of those turns to the right behind the casinos along the route and turn left when you cross the railroad tracks.

Just before hitting town, you'll see an old, abandoned, desert motel that they used in a recent major Hollywood production whose name I forgot.

And I think it leads directly to Las Vegas Boulevard.

But for some reason I can always recall looking for Russell Road which always led to the Las Vegas Strip. And it still does from highway I5.

Back in those days, Las Vegas was a real big desert.

And on some days the Strip was covered under a few inches of hot desert sand.

On others, you would lose your loafers in a pool of tar if you stepped out of the car to check your tires.

And the hotels were close to miles apart.

I recall driving by my first casino - the Hacienda - and minutes later my second.

They were spaced that far apart with an occasional car mechanic in a whicker watching the passing traffic which may have been 10 cars a minute.

Or even less.

There were no traffic signs of any type at all.

And there wern't many hotel/casinos back then either, but each of those places that did exist were no better than two story fun palaces with a green front lawn and a family style swimming pool in the center. The hotels' first lure to entice the passing traffic.

A small electrical sign would offer the name of the hotel/motel and state that it was "cool inside".

Some even stated, " All you can eat - $1.00."

But the most rediculous signs were those 4x8 plywood boards proped up in the vacant lots asking $300 an acre for a roadside parcel.

"Who would be dumb enough to buy a piece of property way out here?!"

We would check into one of those roadside properties and immediately hop into the pool and let the day pass away.

I can recall running around those hotel hallways and opening back doors and seeing nothing but desert leading all the way to the distant mountails. No sign of civilization of any kind whatsoever except for the occasional abandoned and delapidated automobile.

Not even an airplane in the sky! No one flew to Vegas!

To be continued if I can remember

Will, I always enjoy reading your thought and ramblings, but 71 was my first trip, soI can't help you with none of this.
But I had to post to let you know I enjoyed the read.

Thanks, Lee!

It was sometime in 1964 when I barrowed a girlfriend's topless sportscar to take a good friend out to see the desert just east of Pasadena, when we decided to continue on into Las Vegas.

(At that time, anyting east of Pasadena was wide open desert wasteland.)

Neither of us was familiar with desert driving so we didn't think anything about driving under that desert sun in a topless sportscar for five hours.

We got as far as Needles (or was it Baker?) and bought hats and ice to sit on and continued our venture into unknown territory.

About one hour outside of Las Vegas, we drove through one of those little dust devils just for the heck of it and somehow some of that dust devil dirt got into the vacumn shift mechanism which made it impossible for us to shift out of first gear.

So for the next few hours we drove the remaining fifty miles at a snail's pace on the edge of that desert road while others passed and honked their horns with an occasional comment about driving so slow.

Eventually we crawled onto Las Vegas Boulevard in search of a gas station or mechanic who could get this bucket of bolts moving again.

We passed the Hacienda with no station in sight and finally decided to drive in "that hotel over thar!" to cool off and have a beer before continuing on down the road.

"That hotel over thar" looked darn impressive and inviting after a hot day crawling across the desert floor, so we drove right up to the front door and a parking attendant was "Johnnie on the Spot".

"Welcome to Caesars Palace! Do you have any bags to check in?"

"No bags! Just this crate of a car that won't shift out of 1st gear!"

"No problem, sir! We'll have that fixed for you immediately!"

"Look out! The seat is wet!"

"No problem, sir!"

And with that impressive attitude, he hopped in and bounced the crate all the way into the parking area.

So we go into this fancy looking musoleum in search of a ice cold beer and some fancy dude in a fancier suit stops us at the front door.

I though he was there to kick us out, but he was the official greeter who greeted us with welcome arms. Wet pants and all!

"Welcome to Caesars Palace!"

And he escorted us directly to the front desk.

And before you could say, "I'll have a Bud", we were signed up for a two night stay at the unheard price of $12 per which was a pretty hefty price to pay back then.

But then we ran into a small problem.

"Where is your luggage, sir!?"

"No luggage! Just us in these wet pants trying to find a beer!"

"You must have luggage to check into Caesars, Sir!"

"Nope, no luggage, but we do have an old bag with some half eaten french fries in the car outside!"

"Fine, sir, we'll send the boy to get it!"

"Great! Tell him to meet us in the closest bar!"

It took us three and a half minutes to down three ice cold Budweisers apiece.

Then we saw the "boy" standing slightly to the side with an old, greasy paper bag waiting to show us to the room.

It was a nice room, Just two weeks old according to the guy with the paper bag.

"Got fries in there if you want 'em!"

"Thank you, sir, but I just had lunch!"

Within minutes we were poolside listening to one of the poolside beauties tell everyone about this new hotel and the future plans for its expansion.

I recall it being three floors tall and was kind of disillusioned after I saw one of the Roman statures that had apparently been run over by a piano, It was hollow inside and made of plaster.

The real Caesar made his of marble.

This sure weren't Disneyland.

We spent a lot of that couple of days drinking beers and resting poolside where a valet attendant would find us to give us the latest update on our car repair.

And sure enough it was ready on the day we left. All fixed up and clean as a whistle.

All that for less than what the hotel room cost if I remember correctly.

"This is one great service town, ain't it!?

So off we headed into the setting sun towards Los Angeles with decent suntan from the neck up.

Why am I telling this story?

This all happened in 1964. And the front desk and valet guys all made a big deal of informing us that the hotel had just opened the week before.

But all the records I have read claim that Caesars opened in 1965.

But I was in Vietnam in 1965 and no where close to any desert of any kind.

I even had a Caesars Palace cocktail napkin to prove it. a napkin with a logo of a fat little caesar cartoon character being fed grapes by a Vestral Virgin.

Could this be the Twilight Zone?

Maybe!

Two weeks later I received a letter from Caesars Palace saying that I left the hotel owning something like twenty-four cents for a telephone call.

I wrote back telling them that they probably spent a dollar to let me know I owed them 24 cents.

I never heard from them again about that bill.

And I've been there many times since.

Last month I was in Caesars and tried to find someone who worked at Caesars when it opened in an attempt to clarify this mysterious situation, but they must have known I was coming because the Emperor's office was deserted.

Even the Secretary had made herself incognito, so I left a stickey note on her phone informing one and all that I would return.

I guess they were all at the collosium watching the Lions versus the Christians.

I'll find them next time and get this straightened out.

Back in the early days of Las Vegas, it seemed that all the roads only traveled north and south.

East and west were not realistic directions in that town if I recall correctly.

One week we were holded up in Caesars and someone mentioned that we hadn't seen daylight in the past three days.

So we decided to take a walk.

Once outside, one adventurous soul said, "Hey, lets walk this way!"

And he pointed "east" which was not on a map nowhere.

So, being the curious critters that we were in those younger years, we crossed Las Vegas Boulevard and headed in the direction of the rising sun.

"They call this Flamingo Road", one old timer informed us when we inquired about the unknown.

"What's down there?!"

"Don't know! Never walked down that way before. Hey, can you spare a dime for a cup of coffee?!"

A dime poorer, we proceeded on our journey into the unknown - East on Flamingo Road.

And much to our surprise, someone had gotten there before us!

Primative forms of civilization was starting to get underway. Little nondescript shops and a hot dog stand.

But at the very end of this primative civilization and right at the start of the endless desert, some crazy fool had built a bar.

Not really much of a bar but it had maybe 8 stools at the plank and offered cold beer at beer drinker's prices because it was so for off the beaten track.

"What you doing way out here?", I asked the bartender who owned the joint.

"I'm getting ready for the boom and a few years from now you won't recognize this place!"

Well, thank God for that, I thought.

"This is gonna be a major resort someday, and I'm gonna own it all! No partners will be welcome. It's hard work but it's gonna happen!"

Thid guy has got to be nuts! The sun must have fried his brain!
Who is gonna walk this far off the boulevard to get a beer and throw nickles in a slot machines!?

So we humored him a bit and had a couple of ice cold beers before heading back out into the noon day sun.

But as I got to the door, I turned to the bartender/owner and yelled, "What ya gonna call this place you dream of building?!"

"I'm gonna call it "The Maxim".

Once outside we looked east to see if we could continue our venture but east ended at that point and the desert began, so we turned west and headed back into civilization.

"It takes all kinds! Lots of crazy people in this desert town!", we said on that five minute walk back to Caesars Palace.

Military guys have distinctive haircuts.

I could determine if someone was in the Marines, the Navy, or the Army simply by seeing their head of hair.

And it seemed that the Pit Bosses in Las Vegas also possessed this uncanny ability and that was fortunate for most of us especially if we had recently returned from Vietnam.

Here's a factual story that shows the real side of Las Vegas in the early years.

I think I've told it before, but this may be from a different angle.

One weekend a group of us Marines and Navy Chiefs drove up to Las Vegas from Camp Pendleton.

The war in Vietnam was underway and some of us had just returned home and the rest were heading out.

We arrived in LV about 2:00 am and drove down the deserted LV Boulevard in search of a place to grab a beer and rest our weary bodies.

For some reason beyond my recollection, we pulled up in the Sand's parking lot and walked a few feet into the casino.

We were immediately greeted by a well known Greeter who knew Marine and Navy haircuts.

After an unexpected and hearty welcome, we found ourselves at the bar with beers all around. The Greeter informed the bartender that we were special guests, which meant that every drink was on the house as long as the house stayed open.

And the house never closed!

Within an hour or so we followed one of the Chiefs to a vacant Craps table.

He was gonna teach us how to play.

So we pulled out our wallets and followed his directions.

But then a good thing happened.

The Pit Boss came over, welcomed us to the Sands, and asked each of us if we knew how to play the game.

All but the Chief said."No, SIR".

So he asked, "Can I help you out a bit and offer some suggestions?"

All but the Chief said, "That would be great, SIR!"

So he proceeded to guide us in the procedures of the game and offered advice on how to play intelligently.

Five guys with decent haircuts having a hell of a great time playing this new game of Craps and addressing everyone as "SIR" except for the friendly cocktail waitress.

And wtihin a brief period of time and without exception, each of us was ahead a few bucks.

I had about $30 to my credit and the others were about the same.

But the Chief who was playing on his own had over $60 in winnings at this point.

Then the Pit Boss said, "Here is the most important piece of advice I can give you!"

And he looked at me and suggested that I take my winnings and have a good time at the bar.

So I took his advice and my $30 profit and told my "fireteam" I'd meet them at the bar.

And one by one they gradually pulled up to the plank with smiles on their faces and winnings in their pockets.

"He told me when to quit! And I did! ......... And I won!"

It was the same story all around with the exception of the Navy Chief. He was the last to leave the table and he came to the bar with that losers look upon his face.

"I was over a hundred dollars ahead and the Boss told me to quit! But I didn't! And I lost it all!'

"Had a good time though!"

Then the Greeter joined us once again.

"Your rooms are ready when you want them. Just get the keys at the front desk! And thanks for coming to Las Vegas and staying at the Sands!"

And believe it or not, but the next day someone sent us an invitation to visit the Stardust Casino.

And guess what!

Yep, the same thing happened.

Pit Bosses talked to Pit Bosses and Greeters talked to Greeters in old time Las Vegas town, I guess.

And everyone seemed to have the same way of showing their appreciation to the guys with distinctive haircuts.

Thanks, Pit Bosses and Greeters of old. You gave us memories that will last a lifetime.

Especially when it was time to think of something other than reality.

Will: I can not match your eloquence nor distinctive writing so I will not even try..

In 1970, my stomping ground was Reno as I could not come close to affording Las Vegas and the long drive from the Northwest.....
Thanks and keep the stories coming......

Thanks, Irish.

Reno was my one day stomping ground in the late 50's but all I can remember about that day back then is that there was a small alley behind the casino.

It must have led someplace. Otherwise I wouldn't be remembering it.

I also recall a small hallway on the second floor that had slot machines on both sides of that hallway with little space in between to pass through.

I think that Harrah's and Harrold's were the major operations back then.

If I think hard enuff I may remember more and let ya know.

Sparks was just a drop of water and across a country road from Reno way back then.

My wife (before we were married) lived in Carson City, Virgina City, and Tahoe. She worked at Harolds Club (long gone),and Fitzgeralds. At one time she saddled horses and took "Dudes" on trail rides at Tahoe. In Virgina City she and her husband rented and lived in the old "Bower's Mansion". Reno was back then a thriving town and the only thing in Sparks was the Nugget and one other Casino...Completly different town then..!!

WOW! This is the first time I "met" anyone who lived in Virginia City. I always wondered if there was such a person.

Have not been to Virginia City in the past 10 years or so but now that you mentioned it, I just might ride over there my next trip north.

My cousin was a "Change Girl" at Harrah's or Harolds. I always get those two mixed up. But the Owner of the place had a home on the lake and one party a year for the employees there.

Does your wife recall that? That must have been around 1962 or 3.

Where did she work in Virginia City?

Carson City.... During this same time period I found myself walking through the casino in Carson City (there was only one back then - Right?) on my way to the retaurant in the back.

I passed a Craps table along the way (probably the first one I'd ever seen) and non-chalantly threw a silver dollar on the table which just so happened to land on SNAKE EYES.

The "dealer" said "Bet' and I kept on walking until I heard the table roar and one and all turned to look at the non-chalant kid on his way to eat.

They called me back and paid me off with a lot of additional comments which I didn't understand at all.

I think I got paid 30 to 1, so I ended up buying breakfast for all that day.

And probably lunch and dinner too.

I guess I'm not much help, but the way I heard it, groundbreaking on Caesars did not start until 1965 and it opened in August of 1966.

Other sources say that the above was for the 14 story original tower. Was that tower up there back then or was it just the two or three story wings that V'd out towards LV Blvd from the middle. I've actually stayed in those rooms before they were torn down.

My confusion comes in that I don't remember any pictures of Caesars without that 14 story tower in the middle.

Also will, I do like your storys so keep 'em coming.

Yes, JMT, I have been told something similar to that by everyone I speak to about Caesars's Opening.

But I do know for an absolutely, positively, genuinely, honest to goodness fact that I was there in 1964 as elaborated above.

Something is definitely strange here and it sure ain't me.

Maybe Caesars forgot to pay their taxes the year they opened in 1964 and so they convinced one and all that they actually opened in '65.

I WAS THERE IN 1964! And I was not there in 1965!

(Twilight Zone music slowly fades out)

In the olden days of LV, the richest working man in town was the Matre'D who worked the room at the better shows on the Strip.

He usually had that job because he had connections so to speak.

Things have changed throughout the years and I recently heard that now the best working job in town is parking cars in the better hotel/casinos.

Connections are still important and it's usually the son of the owner who owns that "concession". (So I have been told!)

My nephew had a job like that in Reno before he decided to become a movie star. He somehow got that job parking cars on his 18th birthday and right from the start he was making $100 to $300 a night.

He could have made more but he was the new kid in the garage and got the worst working hours.

But when he parked the cars for the stars, he made considerably more. And that included Robert Redford and some famous world reknown Rock Stars I've never heard of.

I got a feeling that those old time Matre'Ds are asking the guys out front for a job today.

The last time I saw a big show in Las Vegas, I was embarrassed cause I only had a dollar in my pocket to tip the fancy dude in the fancy suit who lead me to my table. (My wallet was in the security office waiting for me to claim it.)

But that one dollar tip got me a front row seat! In the old days, I would have gotten the "evil eye" and a rear row seat facing the back wall.

So, I guess Matre'Ds expectations are less than what they used to be.

I think that this is just a small example of the changes we have seen in LV over the years.

Back then we even wore suits and ties in the evenings, and I still have a habit of inquireing about the "Dress Code" when I call to make a dinner reservation.

Usually the response is, "Casual attire is appropriate, Sir!"

Heck! Back in the old days "Casual Attire" wasn't even appropriate on the golf course!

But back then we were all influenced by Fred Astair and Ginger Rogers spinning the light fantastic.

Today it's Fifty Cents and spinning on your fanny on the sidewalk.

Years have passed and we lost a lot of style in the process, and if you want to argue this, I bet you're under 50!

In San Francisco, I know Matre'Ds and waiters who have been doing their job for over 50 years and they all agree that they made more money 30 years ago.

And the son he sent to Dental School is supporting him by parking cars out front.

Welcome to modern times and a strikingly different Las Vegas.

Will: My wife also lived in "Gold Hill" and then worked in the "Carson City Nugget"
Your other comment regarding tipping to obtain better seats is sure a fact nowadays! I maybe have tipped the Matre'D only once or twice in the last ten years or so..Twice at the "Golden Nugget" that I remember; all others seem to be pre-assigned seats?.......It must and is a thing of the past....

Facinating, Will. Thank you.

Bob

Thanks, Bob!

Irish! Wasn't the Carson City Nuggat the only club in town back then? I don't think I have been in Carson City since the 60's so have no idea what it looks like today.

I can recall a "Serb??" restaurant that was pretty famous.They served the food in big bowls and you ate with your hands. I seem to recall wrapping the meal in some kind of tortilla.

OK .. New subject... There's nothing worse than a Martini in a plastic cup! NOTHING!

But for some reason, I've had lots of them worst type drinks while standing around a Craps table in downtown Las Vegas when you used to be able to tie up your mule outside!

Honest!

And an honest to goodness mule, too!

I wasn't fortunate enough to own a mule back then but I did meet a couple of guys who were.

And they were avid Craps players too!

But let's finish that martini first!

For many years, it was just about impossible to find a decent martini in any Las Vegas casino. Most of them were like drinking rocket fuel with an olive in it.

Add that to a plastic cup and you had a real disaster!

Years went by before I was able to say, "Wow! Now that's a great martini! I'll take another!"

And that happened at George Hamilton's place in NYNY.

But that's a story I've told before, so let's get back to these old time characters at the Craps table (one of whom had a mule outside which often left his calling card!)

I would ask them how to play the game and they'd just give me a wink and a friendly nod and say, "Just do what I do, kid!"

So I did what he did ......... and lost and lost and lost!

And so did he!

"I never told ya I was gonna win, did I?!"

And a very old and buxom lady at the other end started yelling with the intent of helping out, I guess!

"Don't listen to those old codgers, son! They come in here to lose their money every day!"

And then with a robust whiskey voice, "Horn Bet!"

And sure enough she won that crazy bet that first time she got my attention.

She was old and toothless and dressed like an unemployed Mary Poppins if Mary had lost the soap ten years earlier and refused to comb her hair.

She would stuff her winnings down her amble "bussom" while the dealers would smile and say, "She knows her stuff, kid! She plays here every day and usually leaves a winner!"

And she would just smirk and politely tell them all to go to Hadies!

You might have read about these old casino characters at one time or another.

I was fortunate enough to have met a few.

They would come to town from nearby desert adobes and make their mark upon the casinos.

They were the characters who helped create Las Vegas history

....And sometimes impressed the kids who watched them risk the last dollar in their possession and leave with bussoms full of winnings.

I distinctly recall an old timer walking into Binion's one early afternoon with an old briefcase under his arm.

He walked right up to the table where I was sitting and placed that briefcase on the only spot that was vacant - 3rd base.

No one except us out of towners thought anything was unusual and the Pit Boss came over immediately and asked the "new guy" to........ "Go ahead. Open it, sir!"

And with a click and much less than a Broadway flourish, it was open revealing stacks and stacks of George Washingtons.

"Betting it all! ........ All of it on the next hand!"

So with a nod of approval the Pit Boss closed the table while the cash was counted.

And within minutes, the cash was tallied and sitting on the 3rd base spot with the briefcase right beside ready it.

The Pit Boss watched!

The cards were delt!

And to make a long story short......

He won!

And Security was by his side as he stuffed that money back into his case and collected his winning chips.

And off they marched to the cashier cage!

And no one even blinked an eye. (Except us out of towners!)

That was Binions way back when.

That was when you could play with real dollar bills, or tens, or hundreds, or even thousands.

Walk right up and slap it down!

Your first bet was the bet that determined your maximum bet.

No questions asked. No forms to complete! No Player card!

No nonsence of any kind!

That was when real gamblers ran the casinos.

That was when Mr Binion (the original Mr. Binion) would walk through his joint and shake hands with the gentlemen playing craps and blackjack and pass out rolls of nickels to the ladies playing those dad-blasted machines with the cherries and lemons and pineapples and such.

"Keep's her busy while I lose the farm!" was often heard among the tables.

And that "guy with the suitcase" act was not uncommon in those days of yore, so there are many other tales to be told.

Some may be exaggerated a bit, but this one ain't cause I seen it happen.

But I got to admit that I never did meet that old timer who gambled in his pajamas during the late evening and early morning hours!

But then again, maybe I just had too many of those martinis served in plastic cups .........

and didn't even notice!

Will, I remember moving to California, from Illinois, in 1955. I was ten at the time, and remember going through Las Vegas. We stopped at a gas station, and Mom let ME play the slot machine in the restroom! I also remember our family walking along what must have been Fremont Street, and going inside one of the casinos because it was COOL INSIDE. I also remember the security guy throwing my brothers and I OUT of the casino! We had to wait outside while Mom and Dad looked around a little. I remember driving on to California, and we went through Barstow and into San Bernadino, all on Rte. 66.
Fast forward to sometime around 1959, and I remember coming over to Las Vegas with my folks. My Dad was in the music business, and had business/parties here once in awhile. WE stayed at the Sands, and I remember looking out the window......we were in a suite on the top floor.......and there was nothing but desert out there........we drove from one place to another....
Fast forward again, Toby and I came here in 1966......drove right up to Caesar's, and parked right outside the front door. We also got kicked out of the baccarat room, and Toby was playing craps, which he didn't know how to do, tried to pick up his chips, got smacked on the hand, argued, and had 3 of the biggest guys I've ever seen standing behind him in about 3 seconds. He didn't see them, I did. We left! He didn't play craps again. I remember waiting in line for a buffet somewhere.......and while in line, I was playing a slot machine next to us. I won the jackpot.......a pair of nylons!!! We stayed at a TravelLodge right on the Strip, but we still had to drive. Circus Circus was being built, I think.......we didn't go there.
Oh, gotta go, but this is fun to remember. We were at Caesar's in 1966......Fall. It was pretty new, but I don't think it was brand new.

Tater, Thanks! Gread to see that someone else remembers old time Vegas.

I, too, recall old Route 66. I drove it across the states a long while back.

Here's a trivia question for ya ..... Where does/did Route 66 start and end? The west coast ending surprised me a bit.

I still know people who are Route 66 Fanatics and search for that old road everytime they get the "Fever".

I can recall those old gas stations that offered Coca~Cola in pale green, glass bottles. But in a nickel and lift the lid and slide out the coke by the bottle's neck through this little locking apparatus that was opened by that nickel.

To the best of my recollection, 66 went through Needles and up to Kingman by traverseing through that little town with the donkeys. Name that town for another trivia question.

And name the famous couple that honeymooned there.

From Kingman it continued east. Name the last town you come to before you have to depart 66 and turn onto the new highway that replaced it.

You got to the Sands before I did. My first visit to the Sands was in the early 60's. Was the round Sand's tower even there way back then?

Thanks for contributing. Tater!

Many years ago, they had a habit of kicking you out of your hotel room on the 4th day of your stay.

I never could figure that one out!

But someone told me years later that the general consensus was that it you didn't lose all your money by the 3rd day of your stay, you wern't worth keeping.

Kind of like fishing for trout ..... if it ain't a certain size, throw it back.

I know that it's changed now but that's how it was back in the olden days.

And then again, it could have just been "me".

I certainly could have done something that would warrent eviction but nothing that I can recall or write about in public.

To this day, I still have the habit of reserving hotel rooms for three day periods and hopeing that no one catches me checking into their hotels after those three full days of fun in Las Vegas.

And I also watch my P's and Q's of course.

Can anyone else remember when the hotels had this three day policy?

Were you also asked to leave?

Or was it just me?