Clark County Museum Guild (CCMG)

09/01/2026

A private eye. Old-school Las Vegas. And a life that sounds suspiciously like a television show.

Meet Eddie LaRue, the longtime Las Vegas private investigator reportedly connected to some of the biggest names and stories of the city’s past, and the man said to have helped inspire Dan Tanna of the show, Vega$.

The deeper we dug, the better the story got.

https://clarkcountymuseumguild.org/eddie-larue-the-private-eye-behind-the-las-vegas-legend

Dan Tanna had the red Thunderbird.

08/05/2026

On August 5, 1966, Caesars Palace opened its doors, and apparently decided subtlety was for lesser empires.

Some little-known but interesting facts about the grand opening: the three-day celebration reportedly served 1,400 guests two tons of filet mignon, 300 pounds of Maryland crabmeat, the largest private order of Ukrainian caviar ever placed, and 50,000 glasses of champagne.

Andy Williams inaugurated the Circus Maximus showroom, while cocktail waitresses in Greco-Roman wigs welcomed arriving guests to their new Roman fantasy.

And a tiny detail we love: Caesars Palace has no apostrophe because every guest (not one particular Caesar) was meant to feel like royalty.

HBD, Caesars Palace! We like your style!

📸: Las Vegas News Bureau Collection and LVCVA Archive (thank you!)
🎨: Colorization by the Guild for birthday fun purposes.

08/05/2026

You may see a familiar property or two! We're grateful for our partnership with Nevada Preservation Foundation.

07/29/2026

Clark County Museum Administrator, Ambert Colbert, joins our friends Bob Stoldal and Geoff Schumacher to interpret some of the many stories behind the house that we hope to move to the museum someday soon!

🎙️ Exciting news from Clark County Museum! Tune in to the latest episode of the “Talk About Las Vegas With Ira” podcast, where our very own Museum Administrator, Amber Colbert, shares insights on the Heritage in Motion project. Discover how we’re bringing local history to life and celebrating our vibrant community. Don’t miss this engaging conversation—listen now and join us in preserving the stories that shape Clark County! https://url.us.m.mimecastprotect.com/s/n2ngC7371QCXG4Bmt8fXfoye61?domain=talkaboutlasvegas.com/

05/31/2026

Today the Guild was treated to a special video shoot at Howard Hughes's Green House. We can't wait to share — stay tuned! 📺👀

05/15/2026

🎂 Happy 121st Birthday, Las Vegas!

To celebrate, we sent one lucky 1905 Las Vegas woman to the Sears, Roebuck & Co. catalogue with $121 in her pocket. Here's what our lucky winner bought:

-A solid oak dresser with beveled mirror — $11.75
-A 7-drawer sewing machine — $15.55
-A solid gold ladies' watch — $14.75
-A cast iron cookstove — $14.95
-A parlor lamp with hand-painted roses — $3.45
-A men's all-wool suit for her husband — $7.95
-100 lbs. of sugar, 5 lbs. of coffee, a family Bible...

And yes, she added two bottles of Dr. Hammond's Nerve & Brain Pills to the cart. (It's 110 degrees. She's building a city from scratch. She deserves them.)

Total: $121.00. Shipped in a plain unmarked box so the neighbors wouldn't know. (In 2026, that haul would cost you over $4,500.)

Here's to 121 years, Las Vegas. Still running hot. 🌵

📸 Sears Roebuck Catalog courtesy Archive.org. Fictional order form created by the Guild for birthday fun.

05/15/2026

Good historians know today is Las Vegas’s birthday. Great historians know that when party started on May 15, 1905, thousands gathered in 110-degree heat for a railroad land auction that turned desert lots into a city. We love this weird, wild origin story. Happy 121st, Las Vegas! 🎂

📸 Photos courtesy UNLV Special Collections. Colorized by Guild volunteers for birthday fun.

04/03/2026

We’re sending a heartfelt thank you to our incredible members, Gayle and Gary Clinard! Their generosity and dedication to the Clark County Museum Guild are making a lasting impact—helping us relocate and restore the Howard Hughes Green House so everyone can experience this historic treasure.

Read more about Gayle and Gary’s inspiring contribution in Las Vegas Weekly: https://lasvegasweekly.com/news/2026/apr/02/gayle-clinard-of-the-clark-county-museum-guild/Opens a new window

Members like the Clinards are the backbone of our mission to preserve and share local history. Thank you, Gayle and Gary, for your unwavering support!

Want to join a community that makes a difference? Become a member today at clarkcountymuseumguild.org. Las Vegas Weekly

04/02/2026

Congresswoman Dina Titus has been a longtime supporter of the museum, and her mother, Betty, was an active member of our Guild. Thank you for the visit and the support, Congresswoman Titus!

03/11/2026

Before the myth, there was the hustle. We joined Geoff Schumacher to learn more about the early entrepreneurial years of Howard Hughes — where the story really starts. Because before the eccentricities, before the headlines, he was simply a young person who couldn't stop building things.

Special gratitude to for the studio space to record this rare panel between Geoff Schumacher and Bob Stoldal.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TSNRmgYherU&t=15s

In this short segment, historian Geoff Schumacher offers a lively introduction to the remarkable early life of Howard Hughes — from his inheritance of the Hu...