Thursday 19 March 2015

Day 6: The Hoover Dam and Clark County Museum, Henderson, Nevada.

You never know what a trip to the camp store to get quarters for the laundry will net you.  Wearing my Canada shirt was a conversation starter with a fellow Canuck from Salmon Arm, BC. He and his wife come to Las Vegas for 6 months each year.  It turns out this gentleman works at the Mob Museum and confirmed that this will be right up the boys' alley.  He also suggested a stop at the Clark County Museum on the way back from the Hoover Dam. We were so glad he did as it turned out to be the best $6.00 we have parted with all trip!

Knowing the Hoover Dam was on our to do list, I borrowed a DVD of the American Experience episode on the history of the dam from the library and dutifully make the kids watch it about a week before we left. It really made a difference.  In the interpretive centre things made sense as there were many still images of scenes we had just seen in the documentary.

Walking across the dam was impressive.  Even more impressive was viewing the dam from the new highway by-pass bridge.  Oh dear, talk about being high up! 880 feet or 267 meters.

On the way back into town we stopped at the Clark County Museum.

The museum's curator is easily recognized due to his appearances on the television show Pawn Stars where he provides historical background on unique items that enter the shop.  Well, weren't we surprised to see him drive by in a modest late model mini-van as we sat on the tailgate of the truck in the nearly empty parking lot of the museum.

The 'beard of knowledge', as Mr. Mark Hall-Patton is affectionately referred to, actually drove by, parked and entered the rear of the museum.  Unfortunately, that was all we saw of him other than a startlingly life-like cut-out of him in the foyer of the museum.

This museum documents the history of the local area.  We enjoyed the park-like walk with old out buildings and mining implements from the 1800's.  There was also a fully-detailed town block with actual houses from a variety of time periods that we could enter. They had pamphlets with colour pictures of various artifacts that the boys had to find and answer a question on each.  Micha had jokingly said, "There is a prize!"  I'm not sure if the 'prize' was the draw but both boys really took it seriously and the exercise completely focused and enhanced our visit.

We returned back to camp around 4 pm just in time to hang out by the pool while we put a few loads of laundry in at the camp laundry mat.

One more day in Las Vegas and then the Gypsy Wagon is off to Phoenix.









A WWII pill box overlooking the Hoover Dam. 

Micha and Dominic came out part way. 



880 feet/267 meters above the river, oh my!


Alex has no fear.  I, on the other hand, basically
closed my eyes and held out the camera. 



We stopped at a pull out so that I could clamber through the rocky brush to get a close up.

Our tailgate lunch where 'The Beard of Knowledge Man' drove by!

The boys worked through the artifact scavenger hunts with real dedication!


Alex didn't miss a beat. 

Grandpa - we found your old chair!

Many outside exhibits to explore. 
Can you make a wooden wheel, Grandpa?


The caboose car is before their time. . . . .

A street full of real homes and businesses from various decades. 

We entered each home to see the displays. 

Alex thought this looked like you Grandpa!

He also thought this looked like Marianne's bathroom :). 

Dominic ran out of gas. . . .

Candlelight Wedding Chapel.
This chapel operated from 1966 to 2003 in Las Vegas.
It was purchased and moved to the Museum a few years later. 


I do not want to know how heavy THIS trailer was back in the day.

Hmm, what is wrong with this picture?
Oh well, this is a good time to call Mom and tell her about our day. 

Good night!




1 comment:

  1. Great pictures!

    I love the weather beaten gnarled boards on the old shed. My old chair, I don't want it, too hard on my creaky bones. Have the boys figured out the amount of concrete in the Hoover Dam and the number of their pools that could be filled with the water behind the dam?

    Love, Grandpa!
    PS come home with some good tips from the Mob Museum on how to out-run the police when growing tobacco.

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