This silent, untitled, color amateur-style home film takes the viewer on a trip through Las Vegas, Disneyland, and San Francisco during the 1950s — probably 1955 based on the signage. Considered Las Vegas’ “heyday,” the 1950s was a time of considerable change for the city, as the population grew considerably and over 8 million people were visiting the casinos and late-night shows. The film depicts the frenetic energy of Vegas, with bright light displays for casinos and saloons from the Pioneer Club to Sahara Casino. The film briefly depicts Anaheim’s Disneyland before taking the viewer to San Francisco, where the footage emphasizes the public transportation in the city, featuring many clips of the SF Muni cable cars including the famous turntable on Powell Street. Also featured are Alcatraz Island and the well-known Fisherman’s Wharf.

Film opens, Union Pacific freight train (0:08). Las Vegas’ Fremont Street: LED sign for Golden Nugget Gambling Hall Saloon and Restaurant (c.1950s) (0:16). Pioneer Club Vegas Vic cowboy LED sign (c.1960s) (0:25). Lucky Strike Club (0:30). Pioneer Club and Vegas Vic cowboy (0:49). The Westerner gambling club, saloon, and restaurant (0:54). View down Fremont street (0:59). Las Vegas Club (closed mid-1959) (1:07). Women gamble at slot machines at Cecil Lynch’s Fortune Club (1958-1966) (1:20). Couples walk under the bright lights of Fremont Street (1:29). Joe W Brown’s Horseshoe Club (1:38). Boulder Club (1929-1950) (1:43). Another shot down Fremont, headlights of cars get lost in the bright lights of the saloons and casinos (1:51). Bentley’s Trading Post (2:01). Texaco gas station and old time steamer fire engine at last Frontier Hotel (c.1949) (2:15). Sign for Last Frontier Village, theme park opened by Bill Moore on grounds of Western-themed Hotel Last Frontier (2:19). Wilbur Clark’s Desert Inn hotel and casino (1950-2000) (2:26). Silver Slipper Saloon and Gambling Hall (1950-1988) (2:32). El Rancho Vegas (1941-1960) sign promoting show for burlesque dancer Lili St. Cyr, comedian Myron Cohen, and singer Helen Grayco – first resort on the Strip, known then as part of Highway 91 (today corner of Las Vegas Boulevard and Sahara Avenue) (2:38). Sahara Casino sign promoting José Greco with Spanish Ballet and singers Louis Prima and Keely Smith (2:46). Sahara Casino camel sculpture (2:51). Disneyland Casey Jr. Circus Train chugs along track (2:56). Horse-drawn street cars on Disneyland’s Main Street (3:25). View of San Francisco’s Powell Street, signs for restaurants and hotels, cars and trolleys on the road (3:30). Passengers wait to get on SF Muni cable car No. 524 on the Powell/Market Sts. turntable (3:38). SF Muni cable car No. 524 Powell & Mason Sts. turned on turntable (4:06). SF Muni cable car No. 511 makes its way down hill (4:40). SF Muni cable car descends steep road towards foggy sky (5:02). SF Muni cable car No.506 Powell & Market Sts (5:22). SF Muni cable car No.504 Powell & Market Sts makes abrupt turn on track; perhaps 1954 Plymouth Savoy taxi follows behind (5:27). Sign for telescopes to view Alcatraz (5:50). View of Alcatraz Island through telescope (5:53). Exterior view of Fisherman’s Grotto/ Fisherman’s Wharf (6:04). Interior view of Fisherman’s Grotto – men and women peruse fresh seafood offerings at various stalls (6:07). Fishing boats in the harbor (6:12). Street views taken while riding in a cable car, shots of residential buildings and 50s-era vehicles (i.e. Hirohata Merc) (6:18). Montage shots of light signals for Powell St., California St. Cable Cars (8:25). Sign with logo for San Francisco Municipal Railway (8:31). SF Muni cable car No.511 Washington & Jackson Sts. passes camera (8:34). San Francisco Chinatown, lanterns hang across street signs, bi-lingual signs for restaurants and businesses (8:55). View up California St. (9:21). Views of San Francisco Street Cars along Market St., The Ferry Building in background (9:42). Mountainous, forest landscape; Various shots of Southern Pacific 4294 4-8-8-2 Steam Locomotive making its way through landscape (9:48). Miniature toy trains, various locomotives on model-size track (10:32). Film ends (10:54).

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