PWAP 2016 / In FocusOn the movie trail

We didn’t see them all, but we saw most of the wonderful properties on the 2016 CCHP Places With a Past Tour. Thank you CCHP and coordinator Kathy Hendrickson for all the work and creativity that went into this event. Your dedication to preserving the multicultural and artistic history of Las Vegas is to be applauded. Thanks also to all the property owners who welcomed visitors.

The CCHP’s mission reads: To preserve, protect and promote the historic, cultural, and architectural heritage of greater Las Vegas through education and advocacy, and to encourage economic development through restoration and rehabilitation.

By showcasing properties that have been beautifully restored (or are in the process of being restored) we all get a better understanding of the past and its impact on the present and the future. The theme of this year’s tour was based on film locations in historic properties.

Here are a few photos I took today, most related to the tour, some just because…

Harvey Girl Pam Buethe welcomed guests to the Historic Castaneda where Red Dawn and and Midnight Texas were filmed.

This painting of the Castaneda Hotel by Route 66 artist Jerry McClanahan, depicts a solider and his girl in the background waiting for the arrival of the train. The painting was commissioned by art patrons who live in Colorado Springs and love Las Vegas for its old west flavor and hospitality.

Bob is visiting with Anthony Bollman, owner of a house on 7th Street reportedly in Fool For Love. We’ve been watching this house for months as it has undergone a major overhaul. It is a work in progress, according to the owner and dates back to the early 1900s. According to Mr. Bollman, who has family in the area, the house, and the two adjacent houses, were built for railroaders. When it’s finished it will be a showplace.

This was one of my favorite houses, owned by Bob and Donna Rivas. It was also used as a location for filming of Fool For Love. Before the Allingham family bought the house, legendary Judge David J. Leahy lived there. When Donna Allingham Rivas and Bob moved back to Las Vegas they worked with architect Jonathan Whitten to double the living space while keeping the home’s historic charm.

We visited the Plaza Hotel where Marcus was talking about film history in the area and as it related to the hotel. We also looked around and visited the great gift shop that has a bit of everything. Bob is studying a map of the world. That’s just like him. He’s always interested in the big picture.

Of course I had to go in the Veeder building and check out where the sheriff’s office scenes for Longmire are shot. The next photos are all from that property. Am I a Longmire fan or what? I wish it was still on a cable channel. I’m too cheap to subscribe to Netflix. As it happens, I’ve read all (I think) of the books and I like them better. In the TV show I keep expecting Dog to show up. If you’ve read the books, you know what I mean. Anyway, it was still fun to tour the building, which is fantastic, by the way. Somebody with a pocket full of money could really do something with it.

The sheriff is not in. The view from his office is amazing.

True or False?

Rumor has it that when Teddy Roosevelt was here with the Rough Riders, he bathed in this bathtub (and yes it is the original tub from that era – so they say), which is in the bathing chamber of the former Veeder law offices. Note the stained glass windows. A little light on the subject Mr. Roosevelt?

Honestly, if I had this view I’d never get a thing done. This is from the sheriff’s office. Many scenes from the show feature this shot, usually with some miscreant up to no good.

Yes, we went to the Tom Mix screening. Elmo’s Indigo Theater is a real treat for Las Vegas. He shows golden oldies and films newly minted.

Tito was showing clips of Easy Rider and visitors were getting their ”mug shots” in front of the jail cells. Behind the computer is a wooden motorcycle carved in detail. You can almost hear Peter Fonda gunning the motor.

That’s our tour. No, we didn’t go to Montezuma, and we didn’t stop at the Episcopal Church, but we enjoyed the sites we went to and had a nice walk to boot. Enjoy and appreciate our town and all it has to offer. It is a great place to live.