VINTAGE VEGAS

During the 1939 Helldorado Parade, my brother Harry and I (ages 6 and 9) were in a wagon pulled by our mule named Buck. The sponsor was my dad, Harry Pursel, who owned Nevada Beverage Co.

After a few minutes of parading, Buck decided he didn't want to pull the wagon anymore. Harry and I tried for about 10 minutes to get him going, with everyone laughing and passing us up. Then Buck decided to run, and we ended up passing most of the people in the parade.

Apparently, we made quite a show and caused more than a few chuckles. Buck got a beer at the end of the parade, his favorite beverage on hot days.

JOE PURSEL

BREMERTON, WASH.

My wife and I rolled into Las Vegas in the winter of 1953 having pulled our 25-foot trailer across country from the East Coast. We were actually on our way to Los Angeles, but we had heard of this little town in Nevada called Las Vegas where we might find some temporary work.

After settling in at a trailer park on Boulder Highway (where later the Showboat was built), we went about searching for jobs. We were hesitant to even enter some of the casinos as they were quite small and dark, and we felt like we might need to "knock three times and ask for Joe."

Before long, we were both employed. My wife was the new hostess/cashier at the Silver Slipper, where the two main attractions were the burlesque show and the great steak dinners for $1.95. I found a job waiting tables in the Copa Room of the Sands (where The Venetian stands today).

The Sands was only a few months old when I waited on my first table and it offered some of the top stars of the day. I enjoyed watching Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis, Danny Thomas, Lena Horne, Louis Armstrong, Peggy Lee, and many others.

In those days they did two shows a night. Most times the entertainers would perform for only a week or two. The stars had an opening act, plus a couple of numbers by the Copa Girls. Each hotel had its own house band.

The dinner shows were something. They were five-course, silver service dinners with appetizer, soup, salad, entr e, dessert and beverage -- and all for as little as $4.95. The second show was a drink show, but you could get a pot of coffee for two and enjoy Sinatra for less than $1.

When we first came to town, hotels offered chuckwagons. sumptuous buffets that were usually served in the lounge, starting around 11 p.m. In those early years we did just about all our shopping downtown. Woolworth's was on the corner of Fifth and Fremont streets. We shopped at Sears, Ronzone's, Trader Joe's (a souvenir shop) and GiGi's. We enjoyed many movies at the new Huntridge Theatre, and on occasion we'd play some nickel slots at Buckley's or at the Lucky Strike Club on Fremont Street.

We're both retired now.

We never got to Los Angeles. Instead, it's been 50 years for us -- living here and watching the fascinating growth of this one-of-a-kind town. It may be an over-used phrase, but this truly is "Fabulous Las Vegas!"

HERB HANSEN

LAS VEGAS