For anyone who thinks that Las Vegas history started with mobster Bugsy Siegel, historian and associate professor Michael Green has a simple reminder: “Remember his initials.”
Covering everything from organized crime and casinos to silver mining, atomic testing, and the region's diverse populations, students gain a deeper understanding of where they live and what makes Las Vegas one of the most famous cities in the world.
The Course: The History of Las Vegas
The class is offered in the Honors College and gives students the opportunity to dig deeper into our city’s unique, occasionally scandalous, and iconic history. “I think it's valuable for UNLV students to know something of the history of the place where they either have lived or are just briefly living while [at UNLV],” says Green.
He adds, “Another nice thing is the history here is recent enough that some of the newsmakers are still around.”
Over the years teaching this class, Green has invited notable guests to the class, including Sen. Harry Reid; Gov. Richard Bryan; and Las Vegas Mayor Oscar Goodman.
“No mobsters,” he clarifies.
Students also visit the various museums in the area, such as the Atomic Testing Museum, the Mob Museum, the Clark County Museum — and in the future, the Neon Museum. The museums are so entertaining for the students that they often feel more like tourism than field trips.
Who’s taking it?
The Honors College students who take this course come from a variety of backgrounds and majors. “The honors version of this course usually doesn't include many history majors,” says Green. Rather, he’s seen students from fields such as business, pre-med, hospitality, and beyond, reflecting the course’s wide appeal across disciplines.
Who’s teaching it?
Green, who created the course, is a double UNLV alum and a lifelong Vegas local. Not only has he studied Las Vegas history, but he’s lived it, too.
“My family moved here in 1967 with the idea that my dad would get a job as a casino dealer, and he did. My father was a dealer at the Stardust Hotel, which is depicted in the movie Casino, and was personally fired by the character played by Robert De Niro.”
During his time as an undergraduate student, Green was impressed by UNLV Special Collections & Archives and the sources they had for him to study. After working at the newspaper that historically broke the stories about the mob, someone told him he was the true expert on the history of Las Vegas. “I said, well, when you have a monopoly, you might as well take advantage of it,” he recalls.
How does it work?
One unique feature of the course is the emphasis on original research. Alongside guest speakers and museum visits, students also access Special Collections to explore primary sources.
The main research project is open-ended, allowing students to tailor the topics to their interests. Green explains, “Our first assignment is an autobiography, and I try to find out: what are your interests?”
The projects often reflect students' majors; a business student might explore the history of local real estate, while a life sciences major could examine environmental changes in the region. The flexibility allows students to engage deeply with Las Vegas history through a lens they enjoy.
How does this course connect to students’ future careers?
“If you want work and life skills, you take the liberal arts, you take history,” says Green. “You learn how to find out things and how to gather a lot of information in a short period of time.”
Green points out that history plays a role in every industry — from a patient’s medical history for healthcare professionals to stock market history for financial planners. By studying the past, students can contextualize the present and be more prepared for the future.
What excites you the most about teaching this course?
Green loves digging into local history. “You get to bring students together with people who made the history, and you get students to understand where they are,” he says.
The reading list
There’s no shortage of films and books set in Las Vegas, but if you want the real story behind the glitz, Green recommends:
- Doom Towns by UNLV history professor Andy Kirk
- The Money and the Power by Sally Denton and Roger Morris
- Sun, Sin & Suburbia: The History of Modern Las Vegas Paperback by Geoff Schumacher
- Bright Light City: Las Vegas in Popular Culture by Larry Gragg
- Reno, Las Vegas, and the Strip: A Tale of Three Cities by Eugene P. Moehring
And of course, Green himself is the author and co-author of two books on our state’s history: Nevada: A History of the Silver State and Las Vegas: A Centennial History.
