Las Vegas has a certain magic. A bright wash of twinkling lights and a cacophony of bells and whistles greet you upon arrival. Its charm is both modern (sleek night clubs and and haute hotels) and nostalgic (the smell of cigars slowly burning, a sense of long gone glamour).

Sin City's first casino, Northern Club (now known as La Bayou) opened its doors in 1931, and its open-armed embrace of pleasure, decadence, and glee hasn't stopped since.

Relive Vegas' joie de vivre over the years with these 30 Vintage Images of Sin City, courtesy of These Americans.

These Americans, referred to as T.A., is an archive built by artist Doug Rickard, whose recent work was shown in 2011 at the MoMA. It is a vast, powerful and gritty view into America's often dark history and culture. Dealing in topics such as racism, sex, architecture, blaxploitation and consumption, among others, the site is described by Rickard as "a visceral, glistening American narrative, an exploration of the past and its feeding of the present, the heart and soul of a nation beared forth in all of its naked and contradictory 'glory'. The blood, sweat and tears of a civilization can only be seen through the displaying of their items, the sum of their whole can only be viewed through the millions of their ever-moving parts."

RELATED: Is this Detroit? Or Is This a War Zone?
RELATED: The Particular Cool of Brooklyn Apartments in 1978

<% listStory.headline %>

You may also Like

Latest Trending Stories