County plans centennial celebrations

By Amanda Finnegan

Wednesday, Oct. 22, 2008 | 6:32 p.m.

Clark County centennial celebration

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Clark County officials announced plans Wednesday to ring in the county's centennial birthday, including a yearlong series of events, exhibits and programs throughout the county.

The county was created on July 1, 1909, when it split from Lincoln County. In the past century, Clark County has grown to about 2 million residents, with 5,000 more moving to the county each month. It's the 15th most-populous county in the United States.

The centennial celebration will kick off with the opening of a centennial exhibit at the Clark County Museum in Henderson. It will end with the opening of the restored 1966 Candlelight Wedding Chapel at 2855 S. Las Vegas Blvd. on Nov. 14, 2009, and the opening of a 1910 Union Pacific Railroad cottage in downtown Las Vegas.

Roundtable history discussions will be open to the public each month at various locations, starting July 3, 2009. Festivals and concerts are scheduled throughout the year, and a time capsule will be buried at the government center. Officials haven't determined when the time capsule will be dug up.

The county has nominated the iconic “Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas” sign to be included on the National Historic Register. Officials will learn later this year whether the nomination will be accepted.

Smaller events throughout urban and rural Clark County will showcase the county’s mining, ranching, farming, military and tourism heritage. The Clark County School District will be running poster and essay contests and will work the history of the county into its curriculum.

Clark County Commission chairman Rory Reid said the celebration will focus on educating residents.

“Often when communities celebrate milestones like this one, they do so in a grand fashion,” Reid said. “We will not, however, have fireworks or showgirls. Here, we want to create a meaningful celebration. Clark County centennial will not be a party as much as it will be a historic experience.”

For more information on the Clark County centennial celebration, visit www.accessclarkcounty.com/100.