Fremont Street facts for kids
Fremont Street is a very famous street in Downtown Las Vegas. It's in Las Vegas, Nevada, and many people know it, almost as much as the Las Vegas Strip. The street is named after a famous explorer named John C. Frémont. It's right in the middle of where many casinos are located downtown.
Over the years, many well-known casinos have been on Fremont Street. Some of these include Binion's Horseshoe, Eldorado Club, Fremont Hotel and Casino, Golden Gate Hotel and Casino, Golden Nugget, Four Queens, The Mint, and the Pioneer Club.
Before the Fremont Street Experience was built, the western part of Fremont Street was often shown in movies and TV shows. It was the perfect picture of Las Vegas with all its bright, sparkling lights. Because of the many neon signs, like the famous cowboy sign called Vegas Vic, the street was nicknamed "Glitter Gulch".
Fremont Street runs from Main Street towards Sahara Avenue. Car traffic actually starts at Las Vegas Boulevard. When it reaches Sahara Avenue, it leaves Las Vegas and becomes Boulder Highway. In the past, Fremont Street was part of several important national highways, like U.S. Route 93, US 95, and US 466. Today, US 93 and US 95 use Interstate 515 instead. The part of Fremont Street east of the Fremont East District is now called Nevada State Route 582.
The History of Fremont Street
Fremont Street has been around since 1905, which is when Las Vegas itself was founded. It was the first street in Las Vegas to be paved in 1925. Then, in 1931, it got the city's very first traffic light.
Before the big interstate highways like I-15 were built, Fremont Street was part of major U.S. highways. These included U.S. Route 93, US 95, and US 466.
In 1931, the Northern Club on Fremont Street received one of the first six special permits given out in Nevada for gambling. It was the very first one for Fremont Street.
In September 1994, the "Glitter Gulch" part of Fremont Street was closed to cars. This was done to start building the Fremont Street Experience, which is a big canopy with a light show.
Exploring Fremont East
In 2002, the city of Las Vegas created the Fremont East Entertainment District (FEED). This is a special area in downtown Las Vegas for fun and entertainment. In 2004, the city announced plans to improve a three-block part of Fremont Street, just east of the Fremont Street Experience. This area was meant to become a lively spot for arts and entertainment within FEED.
The city spent $5.5 million on this project. Half of the money came from businesses in the area, and the other half came from taxes. This was part of a plan to make Downtown Las Vegas more exciting. The area was redesigned to attract more people, with many bars and clubs close together.
The three-block renovation made the streets more friendly for people walking. It also added new plants and cool, retro-looking neon signs. Four new neon signs were built in the middle of the street. They looked like classic Las Vegas signs from the past. The improved Fremont East street officially opened in the summer of 2007.
Today, the Fremont East Entertainment District covers six blocks. It stretches from Las Vegas Boulevard East to 8th Street, and from Ogden Street South to Carson Street. The historic El Cortez hotel and casino is in this district, along with the popular Downtown Cocktail Room. Beyond this district, you can find places like The Writer's Block and many businesses that are part of Tony Hsieh's Downtown Project.
Images for kids
-
The Golden Nugget and Binion's casinos at night
-
A view looking northwest along Fremont Street at Las Vegas Boulevard
See also
In Spanish: Calle Fremont para niños
