Throughout our lives, no matter which campus attended, we share a bond through our Alma Mater

Las Vegas High School

Click links below to access pages

HOME

About Us

Association News

Our Vision

Notable Alumni

History

Photos

Wildcat Reunion

Class Reunions

In Memoriam

Class Lists

Links

The original Las Vegas High School, located at 315 S. 7^th Street, was built in the art deco style, and opened in 1930. Although LVHS was not the first high school built in the city (the first one on 4^th Street became part of the elementary school and later burned down), it is the oldest one still standing. It is now the Las Vegas Academy and has been classified as a protected historic building. LVHS was built on property previously owned by the Union Pacific Railroad. The railroad deeded it to the city for use as a public school.

This website is for the alumni of our historic school the alumni at the East Sahara campus as well as the current alumni of the original school site now known as the Las Vegas Academy.  Las Vegas High School has spawned a wealth of social and political leaders for over seven decades.

Here we present links to the history and chronology of Las Vegas High.
Any and all other submissions, after careful review, are open to inclusion here.

George Wilkinson, Class of '53, has put together a historical documentary covering the late 40s through the late 50s. He started this project by requesting via email information from LVHS Alumni (classes '47-58) that focused on their memories of growing up in Las Vegas, LVHS and the Wildcat Lair. It should be of interest to many of our members and guests.

It is titled The Cat Tracks Special Issue, This includes history of Nevada, Clark County, Las Vegas, Las Vegas High School and the Wildcat Lair! Check it out (PDF file)
Open here! Cat Tracks Special Issue

Here are two great files submitted by Patty Haack (1956)
Click on the highlighted lines below to view documents

History of Las Vegas High School

Chronology of Las Vegas High School

We would like to ask for the help of the alumni in finding something.
It seems that our lanterns, on the front of the school have disappeared. There were also two on the front of the Gymnasium that are missing too.
Here are a couple of photos of the school with them attached.(click photos to enlarge)

If anyone has any info as to their whereabouts it would be greatly appreciated.

In this photo are Coach Warren Okelberry (R.I.P. LVHS Coach & Teacher for 30 years-1961-1991) and Richard Bryan (Class of 1955). (click photo to enlarge)
It was taken in 1987 at the signing of the declaration placing LVHS on the National Registry of Historic Buildings.
Richard Bryan, a Nevada State Senator at the time, was responsible for getting LVHS on the National Registry.

(see the reunion picture pages for pictures of the presentation of the pen used to sign this document, to Bryan by Coach Okelberry)

***************************

(pictures and school history cut lines copied from Woody Woodward's LVHS-alumni.com)

History is one focus of this association.

Some pictures from the history of Las Vegas High School.

The alumni is asked that they submit pictures of any historical value for inclusion on this page.

Please feel free to submit digital pictures to the webmaster

If you have hard copy pictures that need to be scanned we can do that too. We will return the originals to you, if desired.

Listed below the history pictures are pictures submitted by alumni...enjoy!!

Click on thumbnails for full size viewing

Las Vegas High School
through the years!!

Laying of the "Corner Stone"'
(Woody Woodward speaking here) These are scans of photos and graphics we were given by the architects we met with at the 4/29/2002 Senior Squares Project meeting. They are in chronological order, with minimal comment or description.

Thanks goes out to George Apfel (AKA George Thomas of local radio fame), LVHS class of '71, for scanning them. He even captioned a couple of them while he was a student and member of the "Desert Breeze" staff.

A majority of the photos came from the collection at UNLV.

A second photo of the laying of the "Corner Stone"'

A photo of the construction in progress

1932 Photo of the completed "Main Building"

1932 "colorized" rendition that was used as a Post Card

A 1930's vintage aerial Photo (from the West)

A 1940's Photo (notice the car parked on the wrong side of the street....)

A 1956 vintage Photo

A 1958 vintage Photo

A 1958 vintage aerial Photo (from the West)

A 1980's vintage Photo (check out the Senior Squares & graffiti)

A 1971 photo of the demolition of the "Government Building"

A 1971 photo of the demolition of the "Government Building"

This is the front of the school circa 2000

This is a photo of the newly painted "red" original color LVHS 2009

SUBMITTED PHOTOS

Submitted by Phyllis Nickel Hoggatt via Patty Haack

May 1941, class years where available

May 1941 campus shots #1 Anne Christensen, Jean Case Norris 46, Elma Dodge 43, Juanita La Vonta, Amelia Mendoza 43, IdaArmstrong 43, Nadine Wren Gibson 44, Dorothy Fisher 44, Denelda Jameson 44, Ida Rivera, LaRue Pratt, Peggy Roberts Clauduhous 42, Mary Alice Turner Simpson 42	May 1941 campus shots #2 Donna Jo Hanley Andress 43, Betty Crookston Carlson 43, Dorothy Ellis(in back)44, Norma Sittle Cox 43, Barbara Curtis Fenner 44, Lily Barnes(in back) 44, Phyllis Nickel Hoggatt 43	May 1941 campus shots #3 Barbara Curtis Fenner 44, Phyllis Nickel Hoggatt 43, Donna Jo Hanley Andress 43	May 1941 campus shots #4 Mary Alice Turner Simpson 42, Peggy Roberts Clauduhous 42

Here is some memorabilia from earlier years.(click photos to enlarge)

***

 Our Proclamation!!!!

***

We built a Wildcat float for the Helldorado Parade 2009.
A huge wildcat is the main focus, designed by Bruce Langson (class of 1965)
Built on the crane yard owned by Rollie Gibbs (class of 1954)

Our volunteer constructors spanned from the classes of 1954 to 2009.

***

The old Las Vegas High School Library is now
THE ADA K. CARPENTER LIBRARY
A ceremony was held Sept 10, 2010
dedicated by Judge Lloyd D. George (class of 1948)

(See Judge George's biography under Notable Alumni)

***

The Las Vegas High School Centennial Room/Senior Squares Memorial
was dedicated on February 11, 2009 at the new LVHS campus on East Sahara.
Our own Patty Haack held the ribbon cutting honors.
The Senior Squares memorial was due to the hard work and monetary efforts of:
John Holland, John Bearce and the class of 1953.
This memorial tribute serves to preserve the senior squares,
unadulterated and unweather-worn for many years to come.

The Centennial room is an archival depot of the history of Las Vegas High School.
Everyone is invited to come and see the historical exhibits here.
It is located in the lobby of the Frank Brusa Theater
at the new Las Vegas High School campus at 6500 East Sahara.