1942

Commerce on the Westside was short lived, collapsing in 1905 when rival Las Vegas Townsite opened on the east side of the railroad tracks. In 1942, the Westside defined a new commercial district to serve the ethnic population of the area.

The new zone, locally known as "Jackson Street," covered two blocks, from D to F Streets along Jackson and Van Buren. In July 1942, permit requests on file included a grocery store, barbershop, beauty shop, recreation center, restaurant, drug store and gas station. Las Vegas was a segregated town by then, and Westside residents needed mundane services as well as places to recreate.

Shows and performers lit up the district in the late night hours. Numerous bars and hotels opened here: Carver House (later the Cove), Hotel Jackson, Harlem Club, Ebony Club, Cotton Club, Brown Derby, El Morocco, Lousiana Club and many more. Whites and blacks mingled here in a lively atmosphere. Black professionals opened offices on the Westside, and dozens of churches took root.

In 1960 civil rights activists finally succeeded in breaking down restrictions that kept blacks out of Las Vegas casinos, and many people chose to spend their time and money outside the neighborhood. Ironically, the civil rights victory caused Westside commerce to decline. Many small businesses here closed. Shuttered buildings and empty lots give no clue to the vibrant life that once existed here. The New Town Tavern at Jackson and F streets is the sole survivor of this exciting time.

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