In 1931, Don Laughlin is born in Minnesota and works winters during his youth as a fur trapper. With the profits he buys slot machines for installation in hunting lodges.

Laughlin moves to Las Vegas, Nevada in the 1950s, and buys his first casino, the “101 Club.” While flying his private plane over the California/Arizona/Nevada tri-state area near the Colorado River, he sees the potential for a resort destination. Soon after his flight, he buys an eight-room riverfront motel on 6 ½ acres for $250,000.

In less than two years, the Riverside Resort is entertaining guests with gambling and all-you-can-eat chicken dinners for 98 cents. Play at the casino is on twelve slot machines and two live gaming tables and accommodations are available in only four of the motel’s eight rooms; Laughlin’s family occupies the remaining four.

A US Postal Service inspector asks Laughlin to give a name to the area post office in order to receive mail. Laughlin suggests Riverside and Casino but the inspector suggests Laughlin because of their common irish heritage!

Today, Laughlin’s original site has developed into the Riverside Resort Hotel & Casino in Laughlin, Nevada with over 1400 rooms, a bowling centre, restaurants, shops and an exhibition of the Classic Cars he collected over the years. Mr. Laughlin lives in the Penthouse Suite on the top floor of his hotel.

Above: a rare 1955 Ford Thunderbird. This car is considered an almost perfect Thunderbird and in 1982 its appraised value was $100,000!

 

A 1955 Buick Century, four-door Riviera. The cost of it new was $3,175.