- 1941 — El Rancho Vegas opens as a Western-ranch-style resort with guest bungalows arranged around gardens and a pool.
- 1940s–1950s — The resort thrives; the bungalows become a signature of early Strip hospitality.
- June 17, 1960 — A fire destroys the main casino/hotel building; outlying cottages survive.
- 1960s–1990s — Select cottages are reused or relocated off-site; one guest bungalow is moved to Pahrump.
- June 5, 1998 — The "El Rancho Village Hotel Bungalows" at 3461 N Barney St, Pahrump are listed on the Nevada State Register of Historic Places.
- Today — The bungalow is owned by Joseph & Julie Ligotti, fully restored, and operated as guest housing.
Historic Guest Housing
Address: 3461 N Barney St, Pahrump, NV
The bungalow has been fully restored and is currently rented by tenants. The property is not available for tours or visits - online viewing only.
From Strip Pioneer to Pahrump Landmark
El Rancho Vegas opened in 1941 and is widely regarded as the first full resort on what became the Las Vegas Strip. Its low-rise bungalows, gardens, and distinctive Western character offered a relaxed alternative to downtown hotels, laying groundwork for the destination resorts that followed.
After a devastating fire in 1960 destroyed the main building, the outlying cottages survived. In the decades that followed, select cottages were salvaged, reused, or relocated. One of these guest bungalows found a new life in Pahrump, where it stands today as a tangible link to early Strip history.
On June 5, 1998, the Pahrump site—identified as the El Rancho Village Hotel Bungalows, at 3461 N Barney Street—was placed on the Nevada State Register of Historic Places. The current owners, Joseph and Julie Ligotti, have fully restored the bungalow and maintain its historic character as guest housing.
Image Archive
Historic photos from the 1950s when the bungalows were part of El Rancho Vegas on the Las Vegas Strip.
Property Owners
For questions about the historic bungalow or its preservation.
Website: ElRanchoVegas.online
Contact: Joe & Julie Ligotti on Facebook
Please note: This is private guest housing and is not available for tours or visits. Thank you for your interest in preserving this piece of Las Vegas Strip history.
Learn More About El Rancho Vegas
• Nevada State Register of Historic Places listing for "El Rancho Village Hotel Bungalows" (Pahrump).
• UNLV Special Collections & Archives (El Rancho Vegas materials).
• Contemporary histories on the resort's 1941 opening and the 1960 fire.
• Wikimedia Commons public-domain postcard used above.
Note: the Pahrump listing is on the Nevada State Register (state-level), not the U.S. National Historic Landmark program.