Annular Eclipse: Places To View Outside Vegas

Since it doesn't happen very often, but Nevada is getting ready this weekend for the "Annular" eclipse this weekend! As a kid, I just remember, this is one of those eclipses that we had to make that very special hand held telescope to look through so we wouldn't go blind looking directly at it! You know, using cardboard and sticking a pin to make the hole in it?

Yes, it is that eclipse and according to a report from Channe8, there are a few precautions to take. Precautions to protect your eyes...in fact the report says this is the eclipse you do NOT look directly at without protective glasses. The report also states NOT to use binoculars or a conventional telescope.

The other thing is that if you're thinking of getting out of town to get a better vantage point of the eclipse, you might already be too late. Channel 8 talked to Jim Fahey, from the Astronomical Society of Nevada, and he said, "...It’s very difficult to get a room in a motel and those trying to get on a campsite will be a hard thing to do." In hopes of getting far away from the bright lights of the city, clearly others have already had this idea.

Think about heading up to Mt. Charleston, Jean, or up north just before getting to Mesquite all might be good spots. Fahey also made it clear that since the moon is a bit farther away from Earth, it won’t fully cover the Sun like a total solar eclipse.

If you're thinking about staying in town, then we will only have a partial view of the event. But if you ever want to see one and it's your first time, you best do it this weekend. The next time this will happen is not until the year 2046. Not sure how old you are, but we're not getting any younger.

So get the protective wear, find you campsite or a spot on the edge of town and get ready.

Beyond the hums of slot machines, the desert winds and neon-lit lands, the echoes of Las Vegas' history can be felt all throughout the city. But sometimes, the past seems to stay; creating a few eerie places, paranormal playgrounds and haunted places.

As Halloween approaches, it's time to dust the cobwebs and reignite our spirits with fineish fun and scary stories. Ghost lore is no stranger to Las Vegas. Often times, the macabre finds its way to Vegas. The tales of organized crime, gambling and tumultuous history has created a trail of stories and really interesting history. The layer of secrecy surrounding our city also adds to this "creepy" fire of scary stories.

Most people know about the Clown Motel (which is Tonopah, Nevada), Zak Bagan's Haunted Museum and the abandoned ghost towns. But, many people are unaware of the real-lift stories of gruesome and violent crime that happens under the glittery marquee of Las Vegas' lights.

Ghosts and the paranormal are scary -- there's no doubt. But there's something bone-chilling and hair-standing about real scary incidents that've happened throughout time. We're talking about the types of incidents with history, stories and more that make it seem unreal.

For example, many people know about the tunnel system in Las Vegas. Essentially, it's a catacomb-like system meant for storm drainage, tunnels, freeway under passes. This system is not meant for living or even inhabiting in the slightest.

However, tons of people live in this maze of concrete -- making this a real-life horror movie about an underworld of poverty. 8 News Now did a story about the "underground tunnels" and the people who inhabit it. It's a story about survival, the grit of people and how our Las Vegas community comes together despite being in unfavorable situations.

Our city is a microcosm of the peculiar, and we love it. Here are a few haunted places in Las Vegas that are also haunted in history.

Downtown Las Vegas' tangle of wedding chapels, bars, motels and eclectic shops attracts a certain energy. The Oasis Motel, which is now operated by OYO, is infamous for death and prostitution back in the day. A few infamous deaths have happened at this motel. Famous World Series of Poker winner and professional gambler Stuart Errol Ungar allegedly checked into room 20, according to Vegas Ghosts.

"On November 20, 1998 Ungar was found dead in his room at the Oasis Motel," Vegas Ghosts said. ".... The cause of death was likely brought on by his long-term drug abuse."

Ungar was 45 years old when he died, according to the Las Vegas Sun. He was a genius and aggressive poker player, who had a rags-to-riches then riches-to-rags story. It seemed that drug abuse and the high-speed life of gambling caught up with him.

Along with that, actor David Strickland hung himself in the Oasis Motel in 1999. According to news reports at that time, he was partying in Vegas. Strickland was known for playing Todd in the beloved '90s sitcom "Suddenly Susan," with Brooke Shields and the movie  “Forces of Nature," with Sandra Bullock and "Postcards From America." A few months before the star's death, he went into a drug diversion program. However, the last hours of his life were spent at the Oasis Motel.

To top off this morbid-sundae of death, the city temporarily shut the Oasis Motel down in 2012 due to  “unabated prostitution” and rampant drug activity, the Las Vegas Review-Journal reported.

Overall, the area that Oasis Motel is located in represents a certain tone of Vegas that's synonymous with salacious acts and seedier activities. There's no doubt the the walls of Oasis Motel have seen some pretty dark things that have left a few lingering residents.

According to the Las Vegas Review-Journal, the Las Vegas School of the Arts has rumors about a ghost named Mr. Petri haunting the school's theater. A teacher from the school did an interview with the Review-Journal in 2014, and said although he didn't believe in ghosts himself, there were two incidents that stuck out to him as being "creepy." Overall, the teacher -- named John Morris -- said he believes the paranormal activity can be more blamed on the theater being " a concentrated energy, where all this ensemble energy can float."

Located at  213 North 9th Street, Las Vegas, Nevada, you wouldn't recognize it today. However, this was the site of one of the worst fire incidents to have occurred in the city -- and the fire happened in 2019 to make things more surprising. 6 people died in that fire and 13 others were injured, according to the Las Vegas Sun. The building lacked a functional sprinkler system, the Review-Journal reported. Now, the Alpine Motel is an apartment building called DLUX Lofts. From a horrible tragedy to a truly "one-of-a-kind living experience." 

If you're born and raised in Vegas, you've probably heard of this local legend. Throughout childhood, many Las Vegans have heard about the "little boy who likes to swing" at Fox Ridge Park. We've even heard tales of the "demon boy" who changes his face to a demonic one if you stare at him for too long. Some people argue that it's a ghost boy while others say it's a demon. If you ever head to the park when it's pitch black, you may see a swing moving and swinging without anyone in it.

When you're passing Primm, Whiskey Pete's welcomes you with its former glory. The resort boomed in the '90s with many people recounting fun memories of their parents or grandparents gambling. But, there's an eerie feeling -- quite frankly across the entire state line.  Whiskey Pete's is almost like a fever dream and when you stop in, you're transported to a different decade (Fun fact, Peter “Whiskey Pete” McIntyre was a real person, whose story is interesting in itself). According to DeadHistory.com, local lore says Whiskey Pete haunts this property due because it was his burial site.

Dead History says that Whiskey Pete asked to be buried on the hill and facing the valley.

"His friends did as he asked and used dynamite to blast a 6′ hole in the limestone cliff overlooking Highway 91 from behind his service station."

So, we can understand why he may be lingering on the property.  There have been reports of people feeling like they're being watched and some have even seen a man wearing Western gear.

https://primmvalleyresorts.com/

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