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World War II Era Residential Housing in Las Vegas, Clark County, Nevada (1940–1945)HPF Tracking No.: P14AS00012(3)Prepared for:The city of Las Vegas Development Services Centerand Historic Preservation CommissionPrepared by:Greta J. Rayle, M.A., RPAandHelana Ruter, M.A.Logan Simpson3753 Howard Hughes Parkway, Suite 235Las Vegas, NV 89169June 2015LSD Technical Report No. 145648

The archival research and windshield survey of historic properties that is thesubject of this historic context on World War II era residential housing in thecity of Las Vegas, Clark County, Nevada has been financed in whole or partwith federal funds from the National Park Service, U.S. Department of theInterior, and administered by the State Historic Preservation Office. Thecontents and opinions, however, do not necessarily reflect the views orpolicies of the U.S. Department of the Interior or the State HistoricPreservation Office. This program receives federal financial assistance foridentification and protection of historic properties. Under Title VI of the CivilRights Act of 1964, Section 504 of Rehabilitation Act of 1973, and AgeDiscrimination Act of 1975, as amended, the U.S. Department of the Interiorprohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, national origin, disability orage in its federally assisted programs. If you believe you have beendiscriminated against in any program, activity, or facility as described above,or if you desire further information, please write to: Chief, Office of EqualOpportunity Programs, U.S. Department of the Interior, National ParkService, 1201 Eye Street, NW (2740), Washington, D.C. 20005.

ABSTRACT AND MANAGEMENT SUMMARYReport TitleWorld War II Era Residential Housing in Las Vegas, Clark County, Nevada(1940–1945)Agencies InvolvedThe city of Las Vegas (city)LSD Project No.145648Report DateJune 22, 2015ProjectDescriptionThe city of Las Vegas Development Services Center requested that LoganSimpson prepare a comprehensive historic context for neighborhoods andsubdivisions constructed in suburban Las Vegas during the World War II (WWII)era. The context will serve as a planning tool to be used by the Department ofPlanning, the Historic Preservation Commission, and the Nevada State HistoricPreservation Office (SHPO) as part of their continued effort to document andevaluate the eligibility of neighborhoods within the city for inclusion in theNational Register of Historic Places (NRHP).Project LocationThe incorporated limits of the city of Las Vegas comprise the geographical areacovered by the context.MethodsArchival research and a windshield survey of representative historic propertiesSummaryAt the request of the city of Las Vegas Development Services Center, Logan Simpson prepared acomprehensive historic context for neighborhoods and subdivisions constructed in suburban Las Vegasduring the WWII era (1940–1945).Residential subdivision development in the United States (U.S.) was generally limited during the periodbetween 1940 and 1945 due to a lack of available funding as well as construction materials reserved formilitary use, as the Federal government devoted resources to the war effort. Prior to the U.S. housingcrisis during WWII, President Franklin D. Roosevelt created the Federal Housing Administration (FHA)under the legislative umbrella of the 1934 National Housing Act (NHA). The agency’s role was to providean incentive for private developers to construct new subdivisions. Rather than provide loans or subsidiesfor housing, the FHA provided insurance on two types of mortgage loans—those for the repair,remodeling, and redecorating of existing structures (as identified in Title I of the NHA) and those for theconstruction of new buildings (as identified in Title II). In 1938, an amendment to Title II of the act waspassed in order to encourage the development of “small homes.” The FHA allowed for insurance onmortgages up to 90 percent of the property value for owner-occupied homes, whereas the former Title IIguidelines limited insurance to 80 percent. This new Title II program was limited to maximum loanamounts of 5,400 but it served as a great stimulus to the housing construction sector.World War II (WWII) began in Europe in 1939 and the U.S. began ramping up production of materials tosupport allied forces in 1940. Certain areas within the country, such as Las Vegas, became centers forwar time production creating population booms and concomitant housing shortages. One of the federalresponses to this crisis was enactment of the Title VI amendment to the NHA in 1941. This amendmentauthorized the FHA to insure mortgages up to 90 percent of the home value on one- to four-unit dwellingsfor both owner-occupied and builder-owned properties in locations defined as “critical defense areas.” LasVegas was designated a critical defense area in June 1941 which facilitated the development of newresidential subdivisions.City of Las Vegas Historic ContextWWII Era Residential Housing in Las VegasLSD Technical Report No. 145648June 2015i

Three Title VI neighborhoods have been previously identified through survey in the city and include theHuntridge, Biltmore, and Mayfair Neighborhoods. The Vega Verde subdivision was also previouslyidentified as a FHA Title II development by the city during preparation of a NRHP nomination for the JohnS. Park Neighborhood. Logan Simpson identified four additional neighborhoods through archival research,all of which are examples of “built-on-demand” or custom subdivisions developed by private investorsduring the WWII era. These neighborhoods include the Beckley Subdivision (1941), Sebec Acres (1941),Eastland Heights (1942), and Charleston Square (1945).This historical overview places custom neighborhoods and Title II and Title VI developments within LasVegas into a broader local, state, and national context of war-time housing development; examines howrace-based housing restrictions impacted African Americans in Las Vegas; and defines the architecturalstyles and physical infrastructure associated with residential WWII era developments. Property registrationrequirements for individual properties including single-family and multi-family dwellings and thesubdivisions as a whole follow the historic contexts in this document. The overview also identifiesgeographical boundaries and provides a summary of identification and evaluation methods and referencesconsulted.City of Las Vegas Historic ContextWWII Era Residential Housing in Las VegasLSD Technical Report No. 145648June 2015ii

TABLE OF CONTENTSAbstract and Management Summary . iIntroduction . 1Section I: Residential Subdivision Development in the Early Twentieth Century. 3The Response of the Federal Government to the Nation’s Housing Crisis . 4Establishment of the NHA and Creation of the FHA . 5Title I and Title II of the NHA . 6Design Standards of the FHA’s Land Planning Division . 7Federally Funded Defense Housing Programs . 9Title VI Amendment to the NHA (1941) . 10Serviceman’s Readjustment Act (1944) . 13Context 1: Growth of Las Vegas and WWII-era Subdivision Development . 14Las Vegas during the Depression Era . 16The Impact of the Defense Industry on the Growth of Greater Las Vegas . 18Las Vegas Army Air Force Gunnery School/Nellis Air Force Base . 19Basic Magnesium, Inc. 21Context 2: Local Efforts to Cope with the War-Time Housing Shortage . 24The Development of Built on Demand (Custom) Subdivisions . 25Beckley Subdivision (1941) . 25Sebec Acres (1941) . 29Eastland Heights Neighborhood (1942, 1945, 1957, and 1959) . 33Charleston Square (1945; 1948–1949) . 43FHA-Influenced Subdivisions . 51The Vega Verde Addition within the John S. Park Historic District (1941–1945) . 51Biltmore Addition (1941–1946) . 59Huntridge Neighborhood (1941–1946) . 67Mayfair Homes Subdivision (1941–1946) . 84Context 3: Racial Segregation and the Development of West Las Vegas . 93Section II: Architectural Context . 99Residential Architecture of Las Vegas during WWII . 99The Impact of the FHA on Residential Housing Design . 100War-time Restrictions and Impacts upon Housing Design and Construction . 101Manifestation of National Architectural Trends in Las Vegas Residential Subdivisions. 102Biographies and Professional Contributions of Architects, Builders, Developers, and Corporations . 103Beckley Subdivision . 103Guy Dewey Mathis. 103Biltmore Addition . 104A. E. Tiffany and Orville Albert Bell (Biltmore Homes, Inc.) . 104A. P. Maynard, Albert “Al” E. Cahlan, Archie C. Grant, and E. W. Clark (Victory Homes, Inc.) . 105Mayfair Subdivision . 109Earl A. Honrath and Edmund A. Clark (Home Builders’ Corporation) . 109G. “Lee” Cochran . 110Horace Shidler (Horace Shidler and Son) . 110Vega Verde Addition . 110George Franklin and John Law (Franklin & Law Developers) . 110Frank Beam . 111Charleston Square . 114Lembke Construction Company . 114Section III: Associated Property Types . 115Individual Single-family Dwelling . 117City of Las Vegas Historic ContextWWII Era Residential Housing in Las VegasLSD Technical Report No. 145648June 2015iii

Description . 117Significance . 118Integrity . 119Location . 119Design . 119Setting . 119Materials . 120Workmanship . 120Feeling . 120Association . 120Registration Requirements . 121Boundaries. 121Multi-family Dwellings . 121Description . 121Significance . 121Criterion A . 121Criterion B . 122Criterion C . 122Criterion D . 122Integrity . 123Location . 123Design . 123Setting . 123Materials . 123Workmanship . 123Feeling . 123Association . 124Registration Requirements . 124Boundaries. 124Residential Subdivisions . 124Description . 124Types . 125Built on Demand (Custom) Subdivisions . 125FHA-Influenced Subdivisions . 125Significance . 126Criterion A . 126Criterion B . 127Criterion C . 127Criterion D . 127Integrity . 127Location . 127Design . 127Setting . 128Materials . 128Workmanship . 128Feeling . 128Association . 128Registration Requirements . 129Boundaries. 129Section IV: Geographical Data . 129Section V: Summary of Identification and Evaluation Methods . 129Section VI: Conclusion. 131Vega Verde Subdivision . 132City of Las Vegas Historic ContextWWII Era Residential Housing in Las VegasLSD Technical Report No. 145648June 2015iv