Isn’t America the best? If you spend too much time believing advertising in every medium, you would think the goal is to all be the same. This great country is founded on tolerance and differences.
This weekend celebrates Nevada Day. Nevada Day commemorates the admission of the state of Nevada into the union on October 31, 1864. The first known observance of Nevada Day (originally known as “Admission Day”) was by the Pacific Coast Pioneer society during the 1870s. It was not until 1933 that the state legislature designated October 31 as Nevada Day and a state holiday.
In concert with Nevada Day, Las Vegans and Nevadans have become familiar with another tradition – Dr. Lonnie Hammargren’s Open House. Or, Open House(s) or homes. As I enter my 10th year living in Las Vegas, this only came up on my radar of things to check-off this last year so I pre-paid my $10 entry fee (military discount) and set my calendar to attend. I had no real idea what to expect which is preferred. As I pulled up in an unfamiliar eastside location of Las Vegas, I immediately felt sorry for the neighbors that cannot ignore this abomination. Maybe you just get blind to it over time.
Some of my reservations about this Las Vegas Institution is I am not a fan of clutter and I am not a fan of the tacky legacy Las Vegas is known for. This “museum” tour ensured 5 scoops of all of the above. Hammargren built his house, Castillo del Sol, in 1969. Since then it has become a museum to Vegas’ past. The house is usually open for tours on Nevada Day. Among his latest acquisitions is the High Roller roller coaster from the Stratosphere. His home has been featured on the Travel Channel’s show Vegas VIP Homes.
From 1988 to 1994, Hammargren was a member of the Board of Regents for the Nevada System of Higher Education. Hammargren was Lieutenant Governor of Nevada from 1995–1999. He lost his election bid in the primaries for that office again in 2006. As of 2008, Hammargren was the honorary consul for Belize.
Hammargren is a neurosurgeon first licensed in 1971. Lonnie spent several years as a NASA flight surgeon.He also operated on boxer Duk Koo Kim in November 1982, following Kim’s loss to Ray Mancini; Kim died as a result of his injuries in the fight.
Following Roy Horn’s near-fatal tiger attack in 2003, Hammargren spoke up to correct misinformation in the press about the procedure Horn (of Siegfried & Roy) had received. According to Hammargren, he gave up surgery in 2005, when the cost for his malpractice insurance was raised to $275,000/year; in 2009, as part of a medical malpractice settlement, he agreed to give up surgery permanently, though he retained his medical license.
Without the freedom to be a misfit there is no freedom at all. – Marty Rubin
If someone was in the lower income bracket, this house and the collections of stuff would definitely be considered a clinical case of hoarding. But, as you take time to study the minutiae of how everything is placed, it really is entertaining. You say to yourself “of course, a hotdog with a dinasour makes perfect sense…”, or “yes, hanging a skeleton from the basketball rim is perfect…”. Thanks for opening your home Lonnie and thanks for a most interesting slice of history!
