Las Vegas' flying pink elephants and other seemingly unbelievable casino stories have been confirmed as historical fact. Here are the most fascinating examples.

Flying Pink Elephants at Circus Circus

In 1968, Circus Circus casino actually suspended baby elephants from an overhead tram system, creating the illusion of flying pink elephants. This incredibly risky publicity stunt was confirmed by Heidi Straus, daughter of casino founder Jay Sarno.

Key details:

• Baby elephants weighed 300-450 lbs
• The elephants wore diapers during flights
• The attraction ended quickly due to safety concerns from gamblers below
• The same tram system was later used for aerial performers called "The Cage Girls"

Hoover Dam's Tragic Coincidence

In an extraordinary twist of fate, the first and last construction deaths at Hoover Dam were father and son:

• John Gregory Tierney drowned in 1921 while surveying the site
• His son Patrick died falling from the completed structure in 1935
• Both deaths occurred on December 20
• Their names appear on a memorial plaque at the dam

These verified stories demonstrate that sometimes truth is indeed stranger than fiction in Las Vegas history.

Related Articles

Previous Articles