The story of Las Vegas begins much like any small town in the west: traders, missionaries, and minerals. Then, in 1931, three pieces of legislation changed the town forever. The first of these was On March 19, gambling was legalized in the State of Nevada. Within a month, the city had issued six gambling licenses. Also in 1931, the state liberalized the Divorce laws. After only six weeks of residency, a “quickie” divorce could be granted. The travelers that came for divorces stayed at dude ranches, the forerunners to the hotels on the Strip today, such as the MGM Grand, the Belagio, and Circus Circus. And finally, bringing a population boom, was the construction of the Hoover Dam.