Nevada Preservation Foundation Hits a
Home (+ History) Run

By Stacey Gualandi

This year’s Home + History Las Vegas 2026 was something to write home about.

The Nevada Preservation Foundation (NPF) recently presented its 11th annual four-day event in Las Vegas, continuing its mission to celebrate “the iconic lifestyle and architectural history of Southern Nevada.”

The Las Vegas Valley once again transformed as the NPF spotlighted architecture, culture and community through more than 30 curated events for locals and visitors.

Programming ranged from guided walking, biking and bus tours to immersive home tours, educational workshops, scenic strolls and special evening events. It was a chance to discover hidden gems in our own backyard and to gain a deeper understanding of why preservation is so important.

“Neon is so important to us, but there’s more to Las Vegas than the neon,” said Dr. Paige Figanbaum, NPF’s executive director, who noted that this year’s event set a new precedent for what Nevada preservation will look like over the next 10 years.

“We’re trying to really shift focus to education and advocacy,” she said. “We want to build community members who are as invested in history and saving historic properties like this, and we want to be a tool and resource for them.”

This was my first trip back in time (shame on me!), and there were so many highlights — even before the signature event: the Vintage Vegas Home Tour, held on the final day each year. So, come along with me!

Bootleggers in the Garden: A Prohibition-Style Party

The official kickoff fundraising event took place at the rare and restored 1939 historic home of John and LeAnne Notabartolo. In 2021, they purchased the classic Tudor “Jack Price” home — a former downtown haberdasher to Vegas VIPs — in the John S. Park neighborhood and vowed to preserve its original character. It now holds a certified wildlife habitat distinction, and its original California redwood structure remains intact.

The dress code offered a “hotsy totsy” throwback to the Jazz Age, with food and drink provided by 2026 James Beard Award semifinalist chef James Trees and chef Todd Harrington. The intimate garden party also featured “whimsical teas” crafted by Bar Boheme mixologist Jonah Gibbs.

It was speakeasy-inspired, complete with a password (“Hold on to your teacups!”).

“We’re trying to make presenting history fun,” Figanbaum said. “Events are interactive, and at our Bootleggers in the Garden, you learn about John S. Park and what Las Vegas was like in the 1930s while having fun doing it.”

Black Mountain Historic Homes Walking Tour

Little did I know there is a hotbed of midcentury history in Henderson, right near where I live. It’s distinctly known as “desert modernism.”

Not far from the base of Black Mountain are remaining homes by Palmer & Krisel, “one of the most prolific and influential architectural firms behind America’s midcentury modern boom.”

Figanbaum said this year marked the first collaboration between NPF and the Henderson Historical Society.

“What I love so much about working as executive director of the NPF is getting a chance to meet community members and see how passionate they are about different aspects of Las Vegas history, because Las Vegas is fantastic,” she said. “It also gives us a chance to work with local organizations and a platform to really highlight all the great work they have done.”

Figanbaum said this year marked the first collaboration between NPF and the Henderson Historical Society, and our tour guide Rachael was an encyclopedia of P&K intel.

1984: Revenge of the Yuppies

The final night of Home + History week took a totally tubular turn at the private Spanish Oaks Tennis Club overlooking the Las Vegas Strip. Guests, dressed in ’80s attire, experienced “a rare setting that has remained largely unchanged since the late 1970s.”  (You must check out the couch pit!)

At the 127-acre property with its bell tower, attendees sipped Salty Dogs, went on a scavenger hunt (I loved the decades-old Holly Oak tree), strolled the grounds where B.B. King once lived and danced to early ’80s pop tunes. (Another site I didn’t know existed!)

Vintage Vegas Home Tour 2026

And finally, this is what patient vintage history fans wait for every year. This is a self-driving, open-house-style tour through a lucky seven houses that have never been shown before, each with different styles from previous decades.

I didn’t get to all of the homes because I never wanted to leave!

There was the Paradise Palms Green House, aka “the ’80s house,” which the owner restored to its midcentury charm. Come for the orange vintage bar; stay for the wacky wallpaper and CorningWare.

The Pink Palace, another pristine Paradise Palms piece of history, is memorable for its ’60s vibe, suspended stovetop and, of course, pink-colored everything. The owner’s favorite piece: a bejeweled glass bowl. Mine? The salt-and-pepper shakers.

Then there was the 1954 “Showgirl House,” owned by showgirl Gypsy Wood in the Beverly Green neighborhood. The home is a showstopper and served as a set for Pamela Anderson’s “The Last Showgirl.”  You can’t resist this pure vintage time capsule.

“We’re not against redevelopment. We’re just trying to reframe what that looks like. For us, that’s adaptive reuse, which means using older or historic buildings for contemporary use.”

This festival is a blast from the past with a nod to the future — and dare I say it, there’s no place like Home + History.

Oh, I even won the ’80s costume contest and tickets to next year’s kickoff event, so yes — I’ll be back for Home + History 2027!

For more information, visit nevadapreservation.org.