Las Vegas Sun

March 18, 2024

Even as Las Vegan turns 100 today, she has more local sightseeing to do

Gertrude Silvia Rudiak

Courtesy of the Rudniak family

Gertrude Silvia Rudiak has watched the expansion and evolution of Las Vegas for 72 years. This photo was taken in 2010.

Click to enlarge photo

Gertrude Silvia Rudiak

Las Vegas was founded in 1905. Ten years later, longtime resident Gertrude Silvia Rudiak was born.

Today, Rudiak turns 100. Her family — including five children, eight grandchildren and three great grandchildren — will celebrate with a centennial birthday party at Nevada State Museum.

“I am becoming a little old lady,” Rudiak said.

Rudiak has witnessed firsthand Las Vegas’ evolution from a dusty settlement to a global tourist destination. Born in North Dakota, she moved here in 1943.

Her husband was an attorney, and Rudiak was active in the community. She played organ at her synagogue, volunteered as a driver for seniors and served as president of the Las Vegas B’nai B’rith, a Jewish service organization.

At her party, Rudiak plans to donate to the museum a 1952 Las Vegas phone directory, a vintage adding machine and photos from the 1950s of the Silver Slipper Saloon, Frontier Village, Fremont Street and Twin Lakes fishing pond, now known as Lorenzi Park.

In the 1940s, Rudiak and her husband, now deceased, often frequented the city’s casinos. These days, she prefers to stay away from crowds. Now, for fun, her son drives her around the expanding city to sightsee.

“I like to see what I haven’t seen before,” Rudiak said.

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