Ed Von Tumbel Lumber Yard
Von Tobel Lumber Yard. Original 217 South First Street location.
Photograph of the new store, Las Vegas, 1956. Jacob E. Von Tobel Collection. UNLV Libraries Special Collections & Archives.
"As a founder of one of the pioneer families of Las Vegas, Ed Von Tobel came to the 1905 Las Vegas land auction and purchased a lot. He established a lumber company on Main Street in 1905 and then moved to this site [217 South First Street] in 1906. The hardware business reflected the rapid growth of Las Vegas and Von Tobel’s became the longest family business in town. When Las Vegas incorporated in 1911, he served as one of the first City Commissioners. In 1967, Von Tobel’s moved to a more modern facility on Maryland Parkway."
(Las Vegas Centennial Commission)
"On the day of the big townsite lot auction, May 15, 1905, two bachelors, Ed Von Tobel and Jake Beckley, arrived in Las Vegas and successfully bid on two lots.
In 1906, they established a lumber yard on this site [217 South First Street] – it bling the edge of town at that time. In 1914 a 100 percent fire loss occurred. The partners, each having taken a bride, decided the town would never be big enough to support a lumber business large enough to support two families. So they dissolved the partnership with Von Tobel keeping the lumber business.
Over the years the Ed Von Tobel lumber company evolved into a hardware lumber store that sold its merchandise past check stands similar to super markets. As far as is known, Von Tobel’s was the first lumber – hardware concern in the world to sell lumber and building materials past check stands, these types stores later became known as home centers. In 1967 the Von Tobel home center moved to 2655 Maryland Parkway and became known as the “World’s First Air Conditioned Lumber Yard”."
(City of Las Vegas Diamond Jubilee)
The land currently occupies: Golden Nugget Las Vegas.
Was located in Clark's Las Vegas Townsite (Block 13).
Was located at 217 South First Street, Las Vegas, Nevada.