Charles Pember Squires, also known as C.P. Squires "Pop", is often referred to as the "Father of Las Vegas". He was instrumental in the city's early growth and is credited with initiating the first electricity, telephone service and newspaper in the town. He was also instrumental in pushing the plan to build Hoover Dam through many stages of bureaucracy until the U.S. Government took it over and initiated the massive project. In 1944 Charles P. Squires sold the land parcel that would ultimately become the Flamingo Las Vegas built by Billy Wilkerson and Bugsy Siegel which is commonly referred to as the first resort on the Las Vegas Strip, although both the El Rancho Vegas and the New Frontier Hotel and Casino were in operation prior to the Flamingo's opening in 1945. Source: Wikipedia (en)