11.11.2012 - Entry #17: Northline in the Neighborhood - 236 North Virginia Street

Route from Cal Neva to 236 North Virginia Street

"All the old places from that era are disappearing. I guess nothing stays the same...Most people think this is an ugly town. I mean, that Harold's Club sign and the Nevada Club sign, they're beautiful to me. I don't know, but I really think they are." - Northline, Pg. 191

It's an open plaza now, the spot where Harold's Club stood. It's really just a place for people to loiter now, with no signs of the casino that used to be there. I choose this spot as my final destination because I wanted to get an understanding of what was going through Dan Mahony's mind. Reading that passage, I felt a sense of loss. The loss that comes with the changing of one's home- from what I understand, Harold's was a defining part of this city for many locals. It was a place that had withstood the test of time for many decades. And yet, as our society demands, the old must eventually make way for the new.

Harold's Club was demolished in 1999, over a decade ago. There are people alive today, including some of my peers, who remember its presence. For those that can remember, either fond memories or disdain are associated with it. Memories of either walks taken by it or food eaten within its walls, or disdain for its outdated appearance and hinderance upon the progress of the city.

For those of us who have never seen Harold's Club however, a sense of mystery overwhelms us. What was it like? Was it worth tearing down? Looking at that open plaza, I wondered what it would be like if it still existed. But more importantly, I wondered what it would've been like if I had been there when it was demolished. To see a building that you've known for your whole life be torn down in front of you would make someone feel incredibly old I imagine.