In 1932, in Las Vegas, Nevada, a group of local rock collectors organized the Prospector's Club. It's purpose was to educate and promote the unique and interesting variety of activities associated with gemstones and minerals. It was one of the oldest recorded clubs of it's kind in the U.S.

 

In 1940, Club member Paul Mercer published a newsletter called "The Polished Slab" which continues to this day. In 1950, they officially incorporated as the Clark County Gem Collectors. In February of that year, the first meeting of the newly incorporated club was called to order by President W.M. Brown and was held at the Parks Museum. The Parks Museum was a private museum on the property of Gene and Anna Parks which was located on the Eastern edge of Las Vegas (at that time, the Eastern edge of town was near where Charleston intersects with Boulder Highway.)

 

In November of 1967, the club divided into two separate groups and formed the Las Vegas Gem Club. The two clubs coexisted peacefully in the valley and by the 1990's most differences had been put aside. Many of the members belonged to both clubs. Then; late in 2002, the members of the two clubs voted to merge into one club. January of 2003 saw the first meeting of the newly incorporated Southern Nevada Gem & Mineral Society.

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