Free Fremont

I was looking at a brochure for the Las Vegas Marathon when I noticed something: even though we’re not running under the Fremont Street Experience this year, part of the course takes us through East Freemont.

Yeah, that’s how it’s spelled. You can see it on this course map.

Some people will say it’s just a typo, and that there’s something wrong with anyone who’s so literal-minded about things like spelling. Others will take absurd delight in finding typos on this blog.

But it’s about more than sloppy proof-reading. There are many people who really think that downtown’s experienced main drag is called “Freemont Street.”

Hey, it sounds logical. After all, Vegas is supposed to be a city where you get stuff for free…if you gamble. It kind of makes sense that the main street would have free in it. Wouldn’t we all like to believe that you can get free stuff just for being near a casino.

But they (whoever “they” is) didn’t name Fremont Street to promote comps. Rather, it’s named after John C. Fremont, “the pathfinder,” a noted explorer, officer, and politician. He was the first-ever Republican presidential candidate and a not-insignificant figure in the nation’s history. Even Wikipedia has the scoop on him, with his name spelled right.

Often, people spell it wrong and right on the same page, as you can see here.

It’s just one of the many funny things about Las Vegas, and now that I think about it, it’s not even that noteworthy.