Informative Speech On Casa De Shenandoah

Kristal Allen
COM 101
Informative Speech
3/19/2018

Casa de Shenandoah

[Introduction]
(Attention Getter): Did any of you know that one of the top five homes in the country is right here in Las Vegas? According to the official website of Casa de Shenandoah, CBS News listed the home as one of the top five in the nation back in 2008, right alongside the White House. (Casa de Shenandoah)
(Audience Relevance): For those of you who are unfamiliar with Casa de Shenandoah, it was the home of Wayne Newton and his family for over 40 years. It now operates as a museum with tours daily, sometimes given by Mr. Newton himself.
(Thesis Statement and Preview): Just as iconic as Wayne Newton, Casa de Shenandoah is a Las Vegas landmark with a rich history

in its making, an Arabian horse and animal facility, as well as a museum.
[Body]

I.

Let me first begin with the history of Casa de Shenandoah, since before it became a landmark and a museum, it was the home of Mr. Las Vegas and his family.
A. According to the history section of the Casa de Shenandoah official website, the original parcel of land was purchased by the Newton family in 1966
1. It was purchased as only 5 acres of land only.
2. Las Vegas was still relatively small and developing, and the land was bought “raw”, meaning that there was no electricity or water set up.
3. Mr. Newton originally lived on the parcel with both his parents, as well as his older brother. (Casa de Shenandoah)
B. Over the course of the next six years, Mr. Newton acquired more acres of land around the original parcel.
1. As it stands today, Casa de Shenandoah spans a full 52 square acres.
2. Inset things about the wells and springs
C. Wayne Newton and his family had moved out of the estate, and it was then sold with the plans of turning it into a museum.
D. After litigation, and a bankruptcy, the plan then went forward to open Casa de Shenandoah to the public.
E. Casa de Shenandoah opened up to the public for tours on September 18th,

2015.

(Transition): Now that you can see the long history this estate has had, we can begin to see what the estate has to offer. One of those many offerings are the animals.
II. Casa de Shenandoah, hosts a full Arabian horse breeding center as well as showcases many other types of animals.
A. Wayne Newton has a working Arabian horse breeding facility on the property
1. His breeding facility consists of two barns with over 60 stalls, which houses around sixty pure breed Arabian horses. (Tulsa)
2. In an interview given to Vegas magazine in 2012, Mr. Newton explains how he likes to personally “foal each mare”, meaning he helps to give birth to each new foal. (Vegas Magazine)
3. In that same interview, he goes on to explain that the facility usually breeds between four and six foals a year. (Vegas)
B. Both Mr. Newton and his horses have won various awards.
1. In 1996, Mr. Newton himself was awarded “Breeder of the Year” by the Arabian Professional and Amateur Horseman’s Association. (Vegas Sun 1)
2. He has also been awarded with the “Lifetime Achievement Award” from The Arabian Horse Breeders Alliance (Vegas)
3. His horses have also won awards. In an interview with Tulsa World, in 2014, Mr. Newton talks about how he has bred over 96 champion horses. (Tulsa)
4. One of his horses, whom he named his breeding facility after, Aramus Arabian, was a three time national champion. (Vegas)
C. While Mr. Newton has a love and affinity for Arabian horses, you can also see other wildlife at Shenandoah.
1. The estate is home to an attraction named the “Exotic Animals Exhibit”. (Casa 1)
2.

One of the main attractions of this exhibit is Mr. Newton’s capuchin monkey, Boo. (Casa 1)
3. You can also find, Charlie and his pals swimming around the property. Charlie is a South African penguin and is very much adapted to living in climates like Las Vegas. (Casa 1)
4. Other animals that live on the property include, different varieties of tropical birds, peacocks, including a white peacock, as well as wallabies. (RJ1)
(Transition): While Mr. Newton has a love and affinity for animals, they are not the only thing you can see on your visit. Shenandoah is also a museum.
III. Shenandoah is home to a wide variety of antique art and furniture, cars, and memorabilia in it’s museum.
A. Mr. Newton has acquired numerous items of memorabilia, primarily from performers, throughout his life.
1. One special item is an antique microphone given to Wayne, from legendary crooner Frank Sinatra. (RJ1)
2. He also has a watch that was worn by singer Nat King Cole (Casa 3)
3. Items and props from movies such as “The Hustler” and “On Golden Pond” (Casa 3)
4. Many of his own costumes, many of which span decades throughout his career. Some of his earlier costumes were handmade by his mother. (Casa

3)
B. The main mansion and living spaces are filled with antique furniture and artwork.
1. Many of the furniture pieces in the house were once owned by King Louis XV and King Louis XVI (Casa 3)
2. He owns multiple beds and bedroom furniture that are from 16th century castles in Germany, many of which are made from bronze and crystal. (Casa 3)
3. While the home is filled with artwork, two of his most notable pieces are from impressionist artist Renoir. (Casa 3)
4. One last unique antique is the a one of a kind 18th century piano, that was used in Paris during the Worlds Fair. (LA Times)
C. Lastly, he has an astounding collection of cars on display.
1. Mr. Newton has 13 cars on display in his car collection. (LA times)
2. A few of these cars are one of a kind and can only be found at Shenandoah. This includes a 1934 Rolls Royce, and a 1983 Mercedes Benz. (LA times)
3. Also on display are cars owned by famous performers, such as Johnny Cash, Vegas’s own Liberace, and Steve McQueen. (Casa Fact sheet)

(Conclusion):

CBS 2008 best houses in America

Bibliography
Casa De Shenandoah. Casa de Shenandoah. 18 Mar. 2015. Web. 20 Mar. 2018.

Vegas Magazine: https://vegasmagazine.com/the-comeback-kid-of-the-2012-arabian-breeders-world-cup
Vegas Sun 1: https://lasvegassun.com/news/2003/apr/23/waynes-other-world-world-renowned-arabian-horses-r/
Tulsa: http://www.tulsaworld.com/scene/features/wayne-newton-brings-horse-to-tulsa-to-compete-at-u/article_f48adfe1-8bf2-5ceb-a0cc-0f7b4c137d9c.html

Casa 1: http://casadeshenandoah.com/news_events/its-all-about-the-animals/

RJ 1: https://www.reviewjournal.com/entertainment/arts-culture/you-can-finally-see-the-inside-of-wayne-newtons-estate-photos/

Casa 3: http://casadeshenandoah.com/press_release/casa-de-shenandoah-fact-sheet/
LA times: http://www.latimes.com/travel/california/la-trb-las-vegas-casa-de-shenandoah-20150920-htmlstory.html