Photographs tell the story of the rich history of Las Vegas and its ever-changing skyline, and a new Web site is dedicated to preserving those priceless images and sharing them with the world.

The Las Vegas Archive (www.thelasvegasarchive.com) is a nonprofit organization and the brainchild of Marilyn Gubler, a Las Vegas native and daughter of the late Maxwell Kelch, founder of the Las Vegas News Bureau, the first organization here dedicated to using pictures to tell Las Vegas' story.

"I'm from an old pioneer family," Gubler said, "I've seen so much of our old Las Vegas history either distorted or blown up. The pioneers are dying and there are boxes and boxes of old photos moldering in people's garages. This site makes them accessible to the world through the Internet."

Gubler said the site launched in November and has more than 3,000 images. The photos can all be viewed online, where they carry a large watermark on the image. The photographs may be purchased for noncommercial use for as little as $2.99 for a 4-by-6-inch photo. An 8-by-10-inch photo costs $7.99. Prices rise to $140 for a 30-by-40-inch image.

The photos may also be purchased for commercial use, with fees negotiated for each sale. Prices vary based on the use, said Jim Work, director of the Las Vegas Archive. For example, a one-time use for a national magazine cover would cost more than using the same image in a local newsletter. Students and researchers using the images for scholastic work or publications can use them for free, Work said.

People with photos or any two-dimensional pieces related to Las Vegas, such as menus or brochures, may donate them to the archive. Some donors have turned over complete collections of photographic negatives while others donate only the digital use rights, having the archive scan them into digital format and the original items returned to the owner.

Money from the sales is either shared with the image donors or given entirely to the archive and used for the scanning of more photos.

"Our real goal is to become the Google of Las Vegas photos," Gubler said. "Rather than being a four-wall museum, researchers in Hong Kong, Europe or anywhere in the world can see our photos."

The site needs your help, as many of the images have little or no information associated with them. If anyone has information about any of the photos, they are encouraged to submit it via the site to the archive.

The archive is hosting an event Feb. 27 to honor photographer Milt Palmer. Tickets are $50 and are available by calling 255-7948.

Reader Dennis Kuno is looking for artifacts from the Las Vegas Cowboys, who played in the Continental Football League in the 1960s. E-mail Kuno at (dennis_kunno2000@yahoo.com) if you have any artifacts.

Share your Internet story with me at agibes@reviewjournal.com.