Transcript of interview with Juanita Kilburg by Vincente C. Camacho, March 7, 1981

UNLV University Libraries Richard D. Chase i An Interview with Juanita Kilburg An Oral History Conducted by Vicente C. Camacho Ralph Roske Oral History Project on Early Las Vegas Special Collections and Archives Oral History Research Center University Libraries University of Nevada, Las Vegas UNLV University Libraries Richard D. Chase ii © Ralph Roske Oral History Project on Early Las Vegas University of Nevada, Las Vegas, 2019 UNLV University Libraries Richard D. Chase iii The Oral History Research Center (OHRC) was formally established by the Board of Regents of the University of Nevada System in September 2003 as an entity of the UNLV University Libraries’ Special Collections Division. The OHRC conducts oral interviews with individuals who are selected for their ability to provide first-hand observations on a variety of historical topics in Las Vegas and Southern Nevada. The OHRC is also home to legacy oral history interviews conducted prior to its establishment including many conducted by UNLV History Professor Ralph Roske and his students. This legacy interview transcript received minimal editing, such as the elimination of fragments, false starts, and repetitions in order to enhance the reader's understanding of the material. All measures have been taken to preserve the style and language of the narrator. The interviewee/narrator was not involved in the editing process. UNLV University Libraries Richard D. Chase iv Abstract On March 7, 1981, Vicente C. Camacho interviewed accounting clerk, Juanita Kilburg (born September 25th, 1923 in Los Angeles, California) on the second floor of the UNLV Dickinson Library. Kilburg explains how her family first moved to Southern Nevada and her father’s ties to the railroad. She then goes on to explain the growth of the military and Nellis Air Force Base. The interview concludes with a discussion on her work with the American Legion service organization. UNLV University Libraries Juanita Kilburg 5 This interview is conducted by the University of Nevada, Dickinson Library, on the second floor study room. This interview is made, or conduced for the purpose of fulfilling the project required by the history department of the university. This interview was conducted on March 7th, 1981. The narrator being Mrs. Juanita Kilburg, of 2042 Abarth Street, Las Vegas, Nevada. She is female, a U.S. citizen and speaks English. Mrs. Kilburg has stayed in Las Vegas, Nevada, mostly in Las Vegas for over fifty-four years, or to be exact, fifty-four years. The collector, or the interviewer is Vicente C. Camacho, of Saipan, of the Northern Mariana Islands. Kilburg. My maiden name was Bates. I was brought to the Las Vegas area by the age of three by my parents. My father was employed by the Union Pacific Railroad as a Machinist. His name was Walter Bates. He passed away in March of 1969. My mother's name was Grace, maiden name Hensley, and she passed away in 1976, in January. Walter and Grace Bates were quite well known in the Las Vegas area. In 1928, they build one of the first cabin courts and service stations on Las Vegas, then known as South Fifth Street. Prior to that time we had lived in rental apartments and houses. I entered elementary school at the age of five, my kindergarten teacher was a Ms. Hancock who was very well known in the area, and has been a kindergarten teacher to many thousands of children and other people in the area. At that time, (Unintelligible) was the principal of the elementary school, Maude Frazier was the principal of the high school, and later was superintendent of schools. And I knew them both very well. The—my schooling, my elementary schooling was at the elementary school and my high school at the Las Vegas High School. I was not in school when I was in the fifth grade when the original high school in Las Vegas burned. Our classrooms were in that building. Wow. UNLV University Libraries Juanita Kilburg 6 I lived on Las Vegas Boulevard South for most of my life. Until such time as my father went into the plumbing business and developed the Southwest Plumbing and Supply Company when we moved to the location on South Main Street. My, I am the only child. I have no brothers or sisters and had no other family living in the Las Vegas area, and my experience with the state of Nevada is basically in the Las Vegas area. I see. I have made trips throughout the state and know people who live throughout the state through my association in (Unintelligible) Parliamentary Study Groups, the American Legion, and the American Legion Auxiliary. But as for having lived in any other part of the state, I have not. I see, so you're more familiar with the Las Vegas area. Yes. I think, you failed to mention the date that you first get here. When was that date? Well, I was brought here in January of 1927. And you came here all with your family at that time, they were all living with you? My father had been here and had established a residence for my mother and me. And we came here from Los Angeles. Mm-hmm. I was born in Los Angeles. I see. Briefly, Mrs. Kilburg, could you just mention some of your places of travel? Any awards or honors received, and any history of illnesses in the family? Oh, I have lived elsewhere, other than Las Vegas. I lived in Hawaii in 1958 and 1959. I lived in Florida in 1960. I attended business school in Los Angeles in 1939, residing there with friends of the family. UNLV University Libraries Juanita Kilburg 7 Mm-hmm. As far as awards, I have never aspired to receive awards, so I have not. Any involvement in any activities? Like, you mentioned something about the American Legion—? Well, I am the past president of the Department of Nevada for the American Legion Auxiliary, as well as the Las Vegas, Unit Number Eight, of the American Legion Auxiliary. I'm the past president of the Henderson Toast Mistress Club. Mm-hmm. The—my activities have basically just been working. I worked in the hotel industry for many years. Started at about age 19. I was a telephone operator at the El Cortez Hotel, and worked there during the war. The Second World War, that is. Uh-huh. I worked at the Flamingo Hotel in 1946 when it first opened. And I worked at the Sands Hotel. Then in 1956, I chose to leave that kind of work and go to work for the federal government. But you still decided in staying in Las Vegas? Yes, however, it was after I worked for the federal government that I was in Hawaii. And no, my reason for—I wanted many times to leave Las Vegas, however being an only child, and my parents living here, my father moved to Florida in 1959. And he and my mother were divorced in 1947 and they, I made many times, as my mother got older, I wanted her to leave here with me, but she chose to want to remain in the Las Vegas area. Hmm. So, in deference to her wishes, I remained here. UNLV University Libraries Juanita Kilburg 8 Uh-huh. When you first came here, how was the place in terms of infrastructure, development, the road, the buildings? Well, at the age of three, you don't remember much of that. I see, uh-huh. I remember as I grew older and was in school, that the streets, there were some paved streets. But a great many— Is that, was the Strip or was that Downtown? No, that was in the Downtown area. I see, uh-huh. The streets stopped at about (Unintelligible) Street on the south side and Stewart Street on the north side of Fremont. To the west of Las Vegas, the only area was what we known as the Westside, and that was where many, many of the original families who settled in this area lived. Basically, the structures were frame, or frame and stucco. And they of course, all of the houses that were built by the Union Pacific were stone blocks, or cement blocks. And those were in the area of the immediate Downtown Las Vegas. What was the—? I remember that there were no street beyond First Street, going to the east, and where the Clark County, where the Southern Nevada Memorial Hospital is, was then known as the Clark County Hospital. Charleston Boulevard was paved to about the hospital, and then after that, it was mostly gravel roads, until, oh I would say, in the late thirties. I see. UNLV University Libraries Juanita Kilburg 9 Mid-thirties or late thirties. It was one of the things that I remember very well, was the difference that construction of Boulder Dam made to the Las Vegas area. I realized the official name is Hoover Dam— Uh-huh. But I will probably will never call it "Hoover Dam." Yes, that is the correct—that is correct. There was a very close rapport between the people who lived in Boulder City and the local people in Las Vegas. The veteran’s organizations were very active, and the high school students from Boulder City were bussed to school in Las Vegas as were the Good Springs students and the Indian Springs students. Excuse me, were those people living at Boulder City connected with your project at the Dam? Yes, during the construction of the Dam, the only people who lived in Boulder City were people who were working at the Dam. And then the families decided to remain there? After the construction of the dam was completed, as I remember, the Big Six Company had built houses for their people. Mm-hmm. And they offered these houses to the people for sale, to the people who were living in them. Of course. And if they did not wish to buy them, then others were offered. Some of the houses were moved out of the city. What was the population of Las Vegas at the time you first came here? UNLV University Libraries Juanita Kilburg 10 I don't have any idea. No idea? No. The—I know the town was very small. Uh-huh. The basic stores were on Fremont Street. I remember when (Unintelligible) came to Las Vegas. It seems like J.C. Penney's was always here. I one time wrote a speech about, that I called my, one block walk west to First Street. And I remember on the corner of Casino Center, and Fremont, where the Golden Nugget Hotel is now, that there was a bar called the (Unintelligible) bar that next door to it was our first bowling alley in Las Vegas. I see. And the Western Union was in that block. One of the—on the corner of first and Fremont on that block, was one of the first grocery stores that I remember, called the "Mesquite Grocery," and it was run by the name of Gene Ward, who later became our sheriff. There was also a place called "Dickershell's Sweet Shop" and this where the school children went Downtown for lunch from school since school was in walking distance. And he was very generous with children and I went to school with his granddaughter. She was in my class. I find that there are a great many people in the Las Vegas area that I did not know or do not know, who were here at that time when I was going to school. But possibly were two or three years younger or older and I probably did not know them unless they had an older or younger brother or sister. Ah. People stayed pretty much within their age group. I see. Were these people that came in easily stayed for just the year or toured and then leave Las Vegas, or? UNLV University Libraries Juanita Kilburg 11 Oh, there were a very many transient people in Las Vegas. Of course, during the construction of Boulder Dam, there were a great many people who stayed here. I see. However, there were many people that I started school with, in kindergarten who went all the way through school with me. Through high school. There was this one girl by the name of Miriam Flowers. I do not know her married name, but I know that she's still here. Another girl by the name of Mary Francis Hugheswell, I know that she was here at least two years ago. However, she had been away from here for some time. But those are two that are readily— Uh-huh. Aside from these brief descriptions of Las Vegas and those who parted in advance, what significant events did you notice when you first get here? During those years up till now. Anything that is of a major interest to you and the state? Any great issues or accidents that has occurred in Las Vegas? I heard this one time an accident in a mine that was closed because it got blocked in. Oh yes. Mm. The Nash boy. Nash boy? Yes. What was the story about? He had, up on Sunrise Mountain, there was a mine by the name of Frenchman's Mine. And he went there on his bicycle and fell into one of the mine shafts. And it was after that accident that the mine was completely closed. His sister's name was Betty Nash, but I don't remember his name. And if I remember correctly, his father was a veterinarian. But the house that they lived in UNLV University Libraries Juanita Kilburg 12 is on the corner of ninth and Bonneville, I believe. Quite sure it's Ninth and Bonneville. And it's still there. I don't know whether anyone from that family is in the area or not. I see. What was the mining industry at that time? Was it profitable? I do not recall anything about the mining industry. Do not recall, I see. My father was with the railroad for the first four years that he was here in Las Vegas. And then ran his own business, which was a service station, and tourist luncheon, and grocery, and hotel, or cabin corner. This was on the Las Vegas Strip, is that correct? No, that's not on the Strip. It's closer in—it’s at 1508 South Fifth Street. South, uh-huh. And the Tod Motor Hotel is located there now. Uh-huh. Then he worked at Hoover Dam, or at Boulder City for the Big Six Companies. His trade was a railroad— What happened to the business? Well, he and mother had the business and in their divorce, my mother got that business. She sold it in 1963, and the people who bought it— I see. The property, built Tod Motor Hotel. You mentioned earlier about the Union Pacific Railroad Company— Yes. How frequent does it come in? Does it bring tourists or goods or anything? UNLV University Libraries Juanita Kilburg 13 Well, at the time that I was growing up here, it was the only train and until such time as large trucks started being used to transport things, it was the only means of transportation to bring anything into the city. The ice plant furnished the ice with the people in the city, and that was before refrigeration became as popular as it is now. I see. I understand that the steam plant even furnished heat for summer for the hotels Downtown. When they first started— Mm-hmm. The one time railroads laid people off and then bring people back in service when business is better, and all that sort of thing. And my father told a story of one time working for Mr. Micklich, who was the original developer of the Reno to Tonopah—LTR. Las Vegas, Tonopah, Reno stage line. And Mr. Micklich had the contract with the railroad to take all of the groceries and fresh produce off of the trains and deliver them to the various stores around the city. And one thing when daddy was out of service with the railroad, he worked for him, and put up the orders in the back of the truck. I was, I guess a little bit shocked when I heard it. Because I never thought that the people working for fifty cents an hour— Uh-huh. Our society has become so affluent and we're all making such, or the majority of us are making such good money now that even though I knew, that I had when I first worked for a dollar an hour and a dollar and a quarter an hour, I didn't think about people working for that and raising a family. But daddy's—I asked daddy when he told me that Mr. Micklich had offered him a partnership at his business, why he would stay with him because he had always aspired to be in his own business. UNLV University Libraries Juanita Kilburg 14 I see. And he said because he had the responsibility of my mother and me, and the seventy-five cents an hour that the railroad paid him looked better than the fifty-cents an hour that Mr. Micklich paid him. I see. And it startled me, and then it shocked me because it startled me. But the railroad was the center of practically everything. And then of course when Prohibition was abolished and when gaming was licensed— Legalized, uh-huh. In the state of Nevada, the first major hotel on the Strip to be built was the El Rancho Vegas. El Rancho Vegas. Then, Mr. Griffiths came in and took the location of a night club, which was called the Paradise Club, and built the last Frontier Hotel. Mm-hmm. Now the Paradise Club, I remember quite well because a lot of the musicians from the Paradise Club, lived at my mother and father's motel. And in fact, the leader of the orchestra or night club is still very close, close friend of mine. And he and his wife were very close friends with my mother and father. His name of Howard Jones. And the Paradise Club was about the only—one of the first night clubs in the area. Excuse me, just before I forget, you mentioned something about a (unintelligible) in which your dad worked with somebody of bringing in goods— No I was the stage goods, it was a truck. The truck picked up the produce— Is that the early model? UNLV University Libraries Juanita Kilburg 15 Yes, early model. I see. Uh-huh. I thought goods, it's named the Tonopah, Las Vegas, Reno stage roads? No, Stage Lines, not stage roads. Oh. He was the founder of that bus line. It's a bus line. Mm-hmm. Then the Paradise Club stood vacant for years, and Mr. Griffiths built around it. And the original club was used as a (Unintelligible) Room and bar when they built a hotel. Then the Flamingo was built where the Sahara is now was a club called the Club Bingo. And then the Sahara was built at that location. The Desert Inn and there were very, very many small clubs and businesses up and down the Strip that have now been taken out for the larger hotels. I see. In terms of the schools system and the hospital, what significant changes have you noticed in those days? Well, the, the first hospital that I remember was down on South Second Street. Is that a public hospital? Or? No, this is a private hospital between Lewis and Bridger. Then another hospital was on Second Street, North of Fremont, between Freemont and Ogden. Where the Fremont Hotel is now. Uh-huh. Then over on the corner of Eighth and Ogden, these were all private hospitals. And the only public hospital was the Clark County hospital, which was very small and was not large. The UNLV University Libraries Juanita Kilburg 16 newer hospital was not built until about '49, I believe. And I remember that Doctor Jack Cheurig was the director of the hospital when it was launched and the new hospital was built. I see, what was the—? But the hospitals in the area, of course, are fabulous now. Uh-huh. And with the growth of the city, we had to have more hospitals. That is correct. In terms of the school system, do you have anything to say on that? Well, the school system, we had thirteen high school— Is there any private among those thirteen? Not high school, except for the Catholic high school, Gorman. That's—that's private? Yes, that's a private school. But it's a high school. It's a high school, yes. I see. Elementary schools, they had those all over town, and there was one on the Westside and that took children through the fourth grade. And then they had to come over to the one on Las Vegas Boulevard and that was the only Elementary School. And after the originally it burned—it was on the corner of Fifth and Clark— What was the name of that high school? Las Vegas High School. Las Vegas High School, huh. UNLV University Libraries Juanita Kilburg 17 But after the original high school building burned, when I was in the fifth grade, they—they built more buildings at that location. And that is now the Clark County Courthouse Annex. Mm-hmm. Some of the offices, the gym, which was a huge gym, and was equipped with a stage. That is one of the things about the elementary schools in Las Vegas, when I went to school, there was always a school, an area for drama, the music teachers were very—Mr. Roe, who used to go operettas and in the original elementary school, on the front of it, it was built very much like a stage. Hmm. And I recall one year, he did an operetta and I don't remember it, but it had something to do with the Indians. Because they, his students, were in Indian costume. And his art classes and his music classes made their own costumes. And they were very, they made the very authentic under his direction. He was the art and music teacher at that time. And then there was a Mr. Larson who taught school and he had a harmonica band. Mm-hmm. And if I also remember correctly, he also taught band. But then we had a janitor at the Las Vegas elementary school, when I was just a child, and his daughter Vanessa is still here. I don't know if his son is still here or not and we took our band lessons in the furnace room. Ah. So when there was no music room, we went to the furnace room of the old building, and we took our lessons in the furnace room. (Unintelligible) UNLV University Libraries Juanita Kilburg 18 Well, I didn't take band for very long because I don't like to practice. (Laughs) Practice instruments, so I didn't stay with band very long. But the children who were in band, here in the Las Vegas area, both in the grammar school and in the high school, were very active in the local parades, and things like it, Mission Day, and Veteran's Day, between the first and second row were, there was a great more deal, deal more emphasis put on parades and—to celebrate such things, as Armistice Day and Memorial Day— I see. Various historical holidays like that. Mrs. Kilburg, jumping into a different subject, what have you noticed about the water supply here? How was the water supply at that time and? There were wells throughout the Paradise Valley, all over the valley, free flowing artesian wells while I was growing up. And there was never any water problem until towns started to grow. And of course they had, as the course started to grow and they were using more water, they had to cap off— They had to start pumping it out? They had to cap off these artesian wells and then the water table got lower and lower and then they had to go to—even at one. Even on private wells, they limited them to use of so many gallons, so many thousands of gallons per year based on the water table. I see. What about the police system? What was the force like in those days? A bunch of (unintelligible) (Laughs) (Laughs) The police station was where the—gee, it was on South Second Street where the Horseshoe parking garage is now, on the ally. The fire station was there also, the fire department was a UNLV University Libraries Juanita Kilburg 19 volunteer fire department, everybody knew everybody, and if you were having a bad time, of course in those days, there wasn’t much to get out of Las Vegas. So it was very little crime, or virtually crime free at that time? Well, there was crime, yes. But we had an open red light district. You seldom heard of molest or rape cases. I see. Was the casino legalized at that time already? Yes. There were, for some years before the Second World War was legalized, the city really seemed to start growing. It grew a great deal, during the construction of Hoover Dam, because of course, those were the Depression years and people couldn't find work in their local areas, so they came here. And in fact, a Big Six company had big dormitories. A lot of the men came to Boulder City and worked on the Dam. And sent their money home. Didn't even bring their family, their families here. They were trying to save farms and save properties elsewhere. And of course, the Las Vegas area grew then, with what seemed to be by leaps and bounds. Then during the Second World War, with McCarran and Air Force Gunnery school being established— Is that now the Air Force? No, no, that is where Nellis Air Force Base is now. Oh, what was the former name? The McCarran Air Force Gunnery School. It was named for Senator Pat McCarran. And the activity with the students they had in there who came in for just twelve weeks of gunnery training, and then left here to go pick up crews and go into combat and then left here to go pick up crews and go into combat. There were the influence on the town, of course, was terrific. The town grew a great deal. However, it is only been in the past oh, ten to fifteen years that it has spread as far as it is now. UNLV University Libraries Juanita Kilburg 20 I see. At one time, I bragged that I could name every street in the city of Las Vegas, now, I don't even think I can remember the names of the streets that I knew then (Laughs) I can't imagine it. But the, the town was very, very small. You didn't need any public transportation because everything was within walking distance. I see. So those are mostly concentrated Downtown? Yes. All of these across the schools? Everything is Downtown. Everything is Downtown. Nothing was beyond what we call Sahara now, on Paradise Road, there used to be a lot of homesteads. And I recall, there was a school teacher, Mr. Bell, and his daughter and I went to school, and they had a reservoir. And I used to go out there and mother and daddy would take me out occasionally on Sundays to swim. And that was an all day job! (Laughs) But it was only about where Diplomat Apartments are at now. Oh. But in those days, to go ten or fifteen miles was a job. Yes, I'm sure. I can imagine. During the construction of Hoover Dam, of course, the men pooled their rides, and very many times, daddy had driven his car and he had at then riding with him, he had to work overtime. We would, the men would bring the car in, and mother and I would go after him, around nine or UNLV University Libraries Juanita Kilburg 21 eleven o'clock at night. And I remember how mother used to dread that. She thought that was an awful drive to have to drive at twenty-five miles. Yes. But now, we think nothing of driving over to Boulder City to have breakfast! (Laughs) Or something like that. Right. Now with the traffic situation, you do think a little bit more about going to and from Boulder City. Uh-huh. I know that the growth on the Boulder Highway has been so fantastic. And friends of mine— Would you say—? Friends of mine who used to live in Boulder City used to take half an hour to get into town. And now they give it forty-five minutes to an hour, strictly because of traffic. I see. If you can recall, was Boulder Highway here before the Strip? You said it was (unintelligible) Well, the Strip was called the Los Angeles Highway. So that had stretched all the way to Los Angeles? Yes. But Boulder Highway was still there? Boulder Highway was built at the time that the Hoover Dam started construction on Hoover Dam. However, it was only a two lane road. And that is connected to Downtown. UNLV University Libraries Juanita Kilburg 22 And that is connected to Downtown. The Los Angeles Highway at one time was just two lanes. Oh. And then when they started to, and was still the Los Angeles Highway when what we know now as the Strip was started. Our time is getting short. What was the politics of those days like? Were there any (unintelligible) established? Or any abolished as the city progresses in the present store. Well there was City Commission and a County Commission, in fact my father was City Commissioner in 1939-42 and '43. Were they elected by party? They were elected by party affiliation. Most them I think were non-partisan. Ah, that's great. So small town. It was a small town then and I think most of them ran on a non-partisan ticket. Oh that's neat. Even though my card was a registered democrat at that time, he may have ran on a democrat ticket, but oh, there was always a party politics of Las Vegas area was always known to be very strongly democrat. I was never involved with any political anything in politics. And any great issue that you may recall during those days? Political issues? Or? No. Moving to a different topic, regarding Indians. Were there any Indians living around? Oh yes, it was the Indian Village Town on North Main Street. Do you know Tribal Name? (Unintelligible) (Unintelligible) I see, uh-huh. UNLV University Libraries Juanita Kilburg 23 And they had the Indian Reservation Down there. Uh-huh. We all went to one school. The Indians? Las Vegas has always been fairly integrated, however, at one time, it was quite prejudice. But during those days, the Indians go to the elementary school? The Indian children went to school with the other children in Las Vegas. Oh. And the, we had not large ethnic groups, but we had Orientals, Mexicans, Indians, Blacks, of course of the railroad days, they all worked for the railroad. Was it the same minorities following the Boulder (Unintelligible) Project? No. No? No. It must be— In the city of Boulder City, I don't think there was one black family living there. Oh. No I mean, those involved in the motor project. Do you know of anybody, recall anybody that worked for the Boulder Dam Project? Any minority? Man? Chinese or? I suppose there were, but I didn't know them. I see, mm-hmm. The, one thing that boosted our ethnic population, particularly our blacks, during the second World War, when (Unintelligible) was under, going full swing, building, you know, but making metal for the aircraft. They imported from the South, from Tallulah, Louisiana, and Fort UNLV University Libraries Juanita Kilburg 24 (Unintelligible) Arkansas, area, hundreds of black families. And that I think, increased the black population in the area consider. We all went to school together, except for the fact that they did not build any schools over on the Westside. And the black population is something that concentrates there, making all of their schools totally black. Very few white children. The Westside schools at one time were very integrated. But the blacks, black people seemed to choose that area to settle. Or maybe they were pushed into it. Uh-huh. You know, sort of forced them to unconsciously, unconsciously forced into it. But they only had schools through the fourth grade over there and then they built the other elementary schools, but they never did build a junior high school or high school over in that area. So the black children have always been bussed out of there for junior high school and then of course, they started building, they made schools over there—sixth grade centers— Uh-huh. And started bussing the elementary children in there and the black elementary out of there. Or the sixth graders from other schools went in there. Please continue on side two. (Tape one ends) This is a continuation of part one of the History of Nevada, History 117. The narrator is Mrs. Juanita Kilburg of 2042 Abarth Street, Las Vegas, Nevada. The collector's name is Vicente C. Camacho, P.O. Box 908, Saipan, CM, 96950. Please advance to number 102 on the red start of this tape, beginning with the zero digit to start on Part 2. Thank you. Switching to a different topic regarding the airport, when was McCarran Airport built and was it functioning rather progressively since it's been built, up till now? UNLV University Libraries Juanita Kilburg 25 Oh yes, it was, I don't recall the year it was built. Was that the original airport? No, the original airport was where Nellis Air Force Base is now. And the operations buildings at Nellis is the original operations building for the airlines. So that's joint used you mean? It was joint used during the Second World War. And then after the Second World War, they moved the public airport to what is now McCarran Airport. I see. And renamed the base, Nellis Air Force Base. Mm-hmm. But the airport has grown so much and so fast, by leaps and bounds— Still growing (Laughs) It seems, that it's been almost impossible to keep up with it, unless you've had reason to work there or be in it. Uh-huh. Or be associated with the city or county to know what is going on and that sort of thing. I see. I found that when I went to work for the federal government in 1956, I lost track of Las Vegas. What branch of the federal government did you—? Oh, I went to work for the Air Force. I see. As a clerk typist and now I'm in accounting. But I have— You still work for the Air Force? UNLV University Libraries Juanita Kilburg 26 Still with the Air Force. However, I have worked for the Army and Navy both. Uh-huh. When I was away from the Las Vegas area. When was, Nellis Air Force Base formally established? You said it was McCarran Gunnery—? During the Second World War, it was McCar