LeMoyne Legere interview, March 17, 1977: transcript

UNLV University Libraries LeMoyne Legere 1 An Interview with LeMoyne Legere An Oral History Conducted by Cecilia Branch 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 LeMoyne Legere 2 © Ralph Roske Oral History Project on Early Las Vegas University of Nevada, Las Vegas, 2019 UNLV University Libraries LeMoyne Legere 3 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 LeMoyne Legere 4 Abstract On March 17, 1977, collector Cecilia Branch interviewed LeMoyne Legere (born in 1935) at her residence in Las Vegas, Nevada. In this interview, Mrs. Legere discusses various differences in Las Vegas from the time she was growing up to the date of the interview. She also discusses her involvement in high school and what people do for recreation. UNLV University Libraries LeMoyne Legere 5 This interview is with LeMoyne Legere. She has been a resident of Las Vegas since she was a baby. Before, that means she was born here. LeMoyne, were you born in Southern Nevada? Yes. I was born in Las Vegas. Why did your family come here? (Laughs) For work, I guess. They just—they lived here all their life too. You were educated in Southern Nevada, I guess? Yes. I went to grade school, high school here. Did you go to college by any chance? Yes. One year. Not here. BYU. Did you like it? Yes. Very much. After you went to BYU, did you come back to Las Vegas and work? Yes. Have you lived at this present address for—how many years? Ten years. Ten years. Where did you live previous to that? About two blocks away. Just down the street. Were you married in Las Vegas? Yes. What year was it? Nineteen fifty-five In a church nearby? UNLV University Libraries LeMoyne Legere 6 The Little Church of the West. Has that been your church since your early childhood? No. (Unintelligible) Okay. How much has the population of Las Vegas increased since your birth? Has it been like a large or small? Tremendous. What is the main occupation area of the residents of Las Vegas? Gambling. Besides gambling, is there any other main industry in Las Vegas that you know of? No. Do you feel that the police and fire department are efficient enough to meet the needs of the city? Like for instance, fires and crimes and just, basically, day to day life activities? No. Do you think that the government here should do something more to help out for the police and fire department? Like for instance, hire more men? Yes. Do you find that there’s a lot of crime right around your area here? Yes. Is the cost of living increasing every year? Yes. What about the food prices? Very high. UNLV University Libraries LeMoyne Legere 7 Have gone—what’s the most, what is the most expensive food import? For instance, is fruits and vegetables higher, or is fish higher, or what do you feel? I would say meats and fishes. Fish products and meat. Where exactly is the food imported from? I would say fruit would be from California and meat maybe the Midwest. Is there any type of food product that’s grown here in Nevada at all? Is there any type of farming? Very little. Maybe in Pahrump Valley they have some (unintelligible). Do you grow your own fruits? No. That’s all I got, one lemon tree. How do you feel about the strikes concerning grocery stores that was just here? Well, we’re paying for it now. I’ve noticed all the prices have gone up. Has it affected more or less your family’s budget? Yes. Are the strikes very common here? Yes. Is it just like maybe mail strikes and business strikes? Are such things like the grocery stores not—? Grocery stores and construction type strikes. What is the minimum wage for Las Vegas? Two dollars and forty cents Do you think that’s high or low? I would say it was low. UNLV University Libraries LeMoyne Legere 8 Concerning taxes, what types do you have to pay? Income tax, sales tax. Do you feel that there should be tax on food? No. What about clothing? Yes. Does Las Vegas has a hospital tax that covers medical care of some sort? I don’t know. Like, if you had to go to the hospital, would you pay directly the cost of your, how would I say, your stay there? Yes. How does your family’s medical care paid for? Do you pay it like as the bill—doctor bills come in, or do you have some type of company or insurance that covers it? We have an insurance company with the firm my husband works for. It’s a group policy. It’s a group policy. Moving on to the weather, climate here. Since swimming pools are so popular in Las Vegas, do you know if it’s a need here or just a luxury? Well, pools here can be used like for six months out of the year, so it’s a luxury to have them, but they are used. This is a climate that they can be used in. Do you find that business world with swimming pools is very popular here? Yes. Getting on to other questions about the people in Las Vegas and day to day life, do you find the people in Las Vegas different from the people in the cities you have visited? No. UNLV University Libraries LeMoyne Legere 9 They’re not different at all? Well, I haven’t noticed any difference. In your neighborhood, are there any social groups? Like for instance, bridge clubs, community meetings, fairs, sales? No. None whatsoever? No. How about church? Yes. They have different groups. As Las Vegas grows and more homes are being built, and neighborhoods expand, do the people readily communicate with each other? Not too easy, no. Do you find that you’re close to your neighbors here? Yes. Do you ever get together and have maybe a little social meeting or just say, a gathering, a tea party? One of ’em. (Laughs) Are there many permanent neighbors in your neighborhood? Yes. Mostly everyone around here has been here for quite a long time? Right. Do many people own their own homes? Yes. UNLV University Libraries LeMoyne Legere 10 Is this more or less a neighborhood where people that live here are in the gambling business? Around me, not necessarily so. Are the newspaper companies very old here? Yes. When did they really start printing and passing out their news? As long as I can remember. Which one is the newest? The Las Vegas Sun. Which one do you have? The Las Vegas Sun. Do you find it covers everything you need to know about Las Vegas in the outside world? Yes. Have you read other newspapers? Yes. And you feel this one’s the best? No. I just like a paper in the morning. That’s why I take the Las Vegas Sun. Getting on to—concerning the libraries that are here. Which library does the general public more or less use? Or do you know? I wouldn’t have any idea. Have you ever gone to one? I went to the old one, way Downtown, when it was Downtown, which it isn’t even there anymore. UNLV University Libraries LeMoyne Legere 11 Did any of your children attend library sessions or anything? Yes. Did you find them worthwhile going to? Yes. Did you ever visit a library with them? Yes. Do you know how the library’s financially supported? Is it by the people or the government, or do you pay in by taxes, or do you have any idea? I don’t have any idea. Is there any museums or art galleries in Las Vegas by any chance? I’m sure there’s some art galleries. I don’t know. There’s no museum as far as I know. Do you find that Las Vegas is lacking history? Yes. Besides the Strip entertainment, are there any art festivals or concert programs at all? Yes. They have some. Do you find this takes away from the Strip? Or just adds to Las Vegas? It adds to Las Vegas. Would you—have you ever gone to an art festival? Yes. Here in Las Vegas? Boulder City. Is Boulder City just a suburb more or less of Las Vegas? Do you find it quite different from here? UNLV University Libraries LeMoyne Legere 12 Yes. No, it’s not a suburb. I would say it was a separate town completely. Do you find the people there different? Or the environment? The environment’s different. They have no gambling at all. Is it a timid town? Do the people there live there in Boulder City but work in Las Vegas? I imagine a percentage of ’em work in Las Vegas. There wouldn’t be that many jobs in Boulder City. Getting back to social life, were there any—were fraternities very popular when you were in high school? No. When you went to BYU, did you know of any fraternities, or did you (unintelligible) involved in them? They had them, but I didn’t become actively involved in them. Do you find that they add to a university? Yes. And do you figure that without them, that probably the university would lack a lot of spirit? Yes. Nevada’s known for Indian habitants from the beginning of Nevada—Nevada’s growth. Have you seen any changes concerning the Indians of Nevada? Have you known any Indians, or have you heard any current events concerning the Indians? Like for instance, reservations, rules governing and protecting Indians of any type? I just read in the paper the other day where you couldn’t take cars and you had to go by foot or horseback into the Indian reservation, I think around Moapa. UNLV University Libraries LeMoyne Legere 13 Do you find that they are more or less an additive to Nevada? And without them, like, (unintelligible) nice environment so to speak? I don’t think— (Unintelligible) Either way really. Does it give a little (unintelligible) Yes. Do people, when they come to Las Vegas, strictly stay on the Strip? Or do they become more interested on the (unintelligible) places in Nevada? Like, for instance, Hoover Dam? I think Hoover Dam draws a lot of people, but I think most people that come to Las Vegas come for the gambling. Do you—have you ever visited an Indian inhabitant? For instance, a place where they make baskets or that type of nature? No. Is—do you know if the government controls the Indian reservations? I don’t know. Do you have any idea if—are there any Indians around here? Like Indian descents? People that you know of? No. Do you know anything about schools for Indians? The educational aspect—have they improved? Or have they failed? Do you think that the Indians are getting better education than they used to a long time ago? I would say they’re probably getting a better education. UNLV University Libraries LeMoyne Legere 14 Today, are there any type of problems with the Indian people versus white people? For instance, do they—do they have any conflicts whatsoever getting jobs, or that nature? Not to my knowledge. I don’t know that much about the Indian people. Have you noticed any social changes concerning the black people? Are they stronger now? I would say they’re much stronger now. Did they always have equal rights here in Nevada? No. When—what type of inequality did they receive? They—when they used to were not even allowed in the gambling casinos, as far as to stay in a hotel, which they can do now. And they had to go over to the Westside and stay when they came to town. How long did this take place? I would say twenty years ago even it was like that. It was just—in the last fifteen, seventeen, eighteen years that they got. Do you feel that the people, black people, were deprived and to an extent that they couldn’t live their own life? And do you feel that even though it happened twenty years ago, do you think it should’ve happened? I don’t think they were deprived, no, I don’t think it should’ve happened. There have always been jobs for them. I mean, as far as working condition problems, they’ve had jobs. When did it start slowing up, giving ’em rights to do anything they want just like we white people? When the big entertainers came in to Las Vegas, like Sammy Davis. Lena Horne, when she first came, she used to have to go—she couldn’t even stay in the hotel. She would have to go over to UNLV University Libraries LeMoyne Legere 15 the Westside and stay. And I think that made a big break, when they started coming and being able to stay in the hotels. Have there been any riots or uproars of some sort because of this? Maybe for instance, did they take a group of some sort and do some dangerous activity of some sort here? No, not to my knowledge. No. So they just more or less—? They accepted it. They accepted it? Right. Lived day to day. Right. Okay. Since this is just a beautiful place where the sun, and everyone loves the sun, have you noticed any changes in the environment over the years you’ve lived in Las Vegas? Do you find like, the summers are getting hotter? Are they getting—? More humid. More humid. More humid. What about the winters? Every winter, do the winds come up as high as they always do? Well we don’t have—we have fairly mild winters. We always have the wind in March and April, it seems like. And I would say the weather’s fairly much the same, other than the high humidity in the summer. Do you like the weather? Yes. UNLV University Libraries LeMoyne Legere 16 Over the years since your childhood, have you noticed if the desert is becoming a little greener each year? No. I can’t tell it’s any different. Have you seen any changes around the university by any chance? Have you noticed how greener each year that they try to make those sprinkler systems (unintelligible) work? Are you talking—I’m talking about the desert itself and the desert—oh no, the university is, has a beautiful grounds I think. Very clean. Does the government have anything to do with the sprinkler systems? Like, for instance, would they try to make this place a little greener? Not to my knowledge they don’t. It’s more or less residents and businesses? Right. Just for their own—? (Unintelligible) Uh-huh. When did the sprinkler system come into being? I’ve noticed it around the university and I’ve noticed it in people’s homes. I guess people really do not like to see just plain dirt on the front lawn. Well, I personally have to water my own because I don’t have a sprinkling system. But the newer places and businesses all have—it takes a lot of water, and to keep it green. Do you find that Lake Mead really adds to maybe more or less the environment, or the look of Las Vegas? Like, for instance, coming over on a plane. Do you think that affects the tourists in any which way? Yes. UNLV University Libraries LeMoyne Legere 17 Have you ever gone to Lake Mead to maybe carry out a sports activity? Or just there for leisure? I’ve gone to Lake Mead for boating—on a boat. It’s so polluted now, you can’t go swimming in it. Were all the homes decorated with plants, trees, and grass like they are today? Like way back, say, maybe fifteen years ago? Did people really specify or just add to their homes a lot of plants, or has that just come into being now since this place is very un-green? I would say it used to be more so done with shrubs and plants, because we didn’t have the water situation and where more people would go into gravel or stone or rock instead of grass because it takes so much water to keep everything green. Where does most of the water come from? Is it Lake Mead irrigation? A lot of the water comes from Lake Mead, and I believe California we get our water too. Did many people own their own swimming pool when you were growing up? Swimming pools weren’t a big thing when I was growing up. Very few people had ’em. What would you do when you were dying of heat in the summer? Well you had maybe a couple swimming places you could go. Twin Lakes and the old ranch, and that was about it if you wanted to go swimming. Where’s Twin Lake? Twin Lakes—it’s off Rancho Road there, very close. It’s just a resort. They have a park, and a swimming pool, tennis courts, baseball fields and— Where’s the Old Ranch? Old Ranch is on the old Fifth Street. It was an old swimming pool the Stewart family owned—an old family here in town. It’s where Cashman Field is today. UNLV University Libraries LeMoyne Legere 18 So it’s not there now? No. No. Twin Lakes is there now, but the Old Ranch isn’t. Do you find that these parks are a necessity for Las Vegas? Well, as for the people of Las Vegas and the children? Yes. They should have more. Do you feel the government is doing their job in keeping and preserving these parks? I think they could do a better job than they’re doing. Do you know how many parks there are in Las Vegas? Not offhand, I don’t. Have you visited Sunset Park and Paradise Park? Yes. Which one do you find that’s more beneficial for the community? I imagine they’d have to have a sprinkler system there. Is there any type of community sports activity in your neighborhood? No. Have you ever participated in some type of picnic, whereas people get together and put on a picnic? Maybe for some type of charitable organization? Yes. Do you find that they’re beneficial for the community and keep people together? Yes. I think they help. Did your government make any effort to improve the appearance of the streets? For instance, maybe the outside, not your lawns, not your personal lawns, but outside on the sidewalks? UNLV University Libraries LeMoyne Legere 19 Well, that’s a very bad question to ask me right now, because the city’s tore my street up six months ago and never put it back right yet, so. Do you—do you find that the government has sufficient lighting for streets? In residential areas, they do. Since everyone’s been barking at the energy crisis and you walk down the Strip and notice all those lights, do you think that this is more or less contradicting to the energy crisis situation, even though they have it on TV? No, I don’t. Because they turn them off and they kept the Strip dark, and they found that that didn’t make that much difference. Do you know of any floods that have happened in Las Vegas by any chance? No. There’s flood areas. There’s flood areas? Yes. When does it rain—when does it rain? And do you feel that Las Vegas has enough drainage system here? No. We do not have enough drainage, and we don’t get enough rain. It isn’t a seasonal thing with rain here. It just comes occasionally, whenever we have a storm or whatever. But as far as having any rainy months out of the year, we don’t. Do you find when it does rain that this places (unintelligible)? Yes. Yes. People can’t—is not prepared. You get floods in the Caesars Palace area and the streets flood up. You can’t drive (unintelligible). Have you ever had any snowfall? Yes. We’ve had snowfall. Not a great amount, and it usually doesn’t last very long. UNLV University Libraries LeMoyne Legere 20 Did this also backtrack Las Vegas kept (unintelligible)? Yes. When was this? Oh, I think it was about three years ago we had a good snowstorm here. It stayed on the ground maybe three days. Was there a water shortage in Las Vegas recently? There’s been water shortages where we could only water every other day or on odd days or on even days or whatever. I—now they’re talking about water shortage. I guess there’s going to be one. Is farming in Southern Nevada very small? Or is ranching more or less the big thing here? Up north, the ranching and they have more ranching. Farming is very difficult. It’s just too dry, too hot. Burns everything up. Very little of it. Are you actively involved in any type of ranching? No. Have you ever ridden a horse here? Yes. Do you know—whereabouts in Las Vegas is the most residential area for ranches? In Las Vegas? Probably Paradise Valley area. Is there any suburbs outside Las Vegas City itself where ranching is very popular? Pahrump, Nevada, which is about an hour’s drive. Sixty miles. Has a lot of farming, where they raise fruit, vegetables, and that. Were you ever considered getting into ranching business? No. No. UNLV University Libraries LeMoyne Legere 21 When did raising horses become popular in Southern Nevada? Well as long as I can remember, it’s been popular. Even though the summers are very hot, it still has continued? Yes. Have the construction of highways increased a great deal since your birth here? Oh yes. Very much. Do you find that they’re adding to Las Vegas transportation? Yes. Is it quicker now? Yes. The freeways helped a lot. Whereabouts in Las Vegas were you born? Like, what part of town? Practically right in town, I would say now. When we lived there, my folks live at Seventh and Gass and it was out, way out, but it would be more in the middle of town. Did—was there any construction being put forth when you were young? More or less than the freeway business? Not in the freeway business, no. They hadn’t even thought of freeways at that time. They were just starting into housing developments, like the Huntridge area, and the Mayfair area were the first two housing projects that went into the town. Getting back to your younger years, during your high school years, did you become actively involved in your school at all? Yes. Like, were you on the council or (unintelligible) or yearbook staff, cheerleader, or sports? I was on the council and held an office. UNLV University Libraries LeMoyne Legere 22 What position did you have in council? I don’t know what you’d call it, just chairman maybe. Like you were representing a grade? Representing a grade. Right. Did you enjoy it? Yes. Did you find that you became more involved in the school, rather than if you were not at all involved in the council or some sort? If you just went there for education? Yes. What school did you attend? Las Vegas High School. Is that still here? Yes. With that same name? Yes. Is that a public school? Yes. That was the only high school they had here at that time. Then Gorman was the second high school to come in. Now I think they have eleven. Over the—like you said, there’s now eleven high schools in a period of twenty years, are you saying that eleven high schools were built? Twenty-five years. Do you feel that it’s benefitted Las Vegas? Yes. They had to have it. They needed it. UNLV University Libraries LeMoyne Legere 23 Was your school overpopulated? No. Not at that time. Did you receive any type of honors while you were in high school? Maybe for academic achievement or on the best, longest council member on the council, or something like that? No. Did you get it—did you become ever involved in dancing or sports activities? Like games or that of your high school? Not involved. I went to them. Did you find there was a lot of spirit among all your students? Yes. Yes. Do you—do you like living in Las Vegas? Yes. (Tape one ends) Since you’ve been living in Las Vegas all your life, would you like to live more or less any other place? At times, I’d like to live some other places. Las Vegas is getting awful big. Now I would move to a smaller place. Do you find that the environment and the physical appearance of, should I say, the climate affects you to an extent that you would like to move elsewhere? No. I wouldn’t say it would be the climate. Are you content with the climate here? Yes. Do you find that the summers are very hot? UNLV University Libraries LeMoyne Legere 24 Yes. Would you like to go to California maybe for a weekend to get away from it all? Oh, I’d love to. (Laughs) Since the desert isn’t very green, you prefer a greener area? I would prefer a greener area. Is Reno greener than Las Vegas? Yes. Is the climate different up there? It’s not as hot. They don’t even—a lot of people don’t have air conditioners in Reno. In other words, it always cools off in the evening, or you can always open a window and it’s cooler. Is air conditioning a very popular thing here? Yes. You have to have it. Or you’ll die? You’ll die. (Laughs) Most of all the cars have air conditioning, don’t they? Right. Do you feel—is that a heavy burden on maybe the financial situation and families having air conditioning? Since electricity has gone up and since air conditioning needs electricity, do you find that the cost of living in that area has gone up quite a big? Yes, it has. It costs you a lot more now for your power bill. What about water? Water’s not too bad. Concerning the university, do you feel that UNLV was a must for this city? UNLV University Libraries LeMoyne Legere 25 Yes. Very much so. If the school wasn’t built, would most of the children, I should say students, leave here to go to other universities? Or would they just be contented here and stay maybe and further their education maybe in the gambling field? I feel that they would go away to another state or possibly the university we had was at Reno that they would seek elsewhere. Since the university has been built, has there been more students staying home now? Yes. When did University of Nevada begin? I believe it was in the 50s. I can’t remember what year. Was it very small? It started small. Did the people of Las Vegas contribute? Or was it more or less—did they become involved in maybe, government meetings and that, saying should we have a university or should we not have a university? Yes. I would say so. The boosters here —do you think that they have a positive effect on the university? I think so. Yes. Let’s see. Since the gambling business is a big thing here in Las Vegas, have you been, yourself, been involved in it? No. Not myself. Have any of the members of the family been involved in it? My husband’s been in the gambling business for—since he was twenty-one. UNLV University Libraries LeMoyne Legere 26 What made him go into the gambling business? He didn’t have any other trade or anything going for him in any other field. And it was the best thing to do at the time. Has the family—your mother, your father, his mother and father been into the gambling business also? My father was in the gambling business. Did that have any effect on the children at all, in the family itself? Well, I think the gambling business has an effect on anybody, cause you work very different hours. You don’t live normal lives. And your life is (unintelligible). Would your husband like to get into another business if he could? Yes. Has he ever tried to? Well, he’s made investments trying to worry at some date he’ll be able to get out of the gambling business. If it wasn’t for gambling here in Las Vegas, do you find that this city would exist? It would be hard. What other thing could they back up on? Like for (unintelligible) industry? The closest thing they have is the plant in Henderson. That Stauffer plant. And that’s the only kind of industrial we have here. Is there any type of arts and crafts here, like type of stores, that is well known here? Well, there must be. I don’t particularly know. Is there any type of tourist attraction here besides gambling? Well like, they have Hoover Dam, or Lake Mead, or Valley of Fire, things around. UNLV University Libraries LeMoyne Legere 27 What is the Valley of Fire? It’s just a valley with red stone and rock. And very pretty. Different colors. More desert. Do you take occasional breaks on the weekends, visiting other places around Nevada? Yes. Where exactly have you visited? Well, all the places that I named. And we go to Pahrump occasionally, up to Mount Charleston, or Lees Canyon, and around just (unintelligible). Is skiing very popular here? We don’t get that much snow to be that good at skiing. It’s getting very popular, but it’s not that good at skiing. Do you find Mount Charleston contributes to this sport? Lee’s Canyon does a little. It’s the only place they have. Well I guess I about have covered about everything. Do you have any remarks concerning the interview? No. Anything that I’ve forgotten? I think you covered (unintelligible). Would you be interested in participating in a longer interview if requested? Yes. Okay. Thank you very much for your help on this project in the history of Nevada. Okay.