Transcript of interview with Senator Richard Bryan by Claytee White, February 19, 2009

Senator Richard Bryan's Las Vegas roots are deep. His father graduated from Las Vegas High School in 1927, left to attend law school and later returned with his young family. His father was politically active and a role model for young Richard, who would succeed in becoming Governor of Nevada in the 1980s and then U.S. Senator. In this interview, Senator Bryan describes his parents looking at a plat map of John S. Park in 1943 and that they bought a house on Maryland Parkway for around $5500.00. He recounts details of the John S. Park neighborhood development and nearby areas and talks about houses with carports rather than garages, no grass, rough asphalt driveways, and a desert where kids could play for hours without supervision. He mentions the impact of World War II on the community, attending movies at the Huntridge Theatre, and becoming a student leader as well as being active in the Boy Scouts. About the Helldorado Days, he talks about the large undertaking of the parade for the Elks Club. As Las Vegas' population grew, the neighborhoods began to fill in. He tells of the opening of schools, including permanent JSP Elementary in 1948 - with no air conditioning. Neighborhood commerce included a grocery store and Sills Drive-in. On the Strip, he remembers Club Bingo (eventually called Sahara) opening as well as the long list of other hotel/casinos that are part of Las Vegas history.