Transcript of interview with Helen Early by Dale Forshee, February 26 & 27, 1979

UNLV University Libraries Helen Early i An Interview with Helen Early An Oral History Conducted by Dale Forshee 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 Helen Early ii © Ralph Roske Oral History Project on Early Las Vegas University of Nevada, Las Vegas, 2018 UNLV University Libraries Helen Early 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 Helen Early iv Abstract On February 26 and 27, 1979, Dale Forshee interviewed Helen Early (born 1919 in Des Moines, Iowa) about her life in Southern Nevada. Early first talks about her arrival to Las Vegas and the early development of the city. She also talks about some of the first businesses in Las Vegas, the initial development of the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, and the early nightclubs and casinos in the city. Early also discusses her work in establishing a school for disabled children before discussing other topics related to McCarran Airport, Bugsy Siegel, Senator Walter Baring, the first churches in Las Vegas, and the Helldorado Parade. UNLV University Libraries Helen Early 1 This interview is of Helen Early, who lives at 1214 Arrowhead Avenue in Las Vegas, and she has lived here for—? Three years. Three years in this home. And how long have you lived in Las Vegas? I’ve been here since 1948. 1948. Thirty-one years. Thirty-one years. And what brought you here? Well, I married my husband, and his business was here, so we decided to stay in Las Vegas, and made this our home so he could continue his business at the community (unintelligible). Okay, and that was located in what part of town? The (Unintelligible), which is now the Golden Gate, which is across from the Union Plaza—that is at Main Street and Fremont. And before I married Will, I spent many winters in Las Vegas; this is how I met him. Then we came back here for him to pick up his business as usual. Okay. And what parts of town have you lived in? Well, we’ve lived mostly in the west part of town. We’ve owned a home in Bonanza (unintelligible) for fifteen years. We have had a home on Vegas Drive for quite a few years, and (unintelligible) for about three years. Okay. And when you first moved here, the Downtown area, it didn’t look the same as it does now? Oh, the Downtown area doesn’t look anything now like it was when I first came here. In 1948, the tallest building in the Downtown area was just two stories, or the first and second floors. The Fremont Hotel was the first to change the skyline Downtown. When it went up, ten stories or UNLV University Libraries Helen Early 2 more floors—many of the cross streets, such as south First Street, was not paved. And when it rained (unintelligible) carried mud onto the paved Fremont Street, and that would be right around where the hotel, Fremont, is. Now, Fremont has been standing there since it was built? Yes, it was. It was never moved? No, it’s never been moved. And in fact, I think they’ve even gone up a few more stories. And that was our first building Downtown to have an elevator. First one to have an elevator? Yes, first one to have an elevator. And are there any other businesses or any landmarks that have been here for quite a few years? Yes, right around the corner from the Fremont, about two blocks away from the Fremont, there was the old Palm Mortuary, and it was in a very small building at the corner of First and Carson Street. Then Broker Brothers had a mortuary located on the southwest corner of Las Vegas Boulevard North and Stewart Street. Now, those both have built their own little places on the north side of town. And then also, the Ronzones was a very (unintelligible) department store. It was locally owned by Bertha Ronzone, that was known for many, many years, and a very close friend. She was known people as “Mom Ronzone.” The store was managed by her son and daughter-in-law, Richard and Ann Ronzone. We know the Ronzones very well, and my husband was the best man at their wedding. And when the Boulevard was built on Maryland Parkway, the Ronzones located their store in the new area. Now, did they sell their older store? UNLV University Libraries Helen Early 3 Yes. Or did they keep it and— No, they sold their old store. In fact, I think they leased that part—they didn’t own that property. They just leased it, and their lease ran out. So, when their lease ran out, they (unintelligible). And Richard Ronzone managed the store; he is now one of our successful (unintelligible) commissioners. Okay, now the federal building Downtown—when was that built, and has there been any other governmental buildings Downtown, or? Yes. The federal building is at 300 Las Vegas Boulevard South, and it was built and dedicated September 22nd, 1967 at the cost of $3.9 million. I believe our first Las Vegas high school was located on that ground before it was burned. The new Las Vegas High School then was built on Seventh and Bridger Street, adjacent to the First Baptist Church in Las Vegas. Then, going on to our high school, the second new high school was Rancho after Las Vegas High School was put up. That’s in North Vegas? That’s in North Las Vegas. Then our third high school was Western High School, which is located on West Bonanza. And the Western High School was very outstanding for quite some time, and the Western High then was asked to march in the inaugural parade when Nixon was elected there in Washington, D.C., and I was asked to chaperone the event, which was a wonderful experience. And while we were there, Senator Cannon arranged a breakfast for the band to be held in the caucus room where one time, John F. Kennedy announced he would run for president. I do know Howard Cannon. I don’t know too much about—well, I know his friend like anybody else would—but I’ve known Howard and Dorothy for many, many years, and UNLV University Libraries Helen Early 4 we’ve worked closely in welfare work, and then (unintelligible) and the Junior Red Cross, the Junior Chamber of Commerce. And before he became our senator, he was an attorney in Las Vegas, a very prominent and a very well-thought-of man. And he likes to help satisfy the needs of those in our community, and he makes them—when he’s in Las Vegas, he will make it known in the newspaper or by letter to individuals that he will be at a certain school at a certain time, and then if you have problems or things that you would like to iron out, or something that you don’t like or that you do like, you can come to that school, and he will talk to you individually privately. And this has been a very good thing for Senator Cannon to do. Now, these things that you mentioned about the welfare and the Junior Red Cross and these organizations—do they have any founders in this town that have gone on to bigger and better things? Yes. Now, the Review-Journal is owned by Florence and John Cahlan. And Florence Cahlan is the first president of Service League, which is now known as Junior League. When it was Service League, the main reason for forming this organization was to have those people who are in need—the main servicemen who were out of the service and didn’t have a place to go or they didn’t have clothing for their families, or they didn’t have a job, so we would pitch in and find a place for them to live. We would clothe them, feed them, and even give them money if they were on their way back home or whatever, which was a very wonderful thing to do. Now, the Junior League has finally (unintelligible) national thing, where our service was just Las Vegas. And the old Fremont Street, before there were any shops or anything down there that was— (Unintelligible)— Did anyone know about, or? UNLV University Libraries Helen Early 5 On Fremont Street, when I first came here, between Fourth Street and Las Vegas Boulevard South, in between some of the little stores and the larger stores were these little homes. And they were very quaint little homes, but very well taken care of. And the buildings went up on both sides of them so that not anyone could get sunshine into the room—maybe (unintelligible) But eventually, they all did sell their homes. And then, also down on Fremont, there were many shops on the south side of the Fremont Street, and there was one known as (unintelligible) who (unintelligible) for their (unintelligible). But then I’ve been in there when the Indian tribes would come in with their wears to show. There was a (unintelligible) exclusive dress shop, which is now located out near the hotels on the Strip. It was also the Merchandise Mart, which was sort of a novelty store. They had beautiful greeting cards, you could buy books, you could buy (unintelligible) anything in there. Then there was the City Drugstore, there was Baker Shoes. And then this area that I’m thinking of right now is now taken up by the Four Queens Hotel, which was named for the three daughters and the wife of the owner of the Four Queens Hotel. Then, let’s see, now there would be some other things on South Fourth Street. There was a home owned by Mrs. Beckley, and the Beckleys lived in that house for about sixty-nine years—Mr. Beckley is between ninety-three and ninety-eight years old. Now that (unintelligible) ten, eleven? Oh, yes, before—then, she’s been here, oh, in the early 1900s—you see, if she’s ninety-seven— Now, what brought her husband out here? I don’t know why he came here. He did have a busin—oh, I do know—he had a grocery business, and then he sold the grocery business and went into men’s clothing, and this is what their first store was. And then, when he retired, I don’t know what he did after that. But this old UNLV University Libraries Helen Early 6 house still stands, and the Junior League is going to be moving this house is out near out museum. So, it’ll be— That museum is located where? The museum is located out on Maryland Parkway. I don’t know the exact address but it’s out in that direction, not far from the university. Now, I’m going to tell you about the main post office that was Downtown. It was located for many years at the end of Third Street. It would face south, and it was on Third and Stewart Street. And that post office was in there for over fifty years. And as the city threw the post office out through its location, so then they find an area behind Circus-Circus on Circus-Circus Avenue or Street— And that’s where they put it? That’s where it is now, and that’s been there about twelve years, as I can remember. UNLV, when it got started, it wasn’t called that? No, this was an interesting thing—I could go on and on about the university. When the university was first thought about, it purchased the land from Estella Howard Wellman. They donated a large parcel of the land, and then, the Nevada State Legislature appropriated $35,000 for land purchased under terms of the community—had to match that amount to show that good faith in the support of the new institution of higher learning. And at that time, it was called the Nevada Southern University, which now is known as UNLV. Now, the Service League held many benefits to pay for things at the university. We paid for the largest piece of parcel of land that we had to purchase outside from (unintelligible). They also dug a well because we needed a well out there to keep the building going. Our first building on the campus is known as the Maude Frazier Building. Now, it was named for Maude Frazier, who was a former superintendent of the Las Vegas schools and assemblyman from Clark County who (unintelligible) legislation for the UNLV University Libraries Helen Early 7 Nevada Southern University. Now, a total of 3,000, oh, about 3,300 (unintelligible) for the fall semester in 1967. Now, that included 100 graduate students, 310 transfer students, and 1,090 freshman. In 1958, Dr. Howard (unintelligible) taught music and then headed the music department until he retired in 1975. Now, you said that Maude Frazier was an assemblywoman? Yes. And that was quite unusual. That was very—in fact, it’s unusual—it was very unusual because at that time, they didn’t think women should have been in politics. No. What time, approximately, was that? Was that in the fifties or was that in the sixties? No, that was in more about, like in the fifties. And she lived to be a ripe old age—I’ve forgotten just how old she was, but she lived many years after that. And the Service League has been very helpful—they have bought pianos, they have bought books, they have had benefits to pay for—parts of the library. Now, first the picture of Florence Lee Cahlan is in the building, also, of Maude Frazier, because she was the first president of the Service League that helped raise all those funds. Now, Frazier Hall was the first, was it the first building? That was the very first building, yes, the very first one. Could we go back down here to Fremont Street? I was just thinking, we talking, of course, about the Beckley Home, but then right before you get to the Beckley home is the (unintelligible), which is like the (unintelligible) that has novelties and— Now, is that still Downtown? UNLV University Libraries Helen Early 8 It is still Downtown. It’s on the corner of Fourth and Fremont, and it was the first and only building at that time with a basement. And when that was built, the artesian wells were (unintelligible) on the surface our ground, that pumps had to be used to pump out the water while the digging was continued. And that was quite an interesting (unintelligible) that muddy water come out and (unintelligible) underneath. And then, up at the end of Fremont Street, facing Fremont was the Union Pacific Railroad Station, and it was located right at the head where, now, you would look out Fremont and you’d see the Union Pacific Plaza Hotel, and then right next to that was the Greyhound Depot, and it was very close. The Greyhound Depot is still there, isn’t it? Yes, but it’s down further. Now, the old Greyhound was more where the parking lot is now for the Union Pacific Railroad. And another thing, too, when you were travelling at that time in, like, 1940, ’43, ’44, ’45, even if you were (unintelligible) when you travelled east on Fremont and you got out on Eighth Street, you’d be out in the country. There weren’t any stores, any buildings—there were a few houses out that direction. Now, you say that was when you were on vacation—? Vacation, yes. About ’43, or—? ’43, ’44, yes. And there were no buildings out past that? No buildings, except for just a few little houses out there. People had their chickens and they had their houses and cows—it was more like out in the country. Now, when did they start constructing Boulder Highway? ‘Cause that’s the way they would come from Phoenix, isn’t it still? UNLV University Libraries Helen Early 9 Yes, through the Boulder Highway. I really don’t remember the year, because that was before I came out here, and the Boulder Highway, of course, was founded and built because of the Boulder Dam. Now, Boulder Dam, really, is the, I would say that Boulder Dam—legally, the name of it is Hoover Dam. Hoover Dam? Yes, because it was named for President Hoover when he came out to see the dam, and I guess (unintelligible) something of that nature. Okay. Now, out along Boulder Highway, did they have any buildings or any landmarks or anything? No, I don’t know of any landmarks on Boulder Highway. I know they were, as you got near Boulder City, you would find a lot of little dinky nightclubs for people, and bars, but as far as actual buildings, there not any at all. But I think they’ve all come up (unintelligible) the Boulder Dam was built—or the Hoover Dam, they still call it Boulder Dam. Now, the old Green Shack restaurant—was that always right where it is now on the (unintelligible) right next to the Showboat? Right near the Showboat, yes. The Green Shack is the same building that it was years and years ago. And it was the place to go before the Strip was built. All the (unintelligible) if you had special company, you always took them to the Green Shack, and they used to go for dinner dancing. And they had a little (unintelligible), and right now, many of our big stars will go over there. Still? Yes, still. Today, this is a favorite spot of many our big stars. And it’s been the same location that I think (unintelligible). And the person that started it, the name was Jenny Green. And when UNLV University Libraries Helen Early 10 she died, she was about eighty-nine years old, but she was always right at the door to greet people when you came in. She knew everyone that came in (unintelligible) called them by name. And she knew many celebrities. Now, were there any other nightclubs, like (unintelligible) would go for entertainment? Well, out on the Strip—it was supposed to have been way out in the country again, and this would be (unintelligible) Gracie Hayes’ Red Rooster. And it was a small nightclub bar, and it would be across the street from where (unintelligible). But I don’t think of any building or anything about Red Rooster. The first tall hotels on the Strip were the Sahara and then the Riviera. And I know that, before they were built, I used to go horseback riding all along the Strip from Sahara clear down as far as into the Tropicana. I never would ride into the desert because I was always afraid of getting lost and not being able to find my way back. So, I would ride along the highway. Along the highway? Uh-huh. Now, the Sahara, before it was called the Sahara, wasn’t it?— Yeah, it was called the Bingo Club. It was a little tiny bingo club, and they served the most delicious food, and they had entertainment there, but it was very tiny. So, when the man that was—he planned to buy the Sahara, I can’t recall his name offhand—but he bought the Bingo Club, and actually the main entrance into the Sahara is still part of the building of the Bingo Club. So, when you enter that, there’s still a little history, the landmark more or less still there. I can go on forever on our hotels. Now, getting back to school, the Variety School for Handicapped Children was founded and started by Jesse Bailey and myself approximately 1951 and ’52. Now, we’re not even recognized. UNLV University Libraries Helen Early 11 Now, where is that? Now, the Variety School for Handicapped Children—this is the one that Dr. Foster now is the principal. All right, we started the Variety School to (unintelligible) a small building at either Ninth or Tenth and Stewart Street—I can’t quite remember, but right beside it was a little church, and I think this building was maybe the church building recreation hall. They let us use that building until we outgrew that building. Then, we looked for other places, and at some spot in Henderson—I never looked out there because, at that time, I had two little boys, and they were having their (unintelligible) so I couldn’t ever make it out there. But we had a place in Henderson that we bussed the children to and from. And Jesse Bailey had a retarded daughter—this is what made her more interested in the retarded program—and I just liked working with retarded children. Now, there’s a little boy that sells newspapers on Fremont Street, little oriental boy that’s in a wheelchair. When he was just a little fella, I used to go pick him up and carry him out, put him in the car, and take him to the Variety School for Handicapped Children, and then take him home. But this was a very interesting experience. And like I say, when my children started to get all these childhood diseases, I couldn’t be active, carrying germs (unintelligible) so I stayed away from the kids. But that was an interesting experience. Now, getting back to the hotel Last Frontier—did I tell you about the Last Frontier? (Unintelligible) The hotel Last Frontier was the second hotel on the Strip, and it was built of a western style. It was built of logs and a very beautiful—it’s really a picturesque hotel. Was it a large hotel? Yes, it was, but it was spread out. It was a ranch-style—we had rooms. You could go out to your rooms without going through the hotel lobby. They were all separate. Then they had a few that UNLV University Libraries Helen Early 12 were attached to the hotel. But it had a nice bar, and it was called the ‘horn room’ because behind on the bar, instead of being pictures, you saw all types of horns from all types of animals, and it fairly covered the full wall. And while I’m there at the hotel, I had a blind date with Howard Hughes, and at that time, I came out from Boston—this was about in 194— Vacationing here? I was vacationing here. And I was the only single person out here. Everybody else had their steady boyfriend, so they got me a date with Howard Hughes. And of course, Howard Hughes didn’t mean a thing to me, because being in Boston, I didn’t know anything about Howard Hughes. And he was extremely quiet—we were sitting in a booth, and I was trying to bring him out of his shell, talking to him, and usually if you want someone to talk real badly, if you get them talking about themselves, it’s easier for them. And so I was asking him, you know, if he liked Las Vegas, he came to Las Vegas very often, and what he did and so forth. And I was— Did he live here? He lived in Los Angeles. Los Angeles. Yes, lived in Los Angeles. But he would come up and spend many days in the hotel Last Frontier, and sometimes he was wearing a coat, when he’d come up and hang it someplace in the men’s room, and it would still be there when he’d come back months later to vacation again. So, he was peculiar, but anyway, when we would go into the (unintelligible) room, which was the main showroom and dinner room at the hotel, you had to talk up three or four steps. So, after Howard Hughes got up and left us all at this booth and didn’t come back, we decided we’d go and have our dinner. So, when we walked in, here’s Howard Hughes sitting in the middle of the steps. So we just stepped around (unintelligible) had our dinner. (Laughs) UNLV University Libraries Helen Early 13 Just left him there? Just left him there, then that’s when I noticed he had on one tennis shoe. He was all in a suit, a nice little black bowtie, and— He was about how old then? I was say about thirty, thirty-five, somewhere along in there. And like I say, he was a nice-looking man, very quiet. I couldn’t draw him out of his shell. But he was a very peculiar person. (Laughs) (Laughs) That’s funny, I think about it— Now, there was another hotel that was not too far from there, wasn’t it, that was kind of ranch-style, too? Was it across from the Sahara? Now, that was the El Rancho Vegas. Now, you can still see— Parts of it, yes. You can see the cement flats where—now, they had cabins. They did have hotel rooms, but they had cabins, like, it would be like a duplex. And that would be your room for the night. And that— [Audio cuts out] Okay, sometime in the 1940s, and it was about 1940, the McCarran Airport was located where the Nellis Air Force Base is now. Now, when it outgrew its size, the military airport was built on the very western—in the very wester motif—on the old Los Angeles Highway 91. The old Highway 91 was a very popular name for that particular highway, and it was built with logs, and it looked very western. And when the airplanes landed, they had to land out quite a distance from the building, and then the people had quite a long walk from the airplane itself into the terminal. Then, that airport outgrew itself, and a new, and of course, the present location, which is UNLV University Libraries Helen Early 14 approximately 5030 Paradise Road. And that airport now is still in use and it is being expanded. Now, the old McCarran Airport that was on Highway 91 is now known as the Hughes Airport, and large airplanes come in there. I remember going to Los Angeles on business and the fare one way was $18.18 or round trip for $36.00. Now, this Hughes Airport, is that the one that’s—? That’s the one that’s on the Los Angeles Highway 91. That still is—like I said, the large planes come in. In fact, (unintelligible) and her husband arrived at that airport, and that’s the first that I knew that they were using it for the large airplane. And like I said, our airport now, of course, is expanding. And that’s about all I can tell you about the airport. But now let’s jump from one thing to another. I’d like to tell you about the old Stewart Ranch, which is right down near the Elks Club. Now, the old building is still standing—it’s an old adobe building. And it was founded or bought or leased from what was called the Union Pacific. The Union Pacific came into Las Vegas, and they owned practically all of the land in Las Vegas. And this is where, when they sold parcels of land, that’s where so many of these old timers bought parcels for a very small amount, which now— That was in the old township auctions that they held. That’s right, and they held these auctions under tents. Now, the tents was before I came here, because when I came here, they had (unintelligible) for building. But anyway, the man who had this ranch in the beginning was back in 1941 who—and they leased this for about twenty years. And there was lots of range near there where they kept their cattle. And they had a large swimming pool, many mesquite trees, and people would go out there for their Sunday picnics because there was no air conditioning at home. They had to get away from the heat. UNLV University Libraries Helen Early 15 That’s right. They had to go out to get away from the heat and they’d go out and picnic most of the day. And spend their whole day out there? Spent the whole day out there, yes. And then, the folks that had this place would take their cattle up and put them on a range or take them to a range, which is now the atomic energy test site. Now, there used to be lots of— Now that’s located north of—? North, that’s up neat Indian Springs. Mm-hmm. And then after the cattle were more or less fattened and taken care of up there, they’d bring them back down here and they’d have them (unintelligible). Now, at this old ranch, they had certain kinds of silos—one was called a pit silo. And in that, they would put their corn—they pulled the corn green out of the field to make (unintelligible) for the cattle. This was a terrific (unintelligible) for the cattle. Then they also had a hundred-ton upright silo, but they kept their corn— These silos that they had out there, they were long ditches, right? That’s right, long ditches. They just stored them in— They did have one that went upright, and that was called a hundred-ton upright silo, but most of them are what they call pits. That was our expression, a pit silo. And then the Union Pacific purchased some other things from the Stewarts, and these people, all their names were Stewarts and (unintelligible) but there was no relation. It just so happened that was just the way it was. And the Union Pacific built in the railroad, and this is how some people really came to Las UNLV University Libraries Helen Early 16 Vegas—the railroad came this far because there was greenery here, and there was water. And the Las Vegas means the meadows—it’s an old Spanish name for the Las Vegas—and it’s a word, now, two Spanish (unintelligible) Las Vegas. And here, it was what they called the fertile grassland and the name of the city is The Meadows, which describes what it is. Now, people can go down through this old building, the Old Ranch, and go through this. Okay, now is this on Las Vegas Boulevard North? North, yes, right. It’s near the Elks Club. Near the Elks Club. Now, people can go down there, and they have folks to take them through and explain the history of this particular park. Now, I remember definitely going down to the Old Ranch before they started preserving it and having dinner there. They had the Old Ranch Supper Club, and my family would always go down there and have dinner, and Raymond our oldest boy, used to go down to the Old Ranch and play with a little boy that lived there, David Leavitt was his name, that was in the old North Ninth Street School, the elementary school, in first grade. And they had a lot of fun together. In fact, Raymond lost a jacket down there and it’s still there—we haven’t been able to find it. So, then going from that, it takes me over then to across the street from the Palm Mortuary. There is an Indian settlement there—I don’t know whether it’s right to call it a reservation. Mm-hmm. That’s what they call it. And they call them the Southern Paiute of Nevada. Now, they want to keep to themselves, and when they are in need of anything, and if a certain club here find out about their needs, you can take your articles, your food, or whatever it is, and take it, but they will designate where you UNLV University Libraries Helen Early 17 have to leave that. You cannot go on the reservation. They do not want you to enter their settlement. You have to set an appointment (unintelligible). That’s right. Now, I don’t know how they would do that, but there must be a way because it’s done quite often to give them help. Now, I remember when I was over at the Ruby Thomas School teaching music and art. Some of these Indians would come over, and they’d bring their baskets and they’d brings their beads, and we had a sort of lot recreation period where we would go into this room and these Indians would explain how they make certain things and why they make certain things and the (unintelligible) different designs—all the designs mean something. So, I asked, their name was Anderson and Jansen and Jones, so I asked one Indian, I said, “Now, why are you named Mr. Anderson?” I said, “Is that a translation in your Indian language, would that mean Anderson?” He said, “No, the government gives us our names.” This is really something I still don’t understand; I wish I could learn more about it. Maybe one day I’ll take the time to go into and really find out about it. Now, then jumping over to, I have another thing in mind I wanted to tell you. I am wound up right now. (Laughs) Bugsy Siegel built the Flamingo during the war. Bugsy Siegel was considered a gangster. He was a gangster—he was a very well-known gangster, very ruthless. Was he out of Detroit or New York? Now, he came from Los Angeles as far as I know. I don’t know where he was from originally, but he worked out of Los Angeles. So, he decided that he wanted to build a hotel, and of course, building material, at that time, was almost unheard of because everything went to the war. But he built this hotel anyway, and it was a very beautiful hotel, but at that time, it— UNLV University Libraries Helen Early 18 Now, is that where the Flamingo stands now, the new Flamingo? Yes, that’s it. That’s where the new Flamingo stands right now, same place. He liked showy things, he was a very showy person to begin with, but one day when he was (unintelligible) girlfriend, Virginia Hill, someone shot him, and they have never been able to find out who the gunman was. The murder’s never been solved, but it was found as though he been (unintelligible). Now, you were saying that building materials were almost unheard of—now, there was something about some old phones that they used to use? Oh, yes. They couldn’t get the modern telephone, so they had to use, they could somehow or another, they got a hold of a telephone right next to the telephone company that were the old-fashioned telephones like the first telephone that was ever used. It was, you took a hold of the (unintelligible) o