Abstract
This collection contains the original drafts of the thirteen essays that Elizabeth Harrington wrote about her life in early Las Vegas, Nevada. These articles were written from her memory and experiences of life in Las Vegas beginning in the early 1900s, and were published in the Nevadan section of the Las Vegas Review-Journal from 1975-1979.
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Scope and Contents Note
The Elizabeth Harrington Collection of Essays (1975-1979) contains original drafts of thirteen essays that reflect life in early Las Vegas, Nevada. These articles were written from Harrington's memory and experiences. They were published in the Nevadan section of the Review Journal from 1975 to 1979. The time span of these essays is from 1904 to the early 1940s, yet a few of these writings cover a broader time period. While Harrington's essays often mention early residents and their businesses, her work focuses on the ambiance of a by gone era instead of presenting the details of daily life. Harrington included over fifty photographs of early Las Vegas, including its citizens and their activities, as they related to the essays. These photographs were removed to the photo collection, but Xerox copies remain with the articles. The collection also includes a copy of the Hotel Nevada registry on its opening day, May 29th through June 1st, 1905, and a grammar school commencement program from May 29, 1935.
Access Note
This collection is open for research.
Publication Rights
Materials in this collection may be protected by copyrights and other rights. See Reproductions and Use on the UNLV Special Collections website for more information about reproductions and permissions to publish.
Arrangement
Material remains in original order.
Biographical / Historical Note
Elizabeth Harrington was born January 25, 1898 in Salida, Colorado. She married Arthur Harrington, a bookkeeper with the Empire Zinc Company of New Jersey. In 1916, they moved to Southern Nevada, as the Empire Zinc Company owned the Potosi Mine just outside of Las Vegas, Nevada. After the Potosi mine closed around 1920, the Harrington family moved to Hanover, New Mexico. They later returned to Las Vegas where Arthur Harrington started the Harrington Insurance Company. He also was a founding member of the Las Vegas chapter of the Kiwanis Club, a fraternal organization for businessmen, and the Bank of Nevada in February 1926 and May 1941, respectively. He served as the Kiwanis Club's first secretary and was named secretary of the board for the Bank of Nevada.
In 1946, the Harrington family moved to Santa Monica, California due to Elizabeth Harrington's declining health. Arthur Harrington died in California in 1961. From 1975 to 1979, Elizabeth wrote a series of historical articles from her personal knowledge and experience living in Southern Nevada. These articles were published in the Nevadan, the former Sunday supplement magazine to the Las Vegas-Review Journal. Her articles described life in early Las Vegas and at the Potosi mine, detailing aviation, Helldorado parades, banking, hotels, and medicine.
Elizabeth Harrington died in 1992.
Source:
Elizabeth Harrington Collection of Essays, 1975-1979. MS-00220. Special Collections and Archives, University Libraries, University of Nevada, Las Vegas. Las Vegas, Nevada.
Preferred Citation
Elizabeth Harrington Collection of Essays, 1975-1979. MS-00220. Special Collections, University Libraries, University of Nevada, Las Vegas. Las Vegas, Nevada.
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Acquisition Note
Materials were donated in 1984 by Elizabeth Harrington; accession numbers T-165 and 84-42.
Processing Note
Material was processed in 1996 by Marie Imus.
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Separated Materials
Photographs of early Las Vegas, Nevada were removed from the collection and placed in Elizabeth Harrington Collection. PH-0291. Special Collections, University Libraries, University of Nevada, Las Vegas. Las Vegas, Nevada.