The Las Vegas Sun Photographs depict significant events in Las Vegas, Nevada from 1948 to 1989 that were covered by the newspaper. The photographs partially document the gubernatorial, senatorial, mid-term, and local elections in Nevada in 1982. The photographs also include protests by African Americans for better wages and renters for fair housing practices, McCarran Airport, protests against the Nevada Test Site, the Las Vegas Strip and downtown Las Vegas, hotels and casinos, political events, parades, dedications of buildings, and aerial photographs of the city. The photographs also depict politicians during campaign events and fundraisers, including President Ronald Reagan; U.S. Senators Howard Cannon, Pat McCarran, Chic Hecht, Paul Laxalt, and Harry Reid; Nevada governors Mike O'Callaghan and Robert List; and Lieutenant Governor Bob Cashell.
Archival Collection
The Sherwin “Scoop” Garside Photographs contain photographs from journalist and photographer “Scoop” Garside from 1907 to 1969. The photographs primarily depict events and buildings in Southern Nevada, including construction of the Hoover (Boulder) Dam, the Helldorado Parade in Las Vegas, Nevada, hotels and casinos, schools, and social events. The photographs also depict the Garside Family, including Las Vegas Review-Journal owner Frank Garside, “Scoop” Garside’s father.
Archival Collection
Oral history interview with Clara Alvarez conducted by Norma Flores and Claytee D. White on October 25, 2018 for the Latinx Voices of Southern Nevada Oral History Project. Brian "Paco" Alvarez also participated in the interview. Clara Alvarez describes her family background and her childhood in Buenos Aires, Argentina. She recalls dropping out of high school to work, memories of early jobs, and why she moved to Las Vegas, Nevada in 1966. She secured her first position at the Sands Hotel as a maid during a time when that job position was held almost exclusively by Black women. Alvarez describes her time working at the Sands Hotel, and recalls meeting Frank Sinatra and his wife. After working as a maid, she was recruited to deal games in clubs and casinos, and was the first woman to deal at the Las Vegas Club. Then, Alvarez explains the changes in racial discrimination in the city, and says she never felt discriminated against in Las Vegas. Lastly, she talks about moving back to Florida and what she did while living there.
Archival Collection
Oral history interview with Kent Carmichael conducted by Stefani Evans on November 25 and December 2, 2019 for the Boyer Early Las Vegas Oral History Project.
In the first session of this oral history, Carmichael discusses his early career in lighting design and maintenance from his start at Interstate Neon to his work in the 1950s and 60s in Las Vegas. He discusses some of the iconic signs he built including the Casino Center, Carnival Room, Thunderbird, The Frontier, Bonanza, and the Stardust. He also details the technology and inner workings of these innovative signs including the transition from mechanical to electrically controlled signage. Carmichael continues to discuss Native American laborers and various individuals that he interacted with throughout his early career including Max and Mo Oggenblick, Doby Doc, Benny Binion, Arby Alper, Steve Wynn, Peter Arp, and Wayne and Jerry Newton. Carmichael ends the first interview by recalling a high wind event that damaged the Frontier sign and his efforts to bring the sign under control and repair it as well as his vision and behind the Stardust sign.
The second oral history interview contains Carmichael’s discussion of his career from 1968 onward. He immediately picks up discussion of the Stardust sign and his transition to desk work. Carmichael details the challenge and limitations of designing the International sign (the Westgate as of 2021). He describes the development of his first messenger sign for the International and the time consuming task of using tape to program the sign. He fondly remembers working on the Holiday Inn Riverboat signs, and International transition to Las Vegas Hilton and the Hilton’s transition from blue to red letters. Carmichael shares the story of being caught between organized crime and a young Steve Wynn. He recounts his last project for Ad Art, developing and construction the sign for the Louisiana Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana. He details working through legislative and construction issues as well as the fallout from the Nat Kiefer Commission.
After leaving Ad Art Carmichael began working with Heath and Co. and began collaborating with Raul Rodriguez. Carmichael and Rodriguez went on to design some of the most enduring and visually unique signs in Las Vegas including, the Flamingo, Four Queens, Golden Nugget, Dunes Hotel, and the Desert Inn. They also worked in Reno on Circus Circus and El Dorado. Carmichael also details his interior work including the main pylon and interior signs for MGM Grand; 1974 renovation Golden Nugget, suspended stained glass ceiling at Tropicana, and the MGM Lion display. Lastly Carmichael outlined his work with Young Electric Sign 1983-85 and the Dewey Sign Company including the Las Vegas Convention Center sign. He ends by sharing his views on the role and importance of lighting in Las Vegas.
Archival Collection
The Northern Nevada Neon Photograph Collection (1913-2010) is comprised of photographs of neon signs located mainly in northern Nevada cities and towns, including Elko, Ely, Carson City, Hawthorne, Reno, and Winnemucca. The collection consists of both digitized and born-digital photographs from multiple institutions and were gathered as part of a joint grant project.
Archival Collection
The Pacifica Hotel Collection (1981-1985) contains newspaper clippings, correspondence, and contracts on the Pacifica Hotel, the first resort geared specifically towards the LGBTQIA+ community in Las Vegas, Nevada. The collection also includes one optical disc with a compilation of Las Vegas television news stories from the summer of 1985 about the Pacifica Hotel project.
Archival Collection
The Flamingo Hilton Photograph Collection (1980-1991) contains photographic prints and slides of the Flamingo Hotel and later the Flamingo Hilton property in Las Vegas, Nevada. Images depict the exterior, swimming pool, and restaurant from approximately 1947 and interiors of the Third Tower rooms from the 1990s. The collection also contains two illustrations by Rissman and Rissman Associates, Ltd. of Flamingo properties designed for Laughlin and Reno, Nevada.
Archival Collection
UNLV Libraries Collection of Hotel and Casino Promotional and Publicity Materials (1943-2002) includes press kits, press releases, promotional materials, and newspaper and magazine clippings for various hotels and casinos in Nevada, the United States, and international locations. This collection consists entirely of material that was previously cataloged.
Archival Collection
The UNLV Libraries Collection of Casino Promotional and Publicity Material (1966-2004) consists of clothing, promotional souvenirs, and gambling ephemera from various hotels and casinos throughout Las Vegas, Nevada. These items include hats, shirts, mugs, ash trays, drinking glasses, menus, buckets, keychains, keno supplies, and playing cards. The hotels include Caesar's Palace, Flamingo Hotel, Imperial Palace, Palace Station, Showboat, Castaways, Stardust, El Rancho, Sam's Town, Circus Circus, and Four Queens, in addition to others throughout Las Vegas.
Archival Collection
The Harrah’s Entertainment Corporate Archives (dating from 1811 to 2004 with the bulk of the materials dating from 1940 to 2000) contain the promotional and corporate files of Harrah’s Entertainment Inc. and its predecessors, as well as Bill Harrah’s personal papers and card game collection. The materials were compiled and developed as a corporate archive by Harrah's Entertainment, Inc.’s Corporate Communications Department. The collection is primarily comprised of casino and employee periodicals, reports, manuals, promotional files, ephemera, and newspaper articles that document Bill Harrah’s casinos in Reno, Nevada and Lake Tahoe as well as Harrah’s Inc., Holiday Inns, Inc., Holiday Corporation, the Promus Companies, and Harrah’s Entertainment, Inc. Also included are photographs that document the construction of Harrah’s properties, business operations, the people who worked and performed at Harrah’s properties, and Bill Harrah’s automobile collection. The collection also contains Bill Harrah’s collection of playing cards and card games. Also included are photographs of the Harrah family.
Archival Collection