Interview with Adele Baratz by Claytee White on March 19, 2007. In this interview, Baratz talks about her parents who came to the United States as teenagers from Russia and eventually settled in Las Vegas after a short time in California. She discusses the Jewish community in Las Vegas when she was growing up, and her father's job selling bootlegging supplies, then as a real estate broker, then as a bar owner. Baratz attended the Fifth Street Grammar School, which was built after a fire destroyed the original school, and Las Vegas High School. As a teenager, she worked at Nellis as a messenger and in the rations department, then went to nursing school in Baltimore at Sinai Hospital. She talks about her father's bar, "Al's Bar," that was popular with Union Pacific Railroad workers, and how the bar was forced out for the building of the Golden Nugget. Baratz recounts where her family lived, the growth of the Jewish community, and building the first synagogue on Carson Street.

On March 14, 1978, collector Rick Merrill interviewed his father Ray Merrill (born May 22nd, 1933 in Wynona, Oklahoma) about living in Southern Nevada. In this interview, Mr. Merrill speaks extensively about working while growing up in Las Vegas, Nevada. From eleven years old on, he worked as a paperboy, shoe shiner, and grocery store clerk, among other jobs. He also talks about being a student at Las Vegas High School and what he and others did for recreation. The discussion also includes the history of hospitals in Las Vegas as well as what doctors’ offices were like.

On March 1, 1977, Michael Boyd interviewed Rowena Gonzalez (born 1946 in Wichita Falls, Texas) about her life in Nevada. Gonzalez first talks about her family background and residential history before discussing the way of life in Texas and eventually in Las Vegas. Several topics covered in the interview include Gonzalez’s recollections of the atomic testing, the building of the Hoover Dam, and Howard Hughes. The two also discuss tourism, the properties on the Strip and in Downtown Las Vegas, and early means of transportation.

On March 11, 1978, Roberta Farmer interviewed Sally Halko (born 1921 in Gowen, Oklahoma) about her life in Las Vegas, Nevada. Halko first talks about her family background, education, traveling, and church membership. She later talks about the development Las Vegas casinos, racial minorities, housing growth, Lake Mead, and the first theaters.

On November 1, 1979, Robert Maichle interviewed Marshall Mack Dawson (born 1938 in Las Vegas, Nevada) about his experiences living in Las Vegas. Dawson first talks about his early education, his family, and the Old Las Vegas Mormon Fort. He then describes the changes he has noticed over time, the atomic testing, the Helldorado parades, Red Rock, the development of the Strip, and the changes in the Downtown area. Dawson also discusses some of his work for Nevada Power, the early movie theaters, his opinions on journalism, and various other topics.

From the Roosevelt Fitzgerald Professional Papers (MS-01082) -- Unpublished manuscripts file. Presented to the National Social Science Association, Reno, Nevada.

Steven Hart was born on April 7, 1946, and moved to Las Vegas as a one-year-old with his parents Nat and Sylvia Hart. After graduating from Las Vegas High School, Steven Hart went through an apprenticeship program to become a journeyman carpenter as his father wanted him to learn all phases of the hotel, restaurant, gaming, and business. Including hot to build and design them. He then enlisted in the United States Navy and joined its construction battalion during the Vietnam War. Upon his return to Las Vegas, Steven followed in his father?s footsteps working in the casino industry. Nat Hart was one of the city?s original celebrity chefs and corporate vice president of food and beverage for Caesars World. Well-known for his restaurants at Caesars Palace and the Desert Inn, and for his popular gourmet cooking school. During his long career as a successful gaming executive, Steven worked at several properties, including the International Hotel as food and beverage controller. He was the vice president of food and beverage for the Del Web Corporation. The assistant corporate food and beverage director at the Argent Corporation as well as the Casino Credit executive and Junket Representative for Caesars World. He worked as executive casino host at Bills Gamblin Hall and Hotel in addition to working as the hotel gaming consultant with Hart Gaming LLC. Steve?s wife and dad also owned Kazuku Yakitori, Ichi Ban Japanese steak house, Ringside Bar and Grill and the World Boxing Hall of Champions Museum. In 1985, Steven married Texas-born Wendy Stark Hart, who is also present during this oral history interview. Wendy Hart also pursued a career as an executive in the food and beverage industry. Together, Steven and Wendy Hat reflect at length about Nat Hart?s successful career, particularly as longtime corporate vice president of food and beverage for Caesars World Inc., and opening many of the company's restaurants at Caesars Palace locally and in Atlantic City. Steve and his dad also put in many restaurants for many of the Las Vegas Strip hotels. They discuss both Nat?s relationships with infamous industry figures, like Frank Rosenthal and Hy Goldbaum, and Nat?s dining endeavors with other industry leaders such as like Kirk Kerkorian and Stu and Cliff Pearman. They also highlight the innovation and creativity that Nat brought to his work. Steven also talks about his own career path, from working small jobs at the hotels while in high school, to his military service and developing construction skills, to learning various aspects of the gaming industry management. He reminisces about his childhood in Las Vegas and involvement with Jewish community, including being the first bar mitzvah at Temple Beth Sholom and later serving as president of Jewish War Veterans, Post 711.