The Sidney R. Whitmore Collection (approximately 1885-1970) contains land deeds and other documents about Mount Diablo, Nevada; documents detailing parts of his family history; and eight framed paintings of landscapes and portraits.
The Arlene Mathews Smith Papers are comprised of materials pertaining to the area around Panaca, Nevada, dating from 1917 to 1978, with a bulk of the items from the 1920s. The papers were collected while she lived in Panaca and consist of records and booklets from the 4-H Boys and Girls Club, two copies of the "Lincoln Lantern" dated 1927, and memorabilia.
The Elma G. Leland Papers contain materials related to the aviation industry in Las Vegas, Nevada from 1948 to 1978. The papers include several aviation publications, articles about Fred W. Kelly, Western Airlines International's first pilot, and newspaper clippings about aviation in Nevada.
This collection is unprocessed. See Access Note for additional information. The Steve Lawrence and Edyie Gormé Papers (approximately 1946-2014) are comprised of photographs, promotional material, certificates, musical arrangements, song catalogs, documentation for their "One More for the Road Tour" (2004-2006), correspondence with celebrities and family members, and some personal papers from their childhood.
The Arnold Shaw Interviews and Performance Recordings (approximately 1962-2014) are recorded radio interviews and stage performances of comedians, entertainers, musicians, and actors. Interviews are conducted by Arnold Shaw, Dick Maurice, Joe Delaney, and Bill Willard. Select interviews have a brief summary at the file-level of the inventory, while remaining interviews are unprocessed and the content and/or participants have not been confirmed.
Oral history interview with Jeffery Silver conducted by Claytee D. White and Stefani Evans on November 14 and 25, 2024 for the Boyer Early Las Vegas Oral History Project. In this interview, Silver recalls his childhood in Beverly Hills, California before his family relocated to Las Vegas, Nevada when Silver was in the fourth grade. His father worked with Tony Cornero at The Stardust Hotel and the family lived in a Francisco Park duplex. Silver attended various local schools, eventually graduating from Las Vegas High School in the same class with Bruce Woodbury and Gardner Jolley. Silver graduated from Northwestern University with an accounting degree, and attended the University of San Diego School of Law. Upon returning to Las Vegas, he joined the accounting firm Laventhol and Horwath (L&H), and at age 22 became Nevada's youngest person to pass the Certified Public Accountant (CPA) exam. Governor Mike O'Callaghan appointed Silver to the Nevada Gaming Control Board, a position that utilized his legal and accounting expertise. In two interview sessions, Silver describes his legal career with the firm Lionel Sawyer Collins, Nevada's North/South power struggle, his relationship with Oscar Goodman, The National Museum of Organized Crime and Law Enforcement (The Mob Museum), his work at The Landmark (1979-1983) during the Wolfram/Tickel era of ownership, his work at the Riviera (ca. 1983-1984) under owner Meshulam Riklis, his short stint at Caesars World (1984), and his various law partnerships over his 50 years of practice. Digital audio and photographs available; no transcript available.
Oral history interview with Nancy Siegert Shepherd conducted by Claytee D. White on October 22, 2024 for the Boyer Early Las Vegas Oral History Project. Shepherd recalls growing up in Illinois with her family and attending Catholic mass services. Shepherd attended Northwestern University where she met her current husband during her freshman year and married after graduation. She recalls relocating several times with her husband to accommodate her husband John's beginning medical practice in ophthalmology. She remembers one city where they lived, Anniston, Alabama, where Shepherd faced segregation including separate drinking fountains, waiting rooms, and bathrooms. Las Vegas, Nevada was the family's last stop in 1968. Shepherd describes her various civic engagements and social organizations, including work related to Spring Mountain State Park, the Junior League of Las Vegas, Medical Wives, Great Basin National Park Foundation, St. Viator's School Board, and the Boys and Girls Club. Digital audio available; no transcript available.
Oral history interview with Earl G. Heron conducted by Claytee D. White on November 22, 2024 for the African Americans in Las Vegas: a Collaborative Oral History Project. Heron recalls his childhood in Queens, New York, where he learned automobile mechanics from his father. He used that knowledge to become a mechanic on fighter planes for the United States Air Force. Heron was stationed for some time at Nellis Air Force Base in Las Vegas, Nevada. He also was stationed in San Antonio, San Bernadino, Wichita Falls, and Fort Bragg. He became a flight engineer and took part in Red Flagg War Games Training while stationed at Nellis AFB. Digital audio available; no transcript available.
The Samoset Chapter of the Colonial Dames XVII Century Records (1970-2022) consist of scrapbooks, volumes of meeting minutes and treasurer’s reports, and National Colonial Heritage Month proclamations from cities throughout Nevada. The materials document the Samoset (Las Vegas) Chapter’s activities, including chapter meetings, community service and events, gifts and scholarships, national and state conferences, and the chapter’s work to place a historic marker at Callville Bay, Lake Mead, Nevada.
Oral history interview with Frank Fahrenkopf conducted by Tony Batt on October 14 through 21, 2024 for the Boyer Early Las Vegas Oral History Project. In this interview, Fahrenkopf begins by recalling his childhood in New York and later moving to Nevada with his father and sister. Following graduation from the University of Nevada, Reno, Fahrenkopf earned a law degree from the University of California in Berkeley. Fahrenkopf details his career as a lawyer, being chairman of the Nevada Republican Party, and his close relationship with Paul Laxalt, and his appointment as chairman of the Republican National Committee in 1983 by Laxalt’s best friend, President Ronald Reagan. He also details how he created the American Gaming Association.