Oral history interviews with Unette and Richard King conducted by Claytee D. White on March 19, 2015 and January 30, 2018 for the Boyer Early Las Vegas Oral History Project. Richard King begins by describing his early upbringing in Canada before moving to the United States, and eventually moving to Nevada in 1940. He talks about living in Whitney, Nevada before moving to the Huntridge area of Las Vegas, Nevada and describing life in the two places during World War II. He also discusses his father's life and career, working for the railroad in Las Vegas, working as a journeyman printer for Pop Squires, and later owning several newspaper publications, which included the Whitney News, Las Vegas Tribune, Hendersonian, Henderson Herald, and North Las Vegas Sun. Unette King describes her upbringing as a Las Vegas native and her father, who was a construction worker for the Hoover Dam (Boulder Dam). Throughout the interviews, the couple discuss Las Vegas history and aspects of life in the city, including the development of casinos, recreation activities, race relations, and how the city has changed. The two conclude the interview by discussing their reaction to the 1 October mass shooting in Las Vegas, how the city came together following the shooting, and accusations of sexual harassment against Steve Wynn.
The publications series (1930-1983) contains magazines, travel guides, tourist pamphlets, and maps of the Southwest United States. Materials include Las Vegas tourist magazines with advertisements for local hotels and events. Travel guides for areas such as Death Valley and Hoover Dam are indicative of Woodruff’s time as a tour operator for Riddle Yellow Cab Scenic Tours Co. and provide documentation for the growth of American travel and the development of national parks. The series also contains many Henderson Industrial Days publications, dating from 1960 to 1973.
Archival Collection
Robert Woodruff Papers
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Collection Number: MS-00455 Collection Name: Robert Woodruff Papers Box/Folder: N/A
From the Morgan Sweeney Photograph Collection (PH-00228). Arizona wing of the Hoover Dam powerhouse. Showing is the removal of concrete plug from A-9 draft tube opening.
Illustration on a postcard of giant tunnels creating diversions for the Colorado River during the construction of Hoover Dam. The caption reads: "Diverting the Colorado River through giant tunnels."