Oral history interview with George and Theona (Toni) Garner conducted by Rod Leavitt on March 25, 1987 for the Ralph Roske Oral History Project on Early Las Vegas. In the interview, George Garner discusses his father, who was a Boulder (Hoover) Dam worker and was one of the first homesteaders in the Ash Meadows area in southern Nye County, Nevada. George also describes the Ash Meadows Lodge, which was intended to be a dude ranch by Las Vegas, Nevada promoters. Lastly, George Garner briefly discusses his early life and education in Las Vegas, Nevada. Toni Garner briefly discusses her early life in St. Paul, Minnesota.
Oral history interview with Terry Cavaretta St. Jules and Rejean St. Jules conducted by Claytee D. White on May 02, 2018 for the Boyer Early Las Vegas Oral History Project. In this interview, Terry discusses her upbringing and early interest in trapeze performance. She remembers performing with her siblings, touring with her family, and arriving to Las Vegas, Nevada in 1968. Terry talks about performing at the Circus Circus Hotel and Casino and Las Vegas production shows at the time. Later, Rejean recalls arriving to Las Vegas in 1982 as an acrobat and juggler. He describes performing in the Lido, the Folies, and Jubliee shows. Lastly, Terry and Rejean discuss their career in production shows.
Oral history interview with Miriam Shearing conducted by Claytee D. White on August 15 and September 6, 2017 for the Boyer Early Las Vegas Oral History Project.
Justice Miriam Shearing is the first female member of the Nevada Supreme Court. She talks about her move to Las Vegas in 1968 and the difficulties she faced early on as a woman in the profession of law. Shearing shares how she successfully became a Justice Court Judge and recalls memories from her time on the Supreme Court. She also talks about her husband, Steven Paul Shearing, an ophthalmologist who invented the lens necessary for Lasik eye surgery.
Subjects discussed in first session include: Jim Joyce; Helen Foley; Board of Pardons.
Subjects discussed in second session include: Judge Guy; President Carter; child abuse
Oral history interview With Carolyn Sparks conducted by Claytee D. White on June 7, 2022 for the Boyer Early Las Vegas Oral History Project. In this interview, Sparks describes her childhood growing up in Overton, Nevada where her father worked as a mining engineer. Later the family moved to Las Vegas, Nevada where her father invested in the El Cortez and Showboat hotels. Sparks received a degree from the University of California, Berkeley before returning to Las Vegas to work at an insurance company, where she met her husband, Kenneth. Sparks discusses their shared adventure insuring many of the businesses on the Las Vegas Strip while simultaneously entering the world of philanthropy. Sparks became area Chairperson of the American Cancer Society, a fundraiser for Junior Mesquite Club, and founded the Nevada Children's Center. Sparks served on the Nevada Board of Regents from 1984 to 1996, on the Board of Directors of the Showboat Hotel & Casino, and as president of the family's International Insurance Services, Ltd.
Oral history interview with Gerald Connor conducted by James Bonnell on February 22, 1977 for the Ralph Roske Oral History Project on Early Las Vegas. Connor first discusses moving to Las Vegas, Nevada and serving as a pilot in the United States Air Force. He then discusses his education at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas and his church membership. Topics that Connor discusses during the interview also include changes in the school district and properties located in Downtown Las Vegas and the Las Vegas Strip, his political activity within the Democratic Party, the Helldorado Parades, and the early atomic tests at the Nevada Test Site.
Oral history interview with Theda Grinnell conducted by Fletcher Corey on February 28, 1977 for the Ralph Roske Oral History Project on Early Las Vegas. Grinnell first talks about her move to Nevada and both her and her husband’s employment at the Nevada Test Site. She also talks about the atomic testing blasts, the United States' competition with Russia on nuclear technology, and her employment history. Grinnell later discusses her church membership and goes into detail about the race riots and how they involved and impacted her family. She ends the interview with a discussion of flash floods, the Culinary Workers Union, how World War II affected industry in Las Vegas industry, and the social changes in Las Vegas.
Oral history interview with Elaine and Robert Gallagher conducted by Rod Leavitt on an unknown date in 1974 for the Ralph Roske Oral History Project on Early Las Vegas. In this interview, the Gallaghers discuss moving to Southern Nevada with their families. Robert describes his father’s employment at Hoover Dam (Boulder Dam), and Elaine recalls the construction of the Basic Magnesium Plant in Henderson, Nevada. They describe above-ground atomic bomb testing, entertainment in Las Vegas, Nevada, and social life. Lastly, the two recall population growth in Las Vegas and the increase of casinos along the Strip.
A black and white image of the completed Union Pacific Depot, possibly located in early Las Vegas. Other buildings, like a laundry shop, can be seen clustered around the building.
Oral history interview with Linda Faiss, Helen Foley, and Melissa Warren conducted by Claytee D. White on June 28, 2018 for the Boyer Early Las Vegas Oral History Project.
Linda, Helen, and Melissa are founders and managing partners of Faiss Foley and Warren Public Relations and Government Affairs Agency, started in 1998. The women talk about how they met and started their agency, as well as who their first clients were and how they became involved in larger Las Vegas publicity projects. They also discuss their personal lives and their respective interests within their firm.
Oral history interview with James A. Gay III (Jimmy Gay) conducted by Perry Kaufman on April 12, 1972 for the Ralph Roske Oral History Project on Early Las Vegas. Gay discusses becoming the first African-American mortician in Las Vegas, Nevada and his work improving race relations, social, economic, and civic issues.