On February 28, 1979, collector Kenneth P. Young interviewed office manager and real estate broker, Mrs. Bunny Harris (born November 21st, 1920 in Snyder, Texas) in her home in Las Vegas, Nevada. This interview offers an overview of the history of Las Vegas, including transportation, mining, farming, ranching, and housing. During the interview, Mrs. Bunny Harris discusses the Elks Club, Cashman Field, McCarran Airport, Howard Hughes and Nellis Air Force Base.
Jane Greenspun Gale-actor, activist, writer, magazine publisher, philanthropist, and farmer- has filled her life with accomplishments such as the Animal Foundation and Springs Preserve. It has also been a life filled with adventure - from “looking for John Lennon” during her time living and studying acting in London to learning to raise chickens on the acres of the Gilcrease Farm she owns with husband and photographer Jeff Gale. Everyone calls her Janie. Born Jane in 1949, she is the third of four children born to community leaders Barbara and Hank Greenspun. In this oral history, Janie captures the fun of growing up in Las Vegas under the watching eye of Hank. As a teen she and her friends cruised Fremont Street. Several years later she wanted to be arrested protesting the Atomic Test Site, when Hank diverted her into reporting about the event instead. Her Jewish foundation was at Temple Beth Sholom, where her parents were among the founding members. As the Jewish population grew, the tastes in synagogues grew to reflect the change. When Janie’s children preferred the Reform approach at Congregation Ner Tamid, a new family tradition began. She is proud of her background and shares loving stories of time spent with her grandparents as a child and pride in the heroic and dramatic story behind the naming of Hank Greenspun Plaza in Israel. Even her love story with Jeff is a tale made for movies. It unfolds in this engaging oral history interview along with anecdotes that are plucked from her personal history and preserve a reflection of growing up in Las Vegas, one of the Greenspun family of local fame.
The sign for Le Thai restaurant sits at 523 Fremont Street in Downtown Las Vegas. Information about the sign is available in the Southern Nevada Neon Survey Data Sheet. Site address: 523 Fremont St Sign owner: Dan and Shauna Coughlin, Dan doubles as the chef as well Sign details: The buildings original construction year was 1934. The restaurant opened in November of 2011, Le Thai offers a famous Three curry made by Chef Dan Coughlin as well as other traditional Thai food inspired by Dans grandma and mom from Thailand. They also have a beer garden behind their main restaurant. Dan was the owner to Mix zone cafe and is the son of the owner of the King and I (Nikki Bujadham). This building has a tin facade with a pull out canopy for outdoor seating. Sign condition: 5- looks very new and in amazing condition Sign form: Blade Sign-specific description: The blade is mainly made of plastic that is backlit at night time, but has a dark steel border. At the top of the sign is a circle that has Le written in black cursive on the sign, and illuminates red neon at night. Also on this circle portion of the sign it states Downtown Las Vegas in a smaller print type font. This circle is outlined in incandescents, as well as the incandescents being surrounded by red neon. Below the circle there is a red curved arrow that states Thai in black letters that have a white trim, this font looks italicized and has little circles on a part of each of the letters, this makes it a very distinct font for them specifically. Underneath the Words Thai, the sign states Noodles & Bar in a regular white block type font. Sign - type of display: Incandescent light bulbs and neon Sign - media: Plastic and Steel Sign - non-neon treatments: Graphics on plastic portion of the sign are backlit Sign animation: Chasing: Notes: incandescent light bulbs Sign environment: In the East side of Fremont Street, located in between Las Vegas Blvd and 6th street. To the west of the property is the Dont Tell Mama Bar and to the east is Commonwealth. Currently across the street is the Therapy restaurant and the old Emergency Arts building. Sign manufacturer: YESCO Sign designer: Owners Shauna and Dan Sign - date of installation: 2012 Sign - thematic influences: The font that they use for Le and Thai are quite different but it shows the blend of how their restaurant is and does make it more distinguishable since their font draws the attention of people walking by. Sign - artistic significance: With the usage of both Neon and incandescent the sign really does pop out which is a similar trend to many signs over the age, particularly since there is a lot of pedestrian traffic in the region. The arrow is a great direction indicator, as well as it showcases the 1950s blade sign trend with the arrow at the bottom. Survey - research locations: Le Thai restaurant website https://lethaivegas.com/, Assessor's page, and contact with Le Thai LLC Survey - research notes: The assessor's page said the buildings original construction year was 1934 though there was no record of what it originally opened up as. Surveyor: Emily Fellmer Survey - date completed: 2017-08-15 Sign keywords: Graphics; Plastic; Backlit; Steel; Blade; Chasing; Incandescent; Neon; Back to back
Photographic postcard showing homes on 4th and Fremont Street. "Originally home of John S. Park. Purchased in 1918 by W. E. Ferron. House razed [in] 1941 because area became business district. Family moved to 1107 S. 5th Place NE corner 4th & Fremont. Next door, home of Wallie Bracken. ID by Shirley Ferron Swanson 10-25-83." Quote was a hand inscription on the back of the photograph.
The Milan Bakery sign sits at 1625 Fremont Street in Downtown Las Vegas. Information about the sign is available in the Southern Nevada Neon Survey Sheet. Site address: 1625 Fremont St Sign owner: Selak, LLC Sign details: The building was constructed in 1952 (Assessor). Milan Selakovik acquired the property from the Salvation Army in 1966 (Assessor). Sign condition: The sign is condition 2, fair to poor. The paint is flaking. Approximately a third of cabinet bottom has rusted out. No neon remains on the sign. Sign form: Blade sign Sign-specific description: The background of the entire sign is painted red. The top and bottom of the sign are attached to the building by two metal cabinets. The lower cabinet is irregularly shaped. On the west side of the lower cabinet, the telephone and fax numbers are painted in peeling yellow. The paint has almost completely flaked off around the area where a cursive "Fax" formerly appeared. Attached to the street side of the sign is a vertical metal cabinet which runs almost the entire height of the sign. The word "BAKERY" is painted in white sans serif letters which run vertically over most of the cabinet. Extending horizontally from the cabinet toward the building are three small metal cabinets. A horizontal white line is painted on each of the three cabinets. A larger cabinet attached next to the "B" in "BAKERY" extends horizontally toward the building. The cabinet has a medallion shaped black and white cartoon of a baker holding a tray of baked goods. An irregularly shaped cabinet topping the sign contains the name, "MILAN" painted in white sans serif letters. The east side of the sign is painted similarly to the west, except that: 1) a cursive white or silver "Fax" is located at the bottom of the sign to the left of the fax number and, 2) extreme flaking has completely removed what was painted on the medallion at the top of the sign. Sign - type of display: Formerly neon Sign - media: Steel Sign environment: Down on the East side of Fremont Street Sign - date of installation: Based on the acquisition date of the property by Milan Selakovik in 1966, the current design of the sign possibly dates from the 1960's. Sign - date of redesign/move: The unusual shape of the sign indicates that it has been modified over time. The form suggests that the sign was originally a directional arrow which pointed down from the roof toward the entrance to the business, with additional cabinets added later. A 2004 photograph shows the current sign design and color scheme (RoadsidePeek.com). A drawing of a baker's head was located in the medallion where the cartoon baker now resides. The three small cabinets which jut out horizontally from the sign formerly stated, "BREAD", "CAKES" and "PASTRY". The lower portion of the sign advertised "FRESH SANDWICHES". Sign - thematic influences: Their sign showcases similar themes to cartoons, bakers and bakeries. Sign - artistic significance: The sign portrays similar designs to other signs manufactured in the 1960's. Survey - research locations: Clark County Assessor Parcel No. 139-35-315-002. Retrieved from http://www.clarkcountynv.gov/assessor/Pages/PropertyRecords.aspx?H=redrock&P=assrrealprop/pcl.aspx RoadsidePeek.com. Milan Bakery. Retrieved from http://roadsidepeek.com/roadusa/southwest/nevada/vegas/lvsign/lvothersign/index2.htm Surveyor: Mitchell Cohen Survey - date completed: 2017-08-17 Sign keywords: Blade; Neon; Steel
The Gables Motel sits at 1301 Fremont Street in Downtown Las Vegas. Information about the sign is available in the Southern Nevada Neon Survey Sheet. Site address: 1301 Fremont St Sign owner: 1301 Fremont LLC Sign details: The building was constructed in 1946 (Assessor). A postcard circa 1940's shows the property was named "Las Gables Court" and endorsed by AAA (Wikimedia Commons, 2015). Sign condition: The sign is condition 1, very poor. The street side light box is missing over half of its plastic. About three quarters of the bottom of the light box is rusted through. Light bulbs are missing from the lower portion of the light box. The hotel side light box is badly dented on the east side. The paint on the cabinets is faded and flaking. Rust marks are beginning to appear along the seams on the pylon. The neon letters for "VACANCY" are missing from the lower portion of the hotel side light box. Sign form: Pylon Sign Sign-specific description: A metal rectangular pylon painted yellowish tan is located on the hotel side of the sign. The body of the sign is cantilevered out toward the street. Attached to the pole is a metal light box painted red and split into two sections. A second light box is attached to the street side of the first. On the west side, the top plastic section of the hotel side light box advertises "THE GABLES" in cartoon style lettering. The lower portion of the sign is a reader board. The lower portion of the plastic section of the reader board has been hand painted, "POSTAL AND SMOKE SHOP". Over half of the paint on the lower portion of the metal cabinet of the reader board has flaked off. The remaining sans serif skeleton neon on that part of the sign states, "NO". Also on the west side is a street side light box painted yellow. The remaining plastic panels spell out "M - - E " in san serif letters. The bottom of the metal cabinet is rusted out. The light bulbs are missing from the lower portion of the cabinet. On the east side, the plastic on hotel side light box is badly dented. The lower portion of the metal cabinet displays faded sans serif letters which spell out "ANCY". The remainder of the east side is similar to the west. Sign - type of display: Neon, incandescent, lightbox Sign - media: steel and plastic Sign - non-neon treatments: lightbox Sign environment: East Fremont St. surrounded by motels. Sign - date of redesign/move: Yes, but date unknown Sign - thematic influences: The Gables Motel was a country cottage style motor court. The cartoon lettering style of "THE GABLES" may allude to this theme. Sign - artistic significance: Motor courts and cottages Survey - research locations: Assessor's website Survey - research notes: Wikimedia Commons. (2015 June 8). Las Gables Court. Retrieved from https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Las_Gables_Court,_13th_and_Fremont_Streets_(U.S._93_- _95_-_466),_Las_Vegas,_Nevada_(80597).jpg Survey - other remarks: The sign shown in a postcard circa 1940's (Wikimedia Commons, 2015) may have been modified to make the current sign. Surveyor: Mitchell Cohen Survey - date completed: 2017-08-19 Sign keywords: Neon; Incandescent; Steel; Plastic; Light box; Pole sign; Reader board; Internally illuminated
Interview with Charles Salton by George Green on April 23, 1976. Salton discusses arriving in Las Vegas in 1929, after his family had moved from New Jersey to Huntington Beach, California. His father sold real estate, and expected a boom after the authorization for the construction of Hoover Dam. His father was involved in bootlegging and then owned Al's Bar, a drinking and gambling establishment, on the alley at South First Street. Salton describes the area around Fremont Street and Las Vegas Boulevard with businesses and grocery stores, the grammar school and high school, and the hospital. Salton talks about his social activities, including involvement in the Jewish Community Center (Temple Beth Sholom), and several of the bars, clubs and casinos in the area. He briefly discusses the mob influence in the casinos versus corporate ownership and then speaks about the education system in Clark County.
Photograph of Las Vegas in August 1905, looking east down Fremont Street from the Salt Lake depot under construction. Place identified on photo as Los Vegas Nevada.
Transcribed Notes: Handwritten inscription on back: From JW Wilson June 13 1951. 1. Brick stove brought by D. Farnsworth 2. First State Bank 3. L.V. Land & Water. Notes on attached sheet: From Salt Lake Depot then under construction.
Individuals stand in front of Frazier Hall, UNLV's first building. Identified from left to right: 1. Corinne Johnson, 2. Walter Long, 3. Fritz Bell, Director, 4. Dorothy Dorothy. Johnson shakes hands with Long, and Dorothy holds a stack of papers. The building's name can be seen at the top of the image. Inscription with photo reads "Corrine Johnson, not 'Bell', owner of Johnson's Department Store on Fremont Street." [identified by Dorothy Dorothy 11-1-84]