Bernard Vardiman interviews colleague Eddie Buxton (born 1938 in Las Vegas, Nevada), an officer with the North Las Vegas Police Department, about his family heritage and his experiences growing up in Las Vegas. Buxton describes the significance of some of his ancestors, from Rose Warren, who was one of the first Las Vegas pioneers, to Joe and Ernest May, two of the first police officers in Las Vegas. He specifically mentions the 1933 death of Ernest May, the first law enforcement officer in Las Vegas killed in the line of duty. Buxton also recalls the development of both Las Vegas and North Las Vegas over time, including specific locations and what used to be undeveloped land. He also describes going to school in the city, his father’s work on Hoover Dam, and other aspects about the way of life in Las Vegas.
On an unspecified date in 1972, Ronald Johns interviewed Elbert Edwards (born 1907 in Panaca, Nevada) about his life in Southern Nevada. Edwards first talks about his family’s move to Panaca, Nevada in 1864 and talks briefly about his work in Las Vegas public schools during the Great Depression. The two also discuss the Boulder Dam, Edwards’ involvement in politics, and mining in Nevada. He also talks about the cost to build a home in Las Vegas in 1936, the development of Boulder City, and the way of life in the small town of Panaca. The interview then moves on to the topics of the early territorial boundaries of Nevada and Utah, the atomic testing at the Nevada Test Site, and early water sources in Southern Nevada.
Phil Tobin posing on a white horse at an unknown location. In 1931, as a freshman Assemblyman, Phil Tobin introduced a bill to legalize gambling in Nevada. A Humboldt County rancher and buckaroo, the 29-year old had no interest in gambling himself. Instead, he correctly believed legalized gambling would benefit the public and especially schools thanks to tax revenues. At the time, illicit gambling houses were thriving in Las Vegas, and with Hoover Dam slated to begin construction 40 miles away, many feared the increased Federal presence associated with the Dam construction effort would lead to a clamp-down. The measure passed. After serving out his term, Tobin returned to ranch life for good.
38 foot waterwheel on the Muddy River near Logandale, Nevada.
Transcribed Notes: Bureau of Reclamation typed notes appended to back of photo: Boulder Canyon Project, Nevada Region 3 A 38-foot water wheel lifts water 30 feet from the Muddy River to irrigate a farm near Glendale, Nevada.
Black and white image of children standing outside of a cottage (similar to 450 others in the area) built by Six Companies, Inc. for their married employees in Boulder City. Many residents planted cactus and other shrubs indigenous to the area in their lawns.
Black and white view of a man standing with a group of children participating in a summer recreation program entitled "Let's Play Indians" in the Boulder City Library, which was located in the basement of the city's municipal building. The man and children are all wearing feathered headpieces.
Black and white image of the first eighth grade class of Boulder City Elementary School, currently the home of City Hall, located at 401 California Avenue in Boulder City. The principal of the school, Miss Leila Tilley, is visible in the back of the classroom behind the students.
The view of cars parked in front of the Boulder Theater building containing a series of shops, including the Boulder Dam Service Bureau, Theatre Candy Shop, and Uptown Hardware Store, located at 1225 Arizona Street Boulder City, Nevada. Located in the background lies another building, the white Boulder Dam Hotel. Transcribed onto the roof of the hotel: "Boulder Dam Hotel."