Oral history interview with Frances Moore conducted by Len Trout on March 01, 1979 for the Ralph Roske Oral History Project on Early Las Vegas. Moore begins by discussing her family's history in Nevada and the people she met in Las Vegas, Nevada. She talks about visits by prominent politicians to Las Vegas, the crash of Carole Lombard's plane, and life in Las Vegas during the 1930s and 1940s. Moore also describes how Las Vegas has changed, nuclear weapons tests, and the Stewart Ranch.
Archival Collection
Oral history interview with Nanyu Tomiyasu conducted by Samanthia Kerwin on March 11, 1974 for the Ralph Roske Oral History Project on Early Las Vegas. In this interview, Tomiyasu discusses his family life, being raised on a farm, and enlisting in the United States Army some time between 1940 and 1944. Tomiyasu talks about growing up in Las Vegas, Nevada and witnessing changes in the city including hotel and casino construction and change in ownership. Tomiyasu describes transportation in Nevada and people moving to Las Vegas for job opportunities.
Archival Collection
Oral history interview with Laura Gentry conducted by Harold May on February 26, 1977 for the Ralph Roske Oral History Project on Early Las Vegas. In this interview, Laura Gentry discusses living in St. Thomas and Overton, Nevada. She discusses the development of the Overton and Gold Butte areas of Nevada as well as the people involved in mining in these areas.
Archival Collection
Oral history interviews with Melvin Green conducted by Robin Fults on November 28 and December 1, 2014 for the African Americans in Las Vegas: a Collaborative Oral History Project. In this interview, Green talks about growing up in Bonita, Louisiana and his education through college. He then talks about working for an architectural firm in Connecticut before being recruited to join a firm in Las Vegas, Nevada in 1986. He relates numerous stories about his childhood, discusses problems with discrimination and segregation in the South, and an example of discrimination from a Las Vegas furniture store in the late 1980s. He expands on his views of religion, spirituality, and politics, the importance of travel, of hard work, and commitment. He also gives examples of architectural projects that he has created.
Archival Collection
Oral history interview with Guy Roark conducted by Patricia Elliott on March 10, 1981 for the Ralph Roske Oral History Project on Early Las Vegas. In this interview, Roark discusses changes in Las Vegas, Nevada, specifically the expansion of downtown Las Vegas. Roark then describes the above ground atomic tests and recalls the magnitude of a particular explosion. Lastly, Roark discusses his visits to northern Nevada and describes the nightlife in Reno, Nevada.
Archival Collection
Oral history interview with Larry Canarelli conducted by Claytee D. White on May 01, 2016 for the Building Las Vegas Oral History Project. Canarelli discusses growing up in an Oregon logging town living in a tent, and how that fueled his passion of providing homes for underdeveloped areas. He relates stories of Las Vegas, Nevada's early home development and how the real estate industry has changed throughout the decades.
Archival Collection
Oral history interview with Donn Blake conducted by George Kostic on April 17, 1980 for the Ralph Roske Oral History Project on Early Las Vegas. Blake discusses his role as a Special Projects Coordinator for the City of Las Vegas, Nevada and the various roles he held in historical preservation. Blake also discusses how Las Vegas has grown and evolved over the years. He describes the changes in airport locations over time and mentions the need for historical preservation.
Archival Collection
Oral history interview with Larry Corash conducted by David Schwartz on July 12, 2007 for the Remembering Jay Sarno Oral History Project. In this interview, Corash discusses his family background and involvement in the hospitality industry. He remembers his father’s hotel business, his investments in hotels with Jay Sarno, and the increase in popularity of themed hotels in Las Vegas, Nevada throughout the 1970s. Corash talks about the opening of the Circus Circus Hotel and Casino, the planning for the Grandissimo, and how significant Caesars Palace was to the future of Las Vegas hotels and casinos.
Archival Collection
Oral history interview with Harry Hall conducted by Dennis McBride on June 20, 1986 for the Boulder City Library Oral History Project. Hall discusses how the hope of work on the dam encouraged his move to Nevada with his mother and stepfather. He then talks at some length about living in a tent in Ragtown, the various illegal bootlegging establishments along the dirt road running between Las Vegas and Boulder City, Nevada, and working on the dam. He continues talking about working conditions, the heat, and the labor strike at the dam in August, 1931.
Archival Collection
Oral history interview with Jim Jones conducted by Patrick Carlton on October 28, 2002 for the UNLV @ 50 Oral History Project. In this interview, Jones discusses different points in his career. He begins by talking about his early years in elementary school and his later years while attending Las Vegas High School. Jones discusses being a Las Vegas, Nevada native and becoming a dentist after a few years of graduate school. He discusses the different wars that took place over the years, and talks about his time serving in the military during the Korean War. Some of his most memorable experiences mainly revolved around being a traveling dentist.
Archival Collection