Oral history interview with Florence Schroeder conducted by DeAnn E. Hunt on March 08, 1978 for the Ralph Roske Oral History Project on Early Las Vegas. In this interview, Schroeder discusses her employment with the Extension Service as a home demonstration agent in Southern Nevada. She also describes her employment as a teacher in Clark County and Lincoln County, and explains her involvement with the American Association of University Women (AAUW). Later, Schroeder discusses the education system and social life in Southern Nevada.
Archival Collection
Oral history interview with Robert Bugbee conducted by Karol Sorrells on July 08, 1975 for the Ralph Roske Oral History Project on Early Las Vegas. Bugbee briefly discusses his role as part of the Savings and Loan Commission in Nevada, as well as his thoughts on the above-ground atomic testing. He then talks about gaming and mining, the development of the Las Vegas Strip, and some of the biggest floods storms in the city. He mentions some of the early important community figures and talks about how Las Vegas, Nevada has grown over time, specifically in education. Bugbee later talks about the Sheriff’s Jeep Posse and eventually his thoughts on racial issues and prejudice in Las Vegas.
Archival Collection
Oral history interview with Robert Bugbee conducted by John Lopez on March 16, 1981 for the Ralph Roske Oral History Project on Early Las Vegas. Bugbee discusses his move to Las Vegas, Nevada in 1953 and how both the population and housing have changed since then. Bugbee additionally speaks about the changes in infrastructure, including the building of roads and increased air travel. Throughout the interview, he mentions some of the various specific housing tracts that were built throughout Las Vegas. Bugbee also mentions topics such as the building of Hoover Dam, the first popular casinos in town, the Carole Lombard crash, and the MGM Grand fire. The interview finalizes with Bugbee’s thoughts on the future of Las Vegas.
Archival Collection
Oral history interview with Hank Kovell conducted by Patrick F. Smith on September 26, 1973 for the Ralph Roske Oral History Project on Early Las Vegas. In the interview, Kovell briefly discusses his life in Northern California before moving to Las Vegas, Nevada in July 1956, where he would open and run a Las Vegas, Nevada advertisement agency, Kovell Inc., between 1964 and 1969. He then discusses his company's publications of political campaigns, Las Vegas casino publicity, and his work as a public relations director in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Archival Collection
Oral history interview with Harold Smith conducted by Troy Durham on July 08, 1975 for the Ralph Roske Oral History Project on Early Las Vegas. In this interview, Smith discusses arriving to Las Vegas, Nevada in 1943 and recalls his first impressions of the city. Smith also talks about his employment at the Basic Magnesium Plant in Henderson, Nevada. Finally, he discusses the development of Fremont Street, recreational activities, and the Las Vegas Strip.
Archival Collection
Oral history interview with Goldie Spicer conducted by Elmer Herren on February 12, 1977 for the Ralph Roske Oral History Project on Early Las Vegas. Spicer discusses working as a cocktail waitress. She also talks about the boom that Las Vegas, Nevada went through when the first casinos were being built, and when the construction of the Boulder (Hoover) Dam occurred. She discusses El Rancho, Twin Lakes, and the Taylor Ranch.
Archival Collection
Oral history interview with Hugh Shirkey conducted by Patricia van Betten on February 04, 2010 for the History of Blue Diamond Village in Nevada Oral History Project. In this interview, Shirkey discusses his personal history and arriving to Blue Diamond, Nevada in 1950. He talks about his employment at the Blue Diamond Mine as an electrician. Shirkey describes what life was like at the village as a single worker, the development of the mining plant, how the plant was managed, and traveling to Las Vegas, Nevada. Lastly, Shirkey recalls moving to Las Vegas and retiring from the mining plant.
Archival Collection
Oral history interview with Christine Szukala conducted by Bridgette Foote on November 12, 2021 for Reflections: The Las Vegas Asian American and Pacific Islander Oral History Project.
Christine shares her family history and the story of her Thai mother and American Air Force father who met in Thailand and married before moving to the United States in 1970. She talks about her upbringing in Las Vegas, Nevada near Nellis Air Force base with her six siblings. Christine discusses her beliefs of how her newly immigrated mother adapted to American life, including altering her recipes to fit her husband's taste and reducing her visits to nearby Buddhist temples.
Archival Collection
Oral history interview with Bruce Layne conducted by Claytee D. White on 2004 June 18, June 29, July 13, and July 20 for the Boyer Early Las Vegas Oral History Project. In this interview, Bruce Layne discusses moving to Las Vegas, Nevada in 1955 at ten years old, his two childhood friends Governor Bob Miller and Tito Tiberti, and becoming president of Layne and Associates, the largest insurance agency in Nevada. He then discusses the growth of Las Vegas, life in Las Vegas, having Parkinson's disease, running for lieutenant governor, and his insurance business.
Archival Collection
Oral history interview with Lambert VanDerMeer conducted by Eric H. Newton on February 28, 1979 for the Ralph Roske Oral History Project on Early Las Vegas. In the interview, VanDerMeer discusses his birth in Holland, living in Chicago, Illinois and Southern California, and finally settling in Las Vegas, Nevada in 1926. VanDerMeer also talks about his marriage in Las Vegas and running a dairy and ice house. Other subjects VanDerMeer discuss include the the Las Vegas Chamber of Commerce, the growth of Las Vegas over time, and the history of Las Vegas from 1926 to 1955.
Archival Collection