Oral history interview with Javier Barajas conducted by Laurents Banuelos-Benitez, Marcela Rodriguez, and Barbara Tabach on November 20, 2018 for the Latinx Voices of Southern Nevada Oral History Project. In this interview, Javier Barajas describes his cultural upbringing and his Mexican heritage. He explains how he helped his grandparents in their restaurant, La Flor Michoacan, and learned how to cook during his time in seminary. He eventually moved to Las Vegas, Nevada to pursue his career. Barajas mentions that his first opportunity to practice cooking was when he worked as an executive chef for the owner of the restaurant Viva Zapata. After the restaurant closed down, Barajas went on to open his own restaurant, El Lindo Michoacan, and it became a popular place to enjoy Mexican cuisine in Las Vegas.
Archival Collection
Oral history interview with Edith Fernandez conducted by Marcela Rodriguez-Campo and Claytee D. White on September 27, 2018 for the Latinx Voices of Southern Nevada Oral History Project. In this interview, Fernandez discusses her upbringing in Las Vegas, Nevada and growing up in the Charleston Heights neighborhood. She recalls living in a predominantly white community, and the growth of Latinx families in that area. Fernandez talks about her educational experience in the city, her father’s involvement with Culinary Worker Union Local 226, and identifying as a Chicana American. Later, Fernandez remembers her involvement with opening the Cambridge Center, working with the Latino Youth Leadership Conference (LVLC), and becoming the District Director for Representative Steven Horsford. Lastly, Fernandez discusses her role as the Associate Vice President at Nevada State College (NSC).
Archival Collection
Oral history interview with Vincent Novotny conducted by Carol Linton on March 05, 1981 for the Ralph Roske Oral History Project on Early Las Vegas. In this interview, Novotny discusses moving to Las Vegas, Nevada from Ohio after joining the Civilian Conservation Corps. Novotny discusses how Las Vegas has changed, the effect the Hoover (Boulder) Dam had on the city's growth, and the crash of Carole Lombard's plane. Novotny also briefly describes how he got his real estate license and shows the interview collector a series of pictures of his travels around the state of Nevada.
Archival Collection
Oral history interview with Fred Goldberg conducted by Barbara Tabach on December 03, 2017 for the Remembering 1 October Oral History Project. In this interview, Fred Goldberg shares his experience of flying to Las Vegas, Nevada on October 1, 2017 while the mass shooting occurred on the Strip as well as his eventual arrival in Las Vegas. He describes the changes in travel after the shooting, including the plane's diverted course due to the McCarran airport lockdown and the enforced luggage check at his hotel in Las Vegas. Goldberg discusses his confusion regarding what had happened and his discovery of the tragic events that had occurred.
Text
Oral history interview with Eldon Cunningham conducted by Randall Williams on March 14, 1981 for the Ralph Roske Oral History Project on Early Las Vegas. In this interview Cunningham talks about why he moved to Las Vegas, Nevada, his experience in World War II, his work with Clark County Electric, his work at the Nevada Test Site, experiments at the Nevada Test Site, and his former hunting practices.
Archival Collection
Oral history interview with Irene Doty conducted by Jackie Ogden on March 20, 1977 for the Ralph Roske Oral History Project on Early Las Vegas. Doty discusses the first casino properties and restaurants in Las Vegas, Nevada. She also describes her experiences as a justice of the peace, living conditions during World War II, her experiences in Goodsprings, Nevada, and being a juror in several murder trials.
Archival Collection
Oral history interview with Lillian Morrison conducted by Dennis McBride on February 05 and 10, 1996 and July 29, 1996 for the Boulder City Library Oral History Project. Morrison opens her interview by discussing life in rural Iowa, her family, and their farm. She discusses how the farm operated in detail and what farming was like in the 1930s. Morrison describes moving to Boulder City, Nevada for employment opportunities. Morrison then describes the Six Companies, her husband's work there, and what living in Six Companies housing was like. Morrison then discusses working at Hoover Dam (Boulder Dam), race relations between African American and white workers, and discovering her own prejudices. She also talks about working for the National Park Service. Lastly, Morrison describes Boulder City, and important people living in the city.
Archival Collection
Oral history interview with Elbert Edwards conducted by Roger Armstrong on June 30, 1975 for the Ralph Roske Oral History Project on Early Las Vegas. Edwards discusses his life in Panaca and Lincoln County, Nevada. He also talks about Native Americans, Mormonism, and Meadow Valley, Nevada. He discusses the Bennett-Arcan Party, a Death Valley party involved with the 1840s’ gold rushes, and its members.
Archival Collection
Oral history interview with Sara Kalaoram conducted by Alexandra Arabshian on November 15, 2021 for Reflections: The Las Vegas Asian American and Pacific Islander Oral History Project. Sara Kalaoram shares her immigration story to the United States from Singapore in 2002 at the age of four. She talks about her upbringing in Las Vegas, Nevada, her education from Arizona State University, and her work with the Culinary Workers Union and with Assemblyman Steve Yeager as his campaign manager and executive assistant. Sara Kalaoram discusses cultural differences between Singapore and the United States, the immigration stories of her parents, and her experience as an Asian-American immigrant in the twenty-first century.
Text
Oral history interview with Donna L. Miller conducted by Claytee D. White on July 15, 2015 for the Boyer Early Las Vegas Oral History Project. Miller begins by describing her early upbringing on her family's potato farm in Oregon before moving to Las Vegas, Nevada. She discusses attending Las Vegas High School, joining the Rhythmettes, the school's female dance group, and her experiences in the Rhythmettes, including where she performed and the team's coach, Evelyn Stuckey. Miller also briefly discusses working as a secretary at the Sahara Hotel and Casino and real estate in Las Vegas.
Archival Collection