Oral history interview with Maxine Buckles conducted by Irene Rostine on September 20, 1995 for the Women's Research Institute of Nevada (WRIN). In this interview, Buckles discusses her life in Boulder City, Nevada in the 1930s and 1940s. She talks about her high school years, working for a bank, and working for the Rheem Manufacturing Company at the Basic Magnesium Incorporated (BMI) industrial complex during World War II. Buckles describes working conditions for women, unions, and security at the BMI industrial complex.
Archival Collection
Oral history interview with professional dancer Diana Saunders conducted by Barabra Tabach on April 17, 2017 for the Southern Nevada Jewish Heritage Oral History Project. Diana shares stories of long career as a dancer, from substituting in the black dancer line to continued study of dancing with Anglo Moio. She also talks about the AIDS fundraising event, Golden Rainbow, having dinner at Rabbi Shea Harlig’s home, observations of local theater, being a part of the former Star Trek Experience at the Las Vegas Hilton, Hallelujah Hollywood, and a dancer for Siegfried and Roy.
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Oral history interviews with Rosemary Q. Flores conducted by Elsa Lopez on October 16, 2018 and October 29, 2018 for the Latinx Voices of Southern Nevada Oral History Project. In these interviews, Flores discusses her family background and early life in Reno, Nevada. She recalls her father’s decision to move to Nevada in search of job opportunities. Flores then describes her move to Sonora, Mexico with her siblings and compares schooling in Sonora and Reno. She talks about moving back to Reno, her employment at Harrah’s Reno Hotel and Casino while still in school, and recalls graduating in the top twenty of her high school class. Later, Flores discusses her experiences attending the University of Nevada, Reno, the struggles of being Latina in higher education, and the influence that multicultural education has on her. She talks about moving to Las Vegas, Nevada in 1997 and her involvement with the Multicultural Education Services Alliance (MESA) at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. Lastly, Flores recalls co-founding a nonprofit organization, The Family Leadership Initiative.
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Oral history interview with Shelley Bristol conducted by Barbara Tabach on November 10, 2015 for the Southern Nevada Jewish Heritage Project. Bristol recalls moving from California to Las Vegas, Nevada to attend UNLV, returning to California and then back to Las Vegas in the 1980s. She discusses people and places, the Culinary Union, her podcast, and her parents' involvement in B'nai Brith in Southern California, as well as her own activities in efforts to control the spread of HIV/AIDS through education and outreach.
Archival Collection
Oral history interview with Cristina Alano conducted by Cecilia Winchell and Stefani Evans on September 9, 2022 for the Reflections: The Las Vegas Asian American and Pacific Islander Oral History Project. In this interview, Alano recalls a happy childhood in Pampanga, Philippines. After attending college for a banking and finance degree, she briefly worked at a bank before marrying her husband and immigrating to the United States. She would go on to move to Colorado where she lived for seven years, and finally moving to Las Vegas, Nevada in 2003. Alano recalls her first jobs in Las Vegas, including Walmart, SEI Electronics, a cashier at the Riviera, and finally the airport where works as a supervisor at Hudson as well as an assistant manager at Brighton. She discusses what she has done at each job and how she ended up getting involved with the Culinary Union in 2016. Since joining the union, she has done everything from being a shop steward to canvassing, most recently flying down to Georgia to help campaign for Senator Warnock. Throughout the rest of the interview, she discusses everything from food, to festivals, and her family.
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Oral history interview with Tom Hawley conducted by Claytee D. White and Su Kim Chung on September 21, 2021 for the Boyer Early Las Vegas Oral History Project.
Tom Hawley was born in Las Vegas, New Mexico, but found home in Las Vegas, Nevada where his father worked as a professional musician. A local historian and TV reporter from a helicopter, Hawley reported the traffic and contributed local stories of great interest. After radio and TV jobs in the mid-1980s, Tom began reporting in 1988 and joined the News 3 team in 1995. Outside of the workplace, he enjoyed classical music and hiking. He played with the Henderson Symphony where his instrument was the string bass. Hiking has taken him to the slopes of Mount Kilimanjaro and to the apex of Mount Charleston. Three weeks after the conclusion of this interview, Tom Hawley passed away after his battle with pancreatic cancer. He was 60 years old.
Subjects discussed include: Star Policy; Production Shows; KUNV; Bob Stoldal; Henderson Symphony.
Archival Collection
Oral history interview with Lucela M. Wattin conducted by Stefani Evans on December 6, 2021 for Reflections: The Las Vegas Asian American and Pacific Islander Oral History Project. Lucela shares memories of her life growing up in Cebu Province, Philippines and being raised by her mother and grandparents after her father's death. She talks about immigrating to the United States under her fiancée's visa, moving to Chinatown in Las Vegas, and her work as a busser at the Excalibur Hotel. Lucela discusses how joining the Culinary Workers Union improved her work conditions and benefits, and how she is working with the union and a legal attorney to help her daughter immigrate to America. She also shares her favorite Filipino dishes (sinagang, chicken adobo, and bugas mais), holiday traditions, and what life was like when casinos shut down during COVID-19.
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Oral history interview with Marie McMillan conducted by Kelli Luchs on September 15, 2009, September 23, 2009 October 01, 2009, and November 24, 2009 for the Boyer Early Las Vegas Oral History Project. In this interview, Marie McMillan discusses life during the Great Depression and World War II. She then talks about marrying Duke Daly, raising a family with him, Daly passing away, moving to Las Vegas, Nevada in 1961, and working at the Nevada Test Site. She then discusses being a single mother, marrying James McMillan, and her great passion for aviation. She also talks about her role as a leader in the African American community and her flying records.
Archival Collection
Oral history interview with Patricia Bryan conducted by Stephen Kulifay on February 20, 1979 for the Ralph Roske Oral History Project on Early Las Vegas. In this interview Patricia Bryan discusses her education at University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) and Northwestern and her move to Las Vegas, Nevada in 1947. Bryan also discusses her family’s involvement in the soda bottling industry and eventual involvement in real estate. She goes on to describe a wide range of topics including the first hotel properties in the city, the entertainers at the time, minority communities, the railroad, shopping, and housing. She also discusses the popularity of Las Vegas, with a focus on tourists and gaming. Digital audio and transcript available.
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Oral history interview with Kent Carmichael conducted by Stefani Evans on November 25 and December 2, 2019 for the Boyer Early Las Vegas Oral History Project.
In the first session of this oral history, Carmichael discusses his early career in lighting design and maintenance from his start at Interstate Neon to his work in the 1950s and 60s in Las Vegas. He discusses some of the iconic signs he built including the Casino Center, Carnival Room, Thunderbird, The Frontier, Bonanza, and the Stardust. He also details the technology and inner workings of these innovative signs including the transition from mechanical to electrically controlled signage. Carmichael continues to discuss Native American laborers and various individuals that he interacted with throughout his early career including Max and Mo Oggenblick, Doby Doc, Benny Binion, Arby Alper, Steve Wynn, Peter Arp, and Wayne and Jerry Newton. Carmichael ends the first interview by recalling a high wind event that damaged the Frontier sign and his efforts to bring the sign under control and repair it as well as his vision and behind the Stardust sign.
The second oral history interview contains Carmichael’s discussion of his career from 1968 onward. He immediately picks up discussion of the Stardust sign and his transition to desk work. Carmichael details the challenge and limitations of designing the International sign (the Westgate as of 2021). He describes the development of his first messenger sign for the International and the time consuming task of using tape to program the sign. He fondly remembers working on the Holiday Inn Riverboat signs, and International transition to Las Vegas Hilton and the Hilton’s transition from blue to red letters. Carmichael shares the story of being caught between organized crime and a young Steve Wynn. He recounts his last project for Ad Art, developing and construction the sign for the Louisiana Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana. He details working through legislative and construction issues as well as the fallout from the Nat Kiefer Commission.
After leaving Ad Art Carmichael began working with Heath and Co. and began collaborating with Raul Rodriguez. Carmichael and Rodriguez went on to design some of the most enduring and visually unique signs in Las Vegas including, the Flamingo, Four Queens, Golden Nugget, Dunes Hotel, and the Desert Inn. They also worked in Reno on Circus Circus and El Dorado. Carmichael also details his interior work including the main pylon and interior signs for MGM Grand; 1974 renovation Golden Nugget, suspended stained glass ceiling at Tropicana, and the MGM Lion display. Lastly Carmichael outlined his work with Young Electric Sign 1983-85 and the Dewey Sign Company including the Las Vegas Convention Center sign. He ends by sharing his views on the role and importance of lighting in Las Vegas.
Archival Collection