Oral history interview with Michael O'Callaghan conducted by A.D. Hopkins on May 6, 1999 for the Las Vegas Review-Journal First 100 Oral History Project. In this interview, O'Callaghan discusses his early life and his career in the United States Marines and Air Force. O'Callaghan describes moving to Las Vegas, Nevada in 1956 to pursue teaching. He later describes his career as governor of Nevada, specifically his work with the rehabilitation of injured employees and helping senior citizens.
Archival Collection
Oral history interview with Elizabeth N. “Betsy” Fretwell conducted by Stefani Evans and Claytee D. White on August 30, 2016 for the Building Las Vegas Oral History Project. Fretwell discusses her Clark County internship in 1991, and lobbying for the County's interest. She also discusses the pros and cons of City-County consolidation, Oscar Goodman and the University of Nevada, Las Vegas Medical School, and the Smith Center for the Performing Arts. She lastly discusses Downtown Las Vegas regeneration, restaurants, the Fremont Street Experience, and new residential units to increase downtown population.
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Oral history interview with Dorothy Ross Fletcher conducted by Sharon Hildebrandt on June 26, 1975 for the Ralph Roske Oral History Project on Early Las Vegas. In this interview Fletcher discusses prominent visitors to Las Vegas, Nevada, living in Nevada during World War II, atomic testing, and environmental and social change in Las Vegas. She also talks about real estate and development on the Las Vegas Strip.
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Oral history interview with Leonard E. Goodall conducted by David Emerson on March 28, 2006 for the UNLV @ 50 Oral History Project. In this interview Leonard Goodall discusses accepting a position as president of the University of Nevada, Las Vegas in 1979. He then talks about how he oversaw the development of the College of Engineering, helped create the UNLV Foundation, and appointed a number of people to administrative positions in the university.
Archival Collection
Oral history interview with Eleazar “Al” Martinez conducted by Marcela Rodriguez-Campo on October 02, 2018 for the Latinx Voices of Southern Nevada Oral History Project. Martinez describes being Tejano, the role that music played in his family, the origins of his social justice orientation, and his son’s fight for immigration rights. Martinez also describes his time in the United States Navy, his decision to study sociology, and working in community education outreach. He later talks about working with gang members, feminism, having female bosses, and women in politics.
Archival Collection
Oral history interview with Jan Jones Blackhurst conducted by Claytee D. White on December 09, 2016 for the Building Las Vegas Oral History Project. In this interview, Blackhurst discusses her early life in Santa Monica, California. She recalls moving to Las Vegas, Nevada in 1982, her initial interests in politics, and being elected Mayor of Las Vegas. Blackhurst talks about her accomplishments as mayor, the development of Fremont Street Experience, and establishing services for homeless people in Las Vegas. Lastly, Blackhurst discusses managing government relations for Harrah’s (now Caesars Entertainment).
Archival Collection
Oral history interview with Rex Bell, Jr. conducted by Claytee D. White on March 02, 2010 for the Boyer Early Las Vegas Oral History Project. Bell Jr. discusses growing up on the Walking Box Ranch, as the son of movie stars Rex Bell and Clara Bow, and attending law school. He also discusses working in Las Vegas, Nevada with his own law practice and race relations in the city.
Archival Collection
Oral history interviews with Louise Anna Yoxen conducted by Claytee White on October 08, 2003 and October 15, 2003 for the Boyer Early Las Vegas Oral History Project. Yoxen begins her interview by discussing how she first arrived in Las Vegas, Nevada to work for the U.S. State Department in the 1950s. She then describes her childhood in Alabama, competing in the Miss America pageant, and her life in Miami, Florida. Yoxen also discusses living in North Africa and Berlin, Germany while working for the State Department as a clerk. She then talks about moving around with her sister and her family, and eventually coming to Las Vegas. She describes what Las Vegas was like in the 1950s. Yoxen ends her interview with a discussion on her family, her husband's work, and their recreational activities.
Archival Collection
Oral history interview with Christian Chan conducted by Cecilia Winchell, Jerwin Tiu, and Stefani Evans on May 06, 2022 for the Reflections: the Las Vegas Asian American and Pacific Islander Oral History Project. In this interview, Chan begins by describing her childhood in Hong Kong and later moving to San Francisco, California with her family, then to Las Vegas, Nevada in 1965. She recalls attending Sunrise Acres and Roy Martin Middle School before graduating from Valley High School as valedictorian. In college, Chan attended the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV) and graduated with a degree in engineering. After college, she found work in the Las Vegas Valley Water District and became the first woman engineer. During her five years there, she excountered subtle sexism for the first time. Chan continues the interview by describing her work while she lived in California, as well as her years internationally living in the Philippines as well as Ecuador. Throughout the interview, Chan touches on topics ranging from identity, to her impressions of the different generations, discrimination, and the growth of Las Vegas.
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Oral history interview with Betty and Gus Ciliax conducted by Connie Boich on March 2, 1977 for the Ralph Roske Oral History Project on Early Las Vegas. This interview covers Southern Nevada and early development of the area. During the interview, they discussed local recreation, prostitution, Block 16, and various social activities. Additionally, they discussed how the economy changed with the construction of Boulder (Hoover) Dam and Nellis Air Force Base.
Archival Collection