Oral history interview with Lucille Down conducted by James Down on February 21, 1972 for the Ralph Roske Oral History Project on Early Las Vegas. Down discusses the lives of Union Pacific Railroad workers, and her first job, which was at the Southern Nevada Telephone Company. She also discusses recollections on the social, recreational, religious, and economic changes that contributed to the development of Las Vegas, Nevada.
Archival Collection
Oral history interview with Roger H. Dudley conducted by Elisabeth McLaren on March 7, 1981 for the Ralph Roske Oral History Project on Early Las Vegas. During the interview, Dudley discusses his childhood, his parents, grade school, World War II, atomic testing, the Mesquite Club, development of the Las Vegas, Nevada Strip, rodeos, Howard Hughes, Paradise Valley, and changes in Las Vegas.
Archival Collection
Oral history interview with Edelweiss Solano conducted by Cecilia Winchell, Jerwin Tiu, and Stefani Evans on August 25, 2022 for the Reflections: The Las Vegas Asian American and Pacific Islander Oral History Project. In this interview, Solano discusses her childhood in the Philippines and later studying business administration in college to help her family's business. Solano met and married her husband, and the couple moved to the United States for work opportunities. In addition to volunteering for a number of organizations, Solano works for the Asian Community Development Council (ACDC) in Las Vegas, Nevada. Throughout the interview, Solano touches on cultural celebrations, the immigration process, her parents, and the biggest issue facing the AAPI community today.
Archival Collection
Oral history interview with William W. Boyd conducted by Theresa Bradley on February 26, 1981 for the UNLV University Libraries Oral History Collection. Boyd discusses his involvement in the gaming industry of Las Vegas, Nevada. Boyd talks specifically about his experiences with five-card stud poker and his introduction of poker games without dealers to the poker room. Boyd also talks about his role as poker room manager at the Golden Nugget and how he was present to open the room when the casino first opened.
Archival Collection
Oral history interview with Mustafa Richards conducted by Claytee D. White on March 10, 2013 for the African Americans in Las Vegas: a Collaborative Oral History Project. He discusses working as the only black bellman at the time for the Imperial Palace Hotel and Casino and became the first African American bell captain. He also discusses his wife working for the Las Vegas, Nevada Clark County Library District for thirty years. Mustafa then discusses becoming a Muslim in the early 1990s and being appointed to be an Imam, a mosque officer, soon afterwards.
Archival Collection
Oral history interview with Richard E. Schroeder conducted by Richard Harrah on February 26, 1979 for the Ralph Roske Oral History Project on Early Las Vegas. In this interview, Schroeder discusses arriving to Las Vegas, Nevada in 1951 to work as a carpenter for the Desert Inn. Schroeder then describes changes in Las Vegas, gambling, and the development of the Las Vegas Strip. Lastly, he discusses the history of some of the hotels and casinos on Fremont Street.
Archival Collection
Oral history interview with Laurence Ullom conducted by Cathy Pickins on March 04, 1976 for the Ralph Roske Oral History Project on Early Las Vegas. Ullom discusses Las Vegas, Nevada history involving World War II, atomic bomb testing, and Helldorado Parade. Ullom also gives insight on the construction of Boulder (Hoover) Dam.
Archival Collection
Oral history interview with Mary K. Rymer conducted by Mary Fitzgerald on May 04, 1977 for the Ralph Roske Oral History Project on Early Las Vegas. In this interview, Rymer discusses her career as a nurse in Las Vegas, Nevada, which began at Clark County Hospital. Rymer tells several anecdotes of her experiences during her career, and discusses how hospitals have changed and evolved in Las Vegas. Rymer goes on to discuss her short retirement from nursing, before returning to the profession after being hired as a nurse for the Culinary Workers Union Local 226 in Las Vegas.
Archival Collection
Oral history interview with Patricia Deverell conducted by Patrick Kiser on April 26, 1986 for the UNLV University Libraries Oral History Collection. Deverell discusses the various population and climate changes that she has witnessed in Nevada, as well as major events such as the above-ground atomic testing. Deverell also mentions her occupation in the gaming industry and describes some of the changes in the industry over time.
Archival Collection
Oral history interview with Jerry Lockhart conducted by O’Sheyon Rollins on April 17, 2015 for the African Americans in Las Vegas: a Collaborative Oral History Project. In this interview, Lockhart discusses his personal history and moving to Las Vegas, Nevada in 1965 after transferring to Nevada Southern University (now University of Nevada, Las Vegas). He talks of his impressions of the city at the time, his first accounting job at Southwest Gas Corporation, and his employment with the Internal Revenue Services (IRS) in the 1970s. Lockhart then recalls being the first African American Certified Public Accountant (CPA) in Nevada in 1977 and being appointed to the Nevada Gaming Commission in 1983. Later, Lockhart discusses the process to qualify for employment as a CPA and owning a CPA firm in the 1980s. Lastly, he describes West Las Vegas businesses and shares his thoughts on the growth of the Westside.
Archival Collection