Courtney Mooney is the Urban Design Coordinator for the City of Las Vegas. Her job description includes a knowledge of historic preservation, which is her passion. In this interview she shares her professional and personal thoughts about John S. Park Neighborhood. She moved to John S. Park in 2002. As a professional she explains that "how I look at preserving neighborhoods or buildings, is more of a community preservation, not saving the individual building for the individual building's sake..." Courtney offers a big picture of the neighborhood's past, present and future. John S. Park, like so many other Las Vegas neighborhoods, was built during World War II and has been affected by history of segregation and the wave of changing demographics, and the work that went into the plan and requirements to be designated a historic neighborhood. Courtney provides a summary of the story about the land, its ownership and what lead to the foundation of the neighborhood: from John S. Park to George Franklin and John Law, to Mary Dutton and explains how the proposed development of the land differed from other communities being built to FHA standards and specifics that declared Las Vegas a Defense City in the 1940s. She lists the factors that made the neighborhood a logical and important target for the historic designation, a small neighborhood tucked away, that is "a snapshot of the types of people that were coming here," filled with community leaders, entrepreneurs, blue-collar and casino workers. She also mentions about the missed opportunity of the Las Vegas High School neighborhood for preservation while supporting the John S. Park designation.

Map of housing subdivision outside the Las Vegas city limits. 'Approved this 28 day of July1942, by the City Planning Commission of the City of Las Vegas, County of Clark, Nevada. Approved this 28 day of July 1942, by the County Planning Commission of the County of Clark, State of Nevada.' Blueline print. Oriented with north to the upper right. Embossed with Engineering Certificate seal of Frank D. Rathburn, which states. 'Survey completed August 4, 1942.' 'Book II, page 53' hand printed in lower right corner. Signed by Clark County, Nevada Notary Public and other coumty officials and officials of El Rancho Village. Published by Office of F.D. Rathbun. Scale [ca. 1:600]. 1 inch to 50 feet

Highway near Boulder City, Nevada, 1931.