Oral history interview with Bertha Gresh conducted by Gary Eagleson on November 30, 1974 for the Ralph Roske Oral History Project on Early Las Vegas. Gresh discusses the history of Las Vegas, Nevada. Gresh then talks about mining and offers details surrounding specific mines, such as the Black Hawk Consolidated or Ran [Rand] Mine, the Techatticup Mine, the Wall Street Mine, and the Duncan Mine. Gresh then discusses the early days of Boulder City, Nevada and Henderson, Nevada. She also briefly mentions Block 16.
Archival Collection
Oral history interview with Mary B. Kieser conducted by Ronald Gray on February 27, 1979 for the UNLV University Libraries Oral History Collection. In this interview, Kieser discusses her early life and moving to Las Vegas, Nevada in 1953. She remembers teaching at the Nellis Air Force Base Elementary School and being a substitute teacher in the 1960s. Kieser talks about insufficient funding for education, the implementation of a double session school model, and the increase of students in Southern Nevada. Lastly, Kieser discusses teacher wages, staggered session school models, the development of sixth grade centers, and the teacher credit union.
Archival Collection
Oral history interview with Jim Marsh conducted by Claytee D. White on June 05, 2012 for the Boyer Early Las Vegas Oral History Project. Marsh discusses arriving in Las Vegas, Nevada in 1971 and buying a car dealership called American Auto Mart. He also discusses buying, building, and owning multiple properties around southern Nevada. Marsh then discusses being a member of business organizations, like the Red Cross and the Salvation Army Advisory Board.
Archival Collection
Oral history interview with Mert Wilber conducted by Gabriel Filippone on March 05, 1977 for the Ralph Roske Oral History Project on Early Las Vegas. Wilber discusses his arrival to Las Vegas, Nevada in 1942 to work for the Basic Magnesium Plant in Henderson, Nevada. Wilber describes how and where the magnesium was mined. Wilber lastly discusses the low crime rate at the time, and the sudden growth in population starting in the 1950s.
Archival Collection
Oral history interview with Patricia Lappin conducted by Nancy Bright on February 26, 1980 for the Ralph Roske Oral History Project on Early Las Vegas. The interview covers Boulder City, Nevada around Hoover Dam. The two discuss the different gambling habits between Southern Nevada locals and Las Vegas tourists. During the latter half of the interview, the two speak at length about the impact of nuclear waste on Nevada. Lappin explains the unique issues that Southern Nevada faces as one of three states to accept nuclear waste.
Archival Collection
Oral history interview with Norman A. Craft conducted by Claytee D. White on August 06, 2015 for the Boyer Early Las Vegas Oral History Project. In this interview, Craft discusses Henderson, Nevada in the 1940s, Victory Village, and Townsite housing and schooling. He then describes teaching at Rancho High School in Las Vegas, Nevada and recalls the application of the Title IX ruling on education. Lastly, Craft discusses race relations at Rancho High School, school riots, and the passing of the Civil Rights Act.
Archival Collection
Oral history interview with Joseph Thiriot conducted by Claytee D. White on August 10, 2000 for the Boyer Early Las Vegas Oral History Project. Thiriot discusses his vivid memories of moving around, including living in Idaho where his father sold an invention that was a forerunner to the typewriter. He also talks about working as a high school teacher.
Archival Collection
Oral history interview with Herb Jeffries conducted by Cork Proctor on 2009 May 5 for the All That Jazz Oral History Project. In the interview Jeffries discusses his life as a singer and actor, entertaining in Las Vegas, Nevada where Frank Sinatra offered support when Jeffries encountered racial discrimination. He also talks about his life after retirement, his family, being an America, his military service, and his relationship with Louis Armstrong and Duke Ellington as a young performer.
Archival Collection
Archival Component
Oral history interview with Laralee Nelson conducted by Claytee D. White on April 20, 2010 for the Boyer Early Las Vegas Oral History Project Oral History Project. Nelson discusses her career as a cataloger at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas Libraries from 1982 to 2010. She also discusses witnessing monumental changes in the library such as changes in leadership, a move from the old Dickinson Library to the new Lied Library, and the impact of the technology on the campus.
Archival Collection