Elizabeth von Till and Claude N. Warren Professional Papers
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Collection Number: MS-00906 Collection Name: Elizabeth von Till and Claude N. Warren Professional Papers Box/Folder: Box 321 (Restrictions apply), Box 325 (Restrictions apply), Box 326 (Restrictions apply)
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.
Organizational records (1960-2021) sub-series contains meeting notes, correspondence, conference programs, research files, and financial records from von Till Warren’s involvement in various organizations. The Nevada Humanities Committee, Friends of Nevada Wilderness, Clark County Comprehensive Planning, the National Trust for Historic Preservation (NTHP), Preservation Association of Clark County (PACC), and Soroptimist International are represented. There is also overlap with organizations such as the GCAC and GHS.
Archival Collection
Elizabeth von Till and Claude N. Warren Professional Papers
To request this item in person:
Collection Number: MS-00906 Collection Name: Elizabeth von Till and Claude N. Warren Professional Papers Box/Folder: N/A
Roundtable discussion with Bob Bellis, Courtney Mooney, Yorgo Kagafas, and Keny Stewart conducted by Claytee D. White on December 12, 2009 for the Voices of the Historic John S. Park Neighborhood Oral History Project. In this roundtable discussion, participants talk about the Historic John S. Park Neighborhood Plan. Kagafas describes his role as project manager for the Plan and the process for obtaining a historic designation. Bellis talks about working with the City of Las Vegas, drafting the Plan, and the community’s input on the contents of the Plan. Stewart explains why many neighbors were hesitant with the historic designation. Later, Mooney describes the home survey process and changes in homes since the 1930s. Lastly, the group discussed other neighborhood plans in Las Vegas, and the importance of having a historic designation in the city.
The Junior League of Las Vegas' Records on the Morelli House Preservation Project contains the records of the Junior League of Las Vegas and the organization's efforts to preserve the Morelli House in downtown Las Vegas, Nevada from 1997 to 2017. Records are comprised of various internal and external planning documents, research files, advertising and publicity, correspondence, grant files, and photographs. Also included in this collection are scans of original planning documents and drawings used by Las Vegas, Nevada architect, Hugh E. Taylor, during construction of the Morelli House in the 1950s.