Oral history interview with Dan McKenzie conducted by Connie Degerness on February 12, 1975 for the Boulder City Library Oral History Project. In this very short interview, McKenzie explains why he came to Nevada from Arizona, finding work on the Hoover Dam construction in April 1930, and then lists all of his subsequent work in maintenance and mechanics during the dam's construction.
Archival Collection
Oral history interview with Max Goot conducted by Charles Collins on March 22, 1976 for the Ralph Roske Oral History Project on Early Las Vegas. Goot recalls the growth of Las Vegas, Nevada after 1945. He also talks about winning the Man of the Year Award from his temple.
Archival Collection
Oral history interview with Tyrone Williams conducted by Claytee D. White on August 25, 2006 for the UNLV @ 50 Oral History Project. Williams discusses arriving at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV) and his various jobs there. He recalls that blacks were not welcome on the Las Vegas, Nevada Strip unless they were going to work in one of the hotels or casinos. Williams then describes joining the Executive Housekeepers Association. The interview concludes with a short discourse on social life and positive aspects of life in Las Vegas.
Archival Collection
Oral history interview with James Sparrow conducted by Lonnie McDonald on March 09, 1976 for the Ralph Roske Oral History Project on Early Las Vegas. In this interview, Sparrow discusses his personal history and the history of Las Vegas, Nevada. Sparrow discusses life in early Las Vegas, how Las Vegas has changed, and the development of the Strip. Sparrow also discusses race relations in Las Vegas and the establishment of the Nevada Test Site.
Archival Collection
Oral history interview with Walter Casey conducted by Claytee D. White on November 15, 2004 and January 13, 2005 for the Boyer Early Las Vegas Oral History Project. Walter Casey discusses the history of Las Vegas, Nevada from 1951 with a business-related perspective. Topics that he discusses include: Paradise Valley before development; K-12 education before the creation of the Clark County School District; Chamber of Commerce; Las Vegas News Bureau; Live Wire Fund; the rise of corporate gaming; National Association of Manufacturers and lobbying. Casey then discusses the leisure activities that he would engage in including the Hualapai Club, as well as discussing the Southern Nevada Water Authority.
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 Marilyn Tinnell conducted by John Grygo on June 19, 2012 for the Boyer Early Las Vegas Oral History Project. Tinnell begins by discussing her personal history, the history of Henderson, Nevada, and how the Basic Townsite evolved into the city of Henderson. She continues, discussing the African American population of the Carver Park community in Henderson, who lived there due to segregation before Henderson was integrated. Tinnell describes life in Henderson during the 1950s, attending Basic High School with Harry Reid, and attending the University of Nevada, Las Vegas to pursue a career in social work. Tinnell details her career as a social worker, working as an investigator for Child Protective Services and as a family services specialist for foster care families.
Archival Collection
Oral history interview with Nell Jeffers conducted by Yatska Aldarondo on February 26, 1980 for the Ralph Roske Oral History Project on Early Las Vegas. Jeffers discusses her work as the student and faculty counselor at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. She also discusses some of the hardships of living in a desert, as well as her plans to move into private psychiatric practice.
Archival Collection
Oral history interview with Evan Blythin conducted by Patricia van Betten on September 26, 2006 for the History of Blue Diamond Village in Nevada Oral History Project. Blythin opens his interview by discussing his early life on an Arizona ranch and his decision as a young adult to pursue higher education, which led to his PhD in philosophy and communications. He then talks about his move to Nevada in the late 1960s to teach communications at Nevada Southern University, now the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, and his work to develop the communications department at the university. Later in the interview, he discusses his family's move to Blue Diamond Village from Las Vegas, Nevada, and the community's transition after the Blue Diamond Mine ceded control of the village to the inhabitants. He also talks about his work with the Blue Diamond Recreation Association and his artwork.
Archival Collection
Oral history interview with Beverly Mathis conducted by Claytee D. White on July 20, 2016 for the African Americans in Las Vegas: a Collaborative Oral History Project. In this interview, Mathis discusses her early life in Trenton, Tennessee. She talks about experiencing discrimination, the importance of voting, and attending the University of Tennessee at Martin. Mathis describes moving to Las Vegas, Nevada in 1976 and being an African American elementary teacher at the time. Lastly, Mathis discusses her thoughts on education in Nevada.
Archival Collection