Oral history interview with Willis Evans conducted by Kathleen Morgan La Spina on December 02, 1986 for the Ralph Roske Oral History Project on Early Las Vegas. Evans discusses arriving and living in Las Vegas, Nevada. Evans also discusses being involved in the civic organization, District Attorney Youth Advisory Group. The interview concludes with a discussion of Boulder (Hoover) Dam, and changes in Las Vegas’ economy, politics, and environment.
Oral history interview with Edna Gray Fox conducted by an unidentified interviewer on February 03, 1972 for the Ralph Roske Oral History Project on Early Las Vegas. Fox discusses the Last Frontier Hotel, Thunderbird Motel, Warm Springs Ranch, and the Wallace Canyon Fire.
This photograph has three images. The first one, (0272_0020) reads, "Personal pictures taken by Tommy Teas (my brother-in-law) of his work mates on #8 line. Bucket swinging, hard to spot. It hanging about 500 ft. Bell boy talking to operator who is out of sight on top of mountain," as a handwritten inscription. The second one (0272_0021) reads "Men building key, about 10 in. high and two ft. wide. (1) Bell boy getting a good sight to spot the bucket in the right place," as a handwritten inscription. The third one (0272_0022) is an upside down picture of the Dam. Its handmade inscription reads, "Still below river bed. Good look at a pouring crew (x) shows bell boy giving orders to operator. Nice shot showing how bucket works. After the bucket leaves, the men will walk all through the fresh mud to walk out any air pockets."
This photograph has two images. The first one (0272_0038) reads, "No.7 hi-line 'My first job'. Showing all the old crew. I am seasoned by now. But Colette the boss (bottom right), on my first night, began to eat me out because I didn't know to follow the crew to next pour. Here stood a man as large as a bull, with a black eye and a hare-lip & bull-dog face, didn't fear me at all - all my fear was on that stuff going back and forth overhead." The second one (0272_0039) has an inscription that reads, "Good view of men working on No.8 hi-line - not up to the intake towers yet, but have dumped a lot of mud in this hole - good picture for night shift. A good action picture. Know all the men well - First there is Slim, Blackie, the man whose back we see is Whitie, the foreman then Tommie. My brother-in-law. There are four lines like this."
This photograph has three images. The first one (0272_0069) says, "'Nevada spillway' during overflow from a record snowfall in the mountains. Reeves fell from the entrance, shown behind the head caption reads: 'Tourists photographing spillway at Hoover Dam; tunnel behind man's head carries runoff almost half a mile to the Colorado River below.'" The second image (0272_0070) shows a young dam worker, R.B. Reaves (friend of John Kizziar), with the information that Reaves fell to his death in the Colorado River. "He lost his balance while working in the Nevada spillway raise. He was only 17 years old. He was a form stripper for Six Companies, March 1935." The third image (0272_0071) shows a view looking upstream through the channel of the Arizona spillway, Boulder Dam. It reads," Spillway with gates up. Weight of water will open gates. Working platform is being moved out of tunnel."
This photograph has three images. The first one (0272_0072) is upside-down, and it reads, "Speaking of celebrities - 'Form Raising Crew'. A tough and dangerous - a few boys were hurt on this one. I managed to say a little prayer before climbing over a hanging, swinging panel - Dear 'God' don't let it fall now. Only one man on it while it's swinging. Get that first bolt in fast. Art Strickland 'Ill'. Swinging panels make him seasick - some chickens can't fly." The second one (0272_0073) has a handwritten inscription that reads, "'Form Raising Crew' (cont.) 'So. Dakota Slim' - My Gott in himmel! If we had something that wouldn't move - we called on Slim and Reeves." The third one (0272_0074) shows a general view of operations looking across Black Canyon from high point above Nevada spillway. It reads, "Birds eye view of dam, spillways, -- intake towers."