Janice and Robert Spurlock were married in 1990 and each has a lifetime of Las Vegas memories. They have made Sandy Valley home for nearly 32 years. Together the couple recalls the people and places of Las Vegas' past from their points of view during this oral history interview. For Janice the stories begin in the 1930s after her family moved to Las Vegas from California. She was a youngster of about five. Among the topics she talks about is walking to Fifth Street Grammar School, graduating from Vegas High School, and fun had during Helldorado Days. In 1953, Robert arrived. He was a young man headed from Arizona to Colorado seeking work as a welder. He stopped in Henderson, Nevada and never quite made it out of the area. For the next two decades he worked construction and helped build many local landmarks. He shares stories about the range wars and about being accidentally exposed to radiation from the Nevada Test site.
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Lillian Morrison was the first uniformed female who worked for Park Service and has worked for Reclamation for 20 years during the war at Camp Williston. Morrison recalls life in Boulder City during the late 1930s and 1940s. Morrison is the wife of Lloyd Shorty Morrison.
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On May 23, 1983, collector Elizabeth N. Patrick interviewed gaming professional John Grayson (born May 25, 1898 in Grayson, Missouri) at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. The interview covers John Grayson’s experience with gaming in Arizona, California, and Nevada. Also present during John Grayson’s interview is Billy H. Gray, a longtime gaming associate of his, who helps Mr. Grayson go into greater detail about key events.
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On June 24, 1975, collector Donna Mattson interviewed native Nevadan mechanic, Stephen La Thair Hawley, (born October 15th, 1936, in Ely, Nevada) in his home in Las Vegas, Nevada. This interview offers a historical overview of early Las Vegas including gambling and an in-depth discussion on local economic, environmental, and social changes.
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On February 12, 1975, collector Marilyn Swanson interviewed housewife, Mrs. Helen H. Holmes (born Helen Hanson on February 24th, 1906, in Harrison, Nebraska) in her home in Boulder City, Nevada. This interview covers the social, economic, and environmental changes that occurred in Boulder City from 1931 to 1975. Mrs. Holmes also discusses home and family life in Nevada.
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On February 12, 1975, collector Laura Bell interviewed her neighbor, plant mechanic foreman, Neil H. Holmes (born on November 16th, 1897 in Chicopee, Kansas) in the collector’s home in Boulder City, Nevada. This interview covers the construction of Boulder (Hoover) Dam. During this interview Neil also discusses local living conditions in 1931.
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On May 2, 1972, James M. Greene interviewed Carl F. Kelley (born May 19th, 1922 in Ohio) about his life in Southern Nevada. The two talk about how Kelley first moved to Nevada and his original addresses. Kelley describes living in Boulder City, Las Vegas, and Henderson. The interview concludes with an in-depth discussion of the Civilian Conservation Corps activities in Boulder City, Nevada.
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Oral history interview with Christina Gruber conducted by Barbara Tabach on March 2, 2019 for the Remembering 1 October Oral History Project. In this interview, Gruber shares her experience living in Las Vegas, Nevada since 1997 and as a Certified Public Accountant (CPA), mother of two, and physical fitness enthusiast. She recalls being shot during the Route 91 Harvest Festival and being rescued by strangers. She recalls the chaos of the evening, but also how strangers worked together to comfort each other amidst the terror. She discusses dedicated her athletic races to those who were murdered that evening, and how it has helped her recovery.
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In 1901, Jan Stewart's grandfather William T. Stewart brought his family to Alamo, Nevada in Lincoln County and about 90 miles north of Las Vegas to ranch. Soon he and his wife were operating a livery stable. One of his customers was an executive with the Union Pacific Railroad for whom he provided transportation to Las Vegas, where the railroad owned a ranch referred to as the Old Ranch. In this narrative Jan recounts how his grandfather and later his father became managers of the Old Ranch and lived a just a few dozen yards from the Old Mormon Fort, a historic Las Vegas landmark. In addition to sharing stories of his family's history, he describes how the ranch was a unique place to group up, brought the family in contact with many community people and an occasional celebrity.
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Oral history interview with Ashley Nitz conducted by Claytee D. White on February 6, 2018 for the Remembering 1 October Oral History Project. In this interview, Ashley Nitz discusses her experiences attending the 2017 Route 91 Harvest music festival in Las Vegas, Nevada with a friend. She talks about making the weekend of the event a "staycation", where she stayed with her friend at the Trump Hotel. Nitz goes into detail on the Route 91 Harvest festival venue and the events of that Sunday night when the shooting began. She speaks of the lockdown in the Tropicana Hotel and the support given there to all of the survivors, such as water and medical aid, as well as her journey home once the lockdown was lifted. The interview ends with a discussion on life after the shooting.
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