The Cherina Kleven Papers (approximately 1988-2014) document the career of Cherina Kleven who was the first Asian-American appointed as Assistant Fire Chief for Las Vegas Fire & Rescue. The materials primarily include physical and digitized photographs of Kleven in her capacity as Assistant Fire Chief, magazine and newspaper articles featuring Kleven, and event programs. Also included are campaign fliers from 2010 when Kleven ran for office to represent Assembly District 15 in the Nevada Legislature as well as two commemorative books celebrating the history of Las Vegas Fire & Rescue.
The George Kelly Ryan Photograph Collection (1929) depicts waterways in Southern Nevada and Northern Arizona. The collection consists of eight photographic prints and two photographic negatives depicting Saint Thomas, Black Canyon, Boulder Canyon, and the Colorado River.
The Gue Gim Wah Papers (approximately 1940-1985) consist primarily of incoming correspondence (largely written in Chinese) to Gue Gim Wah at the Prince Mine in Pioche, Nevada. Also included are Wah's naturalization certificate, a map of the Prince Mine Bunkhouse, brochure of the Lincoln County Civic Association, and a small amount of photographs including a black-and-white photograph of Gue Gim circa 1940s.
The George Kelly Ryan papers (1921-1971) contain correspondence inquiring about Octavius Decatur "O. D." Gass, newspaper clippings from 1929, handwritten recollections of the Gold Ranch by Laura Royce, and a San Pedro, Los Angeles and Salt Lake Railroad Company information, including information on wash-outs in Nevada.
The Albert S. Henderson Photograph Collection (1860s-1959) primarily contains black-and-white photographic prints of Albert S. Henderson and his family. Also included in the collection are photographic prints of Henderson during his tenure as a Nevada legislator and district judge. Other materials include postcards, negatives, and a tintype.
William Flangas was born in Ely, Nevada, in 1927. He attended grade school through high school in White Pine County. In his junior year, he left school to join the Navy. After the war, he enrolled at UNR on the G.I. Bill, and graduated with a degree in metallurgical engineering. In 1951, Bill worked for Kennecott in a 'deep root' project, spent a summer in Chile working in a smelter, and then went back to work for Kennecott in underground operations. On the basis of this experience, he wrote a thesis and earned an EM degree (Engineer of Mines). Bill was approached in 1958 by Mr. Reynolds of the Reynolds Electric/Engineering Company with a request that he come help them out at the Nevada Test Site. He refused at first, but after a second call and a visit to the tunnel site, he accepted the job, pulled together a first-rate group of experienced miners, and stayed on to enjoy a 40 year career concurrent with the job at the test site, Bill was appointed to the State Planning Board, later renamed the State Public Works Board. The function of the board was to list public buildings in order of priority. In 1984, the College of Engineering at UNLV made the priority list. Bill helped set up three point contact among the university personnel, the architectural firm, and the Public Works Board. This was to ensure that the building met the needs of the engineers but did not go over budget.
Gary Sternberg grew up in Germany, witnessing anti-Semitic propaganda as early as age 7. He describes some of the experiences his father endured at a concentration camp, and his escape to China. He and his mother reunited with his father in Shanghai in 1940. They left Shanghai in 1948, eventually settling in Cleveland. He and his family came to Las Vegas in 1969.