The Story of Classic Las Vegas Oral History Interviews (approximately 1950-2006) is comprised of raw and edited video recordings of oral history interviews used for The Story of Classic Las Vegas documentary which was produced, directed, and edited by Lynn Zook. The documentary offers first person historical overviews of what it was like to live in Las Vegas, Nevada from the 1920s to the 1970s. Individuals interviewed include a wide range of community members of the Las Vegas Valley including business owners, educators, entertainers, politicians, gaming professionals, casino workers, and activists. Materials also include a media kit with promotional materials and interview transcript for one of the interviewees, Betty Willis.
The Vassili Sulich Papers (1951-2005) document the life of Vassili Sulich: ballet dancer, choreographer, and co-founder of the Nevada Dance Theatre, the first professional dance company in Nevada. Included are correspondence, newspaper clippings, newsletters, photographs, posters, and scrapbooks.
On March 19, 1980, Alice Brown interviewed Dr. William Carlson (born 1914 in Sandstone, Minnesota) about his experience working at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV). Carlson, who joined UNLV in 1957, provides his accounts on the history of the university library. The first part of the interview involves a discussion of the beginnings of the library from the location of Las Vegas High School to Maude Frazier Hall and its eventual move to Archie Grant Hall. Carlson also talks about some of the first librarians who were a part of the library, the funding and donations used to build and develop it, and the eventual construction and architecture of the James R. Dickinson Library. The two also discuss the first graduation of the university, the work it took to get students registered for classes in early days, and some of the overall changes over the years at the university.
Oral history interview with Lindsay Wenger conducted by Barbara Tabach on March 13, 2018 for the Remembering 1 October Oral History Project. In this interview, Lindsay Wenger discusses her move to Las Vegas, Nevada in 2013 for her residency at the University Medical Center of Southern Nevada (UMC). She talks about her experience on the night of the October 1, 2017 mass shooting and recalls a few specific patients she treated throughout the night and into the morning. After discussing the events at the hospital, she explains how she has been emotionally affected and how her view of Las Vegas as a community has changed.
On March 19, 1978, Marcela Yepes interviewed Richard Erbe (born 1922 in El Monte, California) about his experiences in Las Vegas, Nevada and specifically about his career in education. Erbe first talks about his family background and German ancestry before describing how he ended up moving to Nevada. He then describes his wife’s father’s background in the gaming industry and some of the early illicit casinos that existed in California. The interview shifts to Erbe’s educational background, his first teaching position as a fifth grade teacher, his experience in the military, and his reasoning for not seeking employment in the gaming industry. The two also discuss church activity, politics, and social activities in Las Vegas. The latter part of the interview includes Erbe’s viewpoints on the issues in the educational system, his experiences as a principal at multiple Clark County schools, and some of the challenges he encountered in the administrative side in the field of education.