From the Roosevelt Fitzgerald Professional Papers (MS-01082) -- Drafts for the Las Vegas Sentinel Voice file. On Black families in the United States and family reunions.
Oral history interview with Pom Fritz conducted by Kristel Peralta and Stefani Evans on June 8, 2021 for Reflections: The Las Vegas Asian American and Pacific Islander Oral History Project. Pom talks about her family and upbringing in Udon Thani, Thailand and her immigration to the United States with her second husband, an American citizen, in 1972. She discusses living on Air Force bases in North Carolina and California before moving to Las Vegas and finding work at different hotels. Pom shares her experiences as a member, steward, and executive board representative of the Culinary Workers Union and what she recalls from the Frontier Strike. She also talks about her children and grandchildren, some of whom still live in Thailand.
An exterior view of the Riviera Hotel and marquee. The marquee is advertising "Edie Adams" "Rowan and Martin" "Starlite Lounge" "Lionel Hampton" "The Cousins" and the "Sawyer Sisters". The Riviera (colloquially, "the Riv") opened on April 20, 1955 as the first high-rise at 9 stories, and the ninth resort on the Las Vegas Strip. Liberace cut the opening ribbon, and became the first resident performer. The Riviera also broke new ground in its design: previously, Strip resorts resembled roadside motor courts. The Riviera underwent an expansion from 1988 to 1990 this included the 24 story Monaco Tower designed by Martin Stern Jr. and two parking garages. In February 2015, the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority acquired the Riviera hotel and its associated land for $182.5 million. The property was leased back to its existing operators, Paragon Gaming, who officially closed the establishment on Monday, May 4, 2015. Due to its size, the Riviera was demolished through two separate implosions conducted in June and August 2016. The first implosion took place at 2:35 a.m. (Pacific Time) on June 14, 2016, taking down the 24-story Monaco tower. A firework display and countdown led up to the implosion. On August 16, 2016 at 2:30 a.m., the Monte Carlo tower along with the 12 story tower constructed in 1966 were imploded. The property was located at 2901 Las Vegas Boulevard South, Las Vegas, NV 89109.
The Bowers Mansion was built in 1863 by Lemuel "Sandy" Bowers and his wife, Eilley Orrum Bowers, and is a prime example of the homes built in Nevada by the new millionaires of the Comstock Lode mining boom. The mansion, designed by J. Neely Johnson, a builder and ex-governor of California, combined Georgian Revival and Italianate architectural styles. It was modeled after a design conceived by Eilley based on her recollection of elegant buildings in her native Scotland. Following the death of Sandy Bowers in 1868, Eilley fell on hard financial times. She generated income by renting out rooms in the mansion and hosting parties and picnics on the grounds. The mansion hosted a ball for the women's suffrage movement and was the location of the annual Miner's Ball. The period of 1873–75 was the height of the mansion's popularity. However, this was not enough to overcome Eilley's debts and she finally lost her home to foreclosure in 1876. The mansion was abandoned by the time Henry Riter acquired it and operated it as a resort until 1946. The building is currently owned and operated by the Washoe County Parks Department. Some 500 Nevada families have donated period furniture housed in the mansion. The park blends the historical site with recreational facilities such as a spring-fed swimming pool, picnic areas, and a playground. The Bowers Mansion is located in Washoe Valley, within the Bowers Mansion Regional Park at 4005 Old U.S. Highway 395 North, North Washoe Valley, Nevada.