Oral history interviews with Lee Tilman conducted by Dennis McBride on February 06, 11, 13, 17, and 22; May 28; and July 09, 1996 for the Boulder City Library Oral History Project. In the interviews, Tilman discusses his birth in Gooding, Idaho in 1913, his early life, and his arrival to Las Vegas, Nevada in 1931. Tilman then talks about his experiences mining, milling, and ranching before moving to Las Vegas. While in Las Vegas, Tilman was involved with construction of Hoover Dam (Boulder Dam) and labor issues. Later, Tilman describes fishing and boating in the Colorado River, working at a duplex mine in Searchlight, Nevada, and working at the Las Vegas Ice House. Lastly, Tilman talks about influential Boulder City residents he knew, his children, and the Stratosphere Hotel and Casino.
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Oral history interview with Burton Cohen conducted by Claytee D. White on July 9, 2013 as part of the UNLV Boyd Law School project, UNLV Gaming Law Journal. In this interview, casino executive Burton Cohen begins with his early life in Miami, Florida where he “fell in love with the hotel business” while working in his father’s hotel as a boy. He recounts how he abandoned his law career to return to the hotel business and how he came to Las Vegas, Nevada in the 1960s to build up and manage operations at The Frontier. Cohen discusses his long career as a chief operating officer, touching briefly on some of the hotel/casinos that he helped launch and oversee in Las Vegas, including The Frontier, Circus Circus, Flamingo, Caesars Palace, the Desert Inn, and the Dunes. Cohen discusses some of the major changes that have occurred over the years in hotel/casino management and expresses respect for some of his contemporaries in the hotel industry such as Kirk Kerkorian, Billy Weinberger, and Gary Loveman.
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Oral history interview with Nancy Craft conducted by Claytee White on July 28, 2015 for the Boyer Early Las Vegas Oral History Project. Craft discusses high school in the mid-1950s as a member of the famed marching and dancing group, the Rhythmettes (founded by Evelyn Stuckey) in Las Vegas, Nevada.
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Oral history interview with John Friel conducted by James Friel on February 29, 1980 for the Ralph Roske Oral History Project on Early Las Vegas. Friel discusses his knowledge of his family’s personal history in Tonopah, Nevada during the 1940s, the growth of railroads, and population changes.
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Oral history interview with Marvin Frisk conducted by Roger Tyndall on April 02, 1977 for the Ralph Roske Oral History Project on Early Las Vegas. Frisk discusses his career in aviation with United Airlines at McCarren International Airport.
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Oral history interview with Cathy Jones conducted by Renee Walden on March 12, 1978 for the Ralph Roske Oral History Project on Early Las Vegas. Jones discusses being a dependent at the Nellis Air Force Base in Las Vegas, Nevada and what it is like being in the military.
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Oral history interview with Wilma Freemyer conducted by Suzanne Haag on February 22, 1979 for the Ralph Roske Oral History Project on Early Las Vegas. Freemyer discusses early Las Vegas, Nevada’s history during the 1930's and the
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Oral history interview with Woodrow Wilson conducted by Elizabeth Patrick on October 19, 1978 for the Ralph Roske Oral History Project on Early Las Vegas. Wilson discusses some roles he took on in the African American community, including president of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) Las Vegas, Nevada chapter. Wilson also talks about politics and the importance of the community to make changes in their living conditions.
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Oral history interview with Elbert Edwards conducted by Roger Armstrong on June 30, 1975 for the Ralph Roske Oral History Project on Early Las Vegas. Edwards discusses his life in Panaca and Lincoln County, Nevada. He also talks about Native Americans, Mormonism, and Meadow Valley, Nevada. He discusses the Bennett-Arcan Party, a Death Valley party involved with the 1840s’ gold rushes, and its members.
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