The Bill Willard Photograph Collection depicts Las Vegas, Nevada, hotels and casinos in Las Vegas, the Las Vegas Valley, and Laughlin, Nevada from 1905 to 1919 and from 1940 to 1999. The photographs primarily depict hotels and casinos in Las Vegas, including the Sahara Hotel, Circus Circus Hotel and Casino, MGM Grand Las Vegas Hotel and Casino, Caesars Palace, Flamingo Hotel, and the Aladdin Hotel. The photographs also depict students at Nevada Southern University (predecessor of the University of Nevada, Las Vegas), the city of Las Vegas, industrial plants in Henderson and Apex, Nevada, and events in Laughlin, Nevada.
The Claudine Williams Papers (1956-2009) contain awards, contracts, personal and business correspondence, newspaper clippings, and photographs pertaining to Las Vegas, Nevada businesswoman and philanthropist, Claudine Williams. The collection also includes extensive information on her hotel and gaming properties, including the Silver Slipper Gambling Hall, Holiday Casino, and Harrah's Hotel and Casino, as well as her honorary doctoral degree, medals, and audiovisual materials of interviews, news reports, and events.
The Byrd Wall Sawyer Collection primarily consists of Byrd's research files on Nevada from 1930 to 1970. The materials concentrate on her monograph, "Nevada Nomads," as well as her co-authored textbook, "Here is Nevada." The collection also includes speeches, journal articles, memos, research note cards and papers, correspondence, informational booklets and pamphlets, maps, photographs, audiovisual materials, and newspaper articles and clippings.
The Harold Stocker Photographs depict Harold Stocker and his family from 1850 to 1980. Materials include photographs of Harold Stocker, his parents, his siblings, and his extended family. Materials also include photographs of Harold Stocker's business interests such as the Northern Club in Las Vegas, Nevada, the Nevada Silica Sand Company in Overton, Nevada, and the Chief Hotel Court on Fremont Street in Las Vegas, Nevada. The collection also contains photographs of Stocker participating in Republican Party events in Nevada.
The Elmo C. Bruner Architectural and Real Estate Appraisal Records date from 1937 to 1996 and contain architectural and appraisal records from Las Vegas, Nevada. Bruner joined A.L. Worswick’s office in 1947, taking it over following Worswick’s retirement in 1954. In 1958, Bruner formed the Las Vegas Appraisal and Finance Corporation. The bulk of the collection consists of appraisal records for residential and commercial properties in Las Vegas, Henderson, and North Las Vegas. These records provide a detailed look at the urban development of the region as well as building design, style, and neighborhood characteristics. The architectural drawings highlight the work of Worswick and Bruner, including Frazier Hall at Las Vegas High School and the original adobe administration building at McCarran Airport.
The Bill Schafer Papers (1980-2018) contain personal and professional papers of Las Vegas, Nevada journalist and publisher, Bill Schafer, and photographs from various LGBTQIA+ related events in Las Vegas. The materials include files related to Schafer's work managing the Las Vegas Night Beat and Las Vegas Bugle publications. The collection contains copies of various LGBTQIA+ directories and photographs from events such as the Las Vegas Pride parade and the Gay and Lesbian Community Center of Southern Nevada's annual Honorarium. Also included are photographs and papers from Schafer's involvement with the Imperial Royal Sovereign Court of the Desert Empire, Inc.
The Howard Hughes Professional and Aeronautical Photographs contain black-and-white photographs of businessman and entrepreneur Howard Hughes and his companies from 1916 to 1997. The photographs primarily depict Hughes alongside his aircraft, including the XF-11 prototype reconnaissance plane and the HK-1 Hercules, better known as the "Spruce Goose" or "Flying Boat." The photographs also cover the companies owned by Hughes, including Hughes Tool Company, Hughes Aircraft Company, Hughes Electronics Corporation, and RKO Pictures.