Oral history interview with Mary Habbart conducted by David R. Patt on March 07, 1975 for the Ralph Roske Oral History Project on Early Las Vegas. This interview offers an overview of life in Las Vegas, Nevada in the early days, which included: atomic testing, floods, prostitution on Block 16, early Fremont Street and Duck Creek. Also discussed during this interview: Sunset Park, The Roosevelts, Bugsy Siegel, local government and the Hoover Dam.
Archival Collection
Oral history interview with Jose Alvarez conducted by Kendall Worthington, Chava Haron, Dr. Norma Lisa Flores, and Claytee D. White on November 28, 2018 for the Latinx Voices of Southern Nevada Oral History Project. In this interview, Jose Alvarez talks about his early life in Buenos Aires, Argentina, sharing what it was like growing up there. He shares his family history as well as his immigration to the United States. He first moved to New York City, New York, working as a dishwasher and/or busboy in New York City restaurants and resorts in the Catskills. In 1968, Alvarez moved to Las Vegas, Nevada when he got a job at the Landmark Hotel. He shares his experiences working in the hospitality industry for 22 years. Alvarez also discusses playing and watching soccer.
Archival Collection
Oral history interview with Edmund "Ed" Fleming conducted by Mark Lucas on February 08, 1977 for the Ralph Roske Oral History Project on Early Las Vegas. In this interview Fleming discusses mining practices in Southern Nevada and his teaching experiences in Pahrump, Nevada, Goodsprings, Nevada, and Las Vegas, Nevada. He also discusses religion, transportation, and culture in Las Vegas.
Archival Collection
Oral history interview with Chris Erbe conducted by Jennifer Warner on November 15, 2001 for the Public School Principalship Oral History Project. In this interview, Erbe reflects upon his more than 20-year career as a teacher and administrator with Nevada’s Clark County School District (CCSD). He discusses the process by which he became a teacher, and describes how his experiences as a teacher shaped his approach to school administration. He describes his regular responsibilities as principal, some of his biggest challenges including safety threats, and what he believes makes an effective administrator.
Archival Collection
Oral history interview with Beverly Mason conducted by Claytee D. White on December 21, 2012 for the African Americans in Las Vegas: A Collaborative Oral History Project. In this interview Beverly Mason discusses growing up in historical West Las Vegas, Nevada, being a part of the school integration movement of the 1970s, working at the Nevada Test Site as an industrial hygienist, and then working in the School Community Partnership Office as a program manager.
Archival Collection
Oral history interview with Augusta Newton conducted by John Harmon on October 13, 1972 for the Ralph Roske Oral History Project on Early Las Vegas. In this interview, Newton discusses moving to Las Vegas, Nevada in 1948 for her husband's job. She describes the Las Vegas Strip and its hotels and casinos, as well as the growth of Las Vegas. Newton briefly talks about gambling, organized crime, and Howard Hughes.
Archival Collection
Oral history interview with Frances Moore conducted by Len Trout on March 01, 1979 for the Ralph Roske Oral History Project on Early Las Vegas. Moore begins by discussing her family's history in Nevada and the people she met in Las Vegas, Nevada. She talks about visits by prominent politicians to Las Vegas, the crash of Carole Lombard's plane, and life in Las Vegas during the 1930s and 1940s. Moore also describes how Las Vegas has changed, nuclear weapons tests, and the Stewart Ranch.
Archival Collection
Oral history interview with Richard E. Strahlem conducted by Jacqueline R. Hall on March 12, 1980 for the Ralph Roske Oral History Project on Early Las Vegas. In this interview, Strahlem discusses arriving to Las Vegas, Nevada in 1958 in search of job opportunities. Strahlem then describes the local businesses that he worked with and recalls the competitive nature of gambling. Strahlem later discusses the construction of McCarren International Airport and the Las Vegas Convention Center.
Archival Collection
Oral history interview with Guy Roark conducted by Patricia Elliott on March 10, 1981 for the Ralph Roske Oral History Project on Early Las Vegas. In this interview, Roark discusses changes in Las Vegas, Nevada, specifically the expansion of downtown Las Vegas. Roark then describes the above ground atomic tests and recalls the magnitude of a particular explosion. Lastly, Roark discusses his visits to northern Nevada and describes the nightlife in Reno, Nevada.
Archival Collection