Oral history interview with Thelma Coblentz conducted by Judith Chavez on February 17, 1980 for the Ralph Roske Oral History Project on Early Las Vegas. Coblentz discusses moving to Las Vegas, Nevada and some of the medical services she helped to provide at Nellis Air Force Base. Coblentz later describes Downtown Las Vegas, specifically the development of the casinos and shopping businesses. Coblentz concludes with a discussion on the first physicians in Las Vegas.
Archival Collection
Oral history interview with Myram Borders conducted by Mara E. Vernon on April 01, 1977 for the Ralph Roske Oral History Project on Early Las Vegas. In the interview, Borders discusses her work as a United Press International (UPI) reporter after her graduation from the University of Nevada, Reno. Borders describes her administrative experiences with the UPI bureau in Las Vegas, Nevada, difficulties regarding news photography and Nevada statutes, the Las Vegas Chamber of Commerce, the Las Vegas News Bureau, Las Vegas tourism, and influential figures in Las Vegas.
Archival Collection
Oral history interviews with Diana Saunders conducted by Joyce (Marshall) Moore on May 23, 1996, conducted by Brigid Kelly on July 22, 2002, and conducted by Joanna Goodwin on August 12, 2002 for the Women's Research Institute of Nevada (WRIN) Las Vegas Women Oral History Project. In her interviews Saunders discusses her dance career in New York City, New York. Saunders discusses working on Broadway and touring internationally in Europe and Australia as a dancer. Saunders discusses working at the Dunes in Las Vegas, Nevada and her experiences as a dancer in Las Vegas. Saunders also talks about the lengths dancers had to go through to be successful.
Archival Collection
Oral history interview with Jessica Anderson conducted by Claytee D. White on March 7, 2019 for the Remembering 1 October Oral History Project. Anderson begins talking about her early life, family, work history, and the reason why she had moved to Las Vegas, Nevada in 1991. She goes on to talk about the history of Outdoors Nevada where she currently works, and what she was doing the day of October 1, 2017. Anderson recalls how she found out about the shooting, reaching out to friends, and learning more about what happened that night. Anderson talks about the aftermath of the event, how it affected everyone involved, and the healing aspect afterwards. Lastly, she describes the process of creating the Healing Garden, the features of the garden, and the future plans for the area.
Archival Collection
Oral history interview with Dave Pugsley conducted by Stefani Evans and Claytee D. White on October 21, 2016 for the Building Las Vegas Oral History Project. In this interview, Pugsley discusses his early life in Salt Lake City, Utah and moving to Las Vegas, Nevada in 1963. He talks about his father’s employment with Young Electric Sign Company (YESCO) and the Nevada Test Site. Pugsley recalls his initial interest in architecture, drawing a construction document for the Home Builders Association while in high school, and attending the University of Utah for a degree in architecture. Pugsley then talks about building planning for schools in Clark County, the process of designing a school, and the challenges that arise. Lastly, Pugsley discusses building planning for Lied Library and the William S. Boyd School of Law at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV).
Archival Collection
Oral history interview with Theda Grinnell conducted by Fletcher Corey on February 28, 1977 for the Ralph Roske Oral History Project on Early Las Vegas. Grinnell first talks about her move to Nevada and both her and her husband’s employment at the Nevada Test Site. She also talks about the atomic testing blasts, the United States' competition with Russia on nuclear technology, and her employment history. Grinnell later discusses her church membership and goes into detail about the race riots and how they involved and impacted her family. She ends the interview with a discussion of flash floods, the Culinary Workers Union, how World War II affected industry in Las Vegas industry, and the social changes in Las Vegas.
Archival Collection
Oral history interview with Marian Oakes conducted by Bernard Kulifay Jr. on February 28, 1979 for the Ralph Roske Oral History Project on Early Las Vegas. In this interview, Oakes describes her childhood after moving to Las Vegas, Nevada in 1931, and her experience in the school system. Oakes discusses how Las Vegas has grown and the types of opportunities, jobs, and recreation that have been available to women. Oakes also discusses her career as a hairdresser and owning her own salon. Oakes goes on to describe the presence of individuals involved in organized crime around the city, as well as the presence of Howard Hughes.
Archival Collection
Oral history interview with Nancy Houssels conducted by Claytee D. White on March 19, 2014 for the West Charleston Neighborhoods--an Oral History Project of Ward 1. Houssels discusses going to school at Berkley University and the University of California Los Angeles, and then migrating to Las Vegas, Nevada. She discusses dancing at the Dunes Hotel and later at the Tropicana Hotel and Casino where she met her husband. She then discusses her part in starting the Nevada Dance Theatre and being a “prime mover” in the Smith Center for the Performing Arts.
Archival Collection
Oral history interview with Rowena Gonzalez conducted by Michael Boyd on March 01, 1977 for the Ralph Roske Oral History Project on Early Las Vegas. Gonzalez first talks about her family background and residential history before discussing the way of life in Texas and eventual move to Las Vegas, Nevada. Several topics covered in the interview include Gonzalez’s recollections of the atomic testing, the building of the Boulder (Hoover) Dam, and Howard Hughes. The two also discuss tourism, the properties on the Strip and in Downtown Las Vegas, and early means of transportation.
Archival Collection
Oral history interview with Lupe Avelar conducted by Marcela Rodriguez-Campo and Maribel Estrada Calderón for the Latinx Voices of Southern Nevada Oral History Project.
Lupe Avelar describes her life growing up in Durango, Mexico on a family farm and her immigration to New Mexico as a teen with her brother before returning back to Mexico. Lupe talks about her marriage to Eladio Avelar and how the couple eventually moved to California as well as her circumstances of moving to Las Vegas.
Subjects discussed include: cotton fields; cotton farming.
Archival Collection