Oral history interview with Henry E. Wellman conducted by Rebecca Rounds on March 14, 1981 for the Ralph Roske Oral History Project on Early Las Vegas. In this interview, Wellman discusses his personal history and the history of Boulder City, Nevada. Wellman describes the construction of Hoover Dam (Boulder Dam), being a laborer working on the dam, and life in Boulder City during the 1940s. He talks about the United States government selling housing and land after the completion of Hoover Dam and how Las Vegas, Nevada has changed and expanded. Wellman also discusses the legalization of alcohol in Boulder City.
Archival Collection
Oral history interview with Mark Coleman conducted by Margaret Grosbeck on April 24, 2007 for the Public School Principalship Oral History Project. In this interview, Coleman reflects on his career as a teacher and administrator with the Clark County School District from the 1980s to the early 2000s. He discusses his upbringing and entry into education, and his motivations to move from being a teacher to becoming an administrator. He then describes challenges that he faced as a dean, assistant principal, and principal at various high schools. He emphasizes his concerns for school safety and his responsibility as an administrator to keep students safe, in addition to pressures that he faced to foster meaningful relationships with staff, students, and their families.
Archival Collection
Oral history interview with Ruth Gust conducted by Rebecca Bonenfant on March 10, 1981 for the Ralph Roske Oral History Project on Early Las Vegas. Gust discusses about her life in Nevada. Gust first talks about her original move to Las Vegas, Nevada in 1947 and some of the first businesses that existed at the time. In this brief interview, she also talks about the first casinos, the culinary union, her employment as a server, and Mount Charleston.
Archival Collection
Oral history interview with Russel Howard conducted by James W. Howard on January 10, 1972 for the Ralph Roske Oral History Project on Early Las Vegas. Howard recalls being transferred to Las Vegas, Nevada for work in 1947 and how impressed he was by the number of celebrities from the movie and entertainment industry that frequented Las Vegas in the early 1950s. He also discusses the expansion of the Las Vegas Strip and how rapidly the number of hotels grew.
Archival Collection
Oral history interview with William Star conducted by Tony Morneau on September 15, 1973 for the Ralph Roske Oral History Project on Early Las Vegas. In this interview, Star discusses moving from Brooklyn, New York to Henderson, Nevada in 1955. In 1959, Star moved from Henderson to Las Vegas, Nevada to run a family-owned pawn shop. Star goes into detail about atomic bomb testing, the growth of Las Vegas, and gambling.
Archival Collection
Oral history interview with Mary M. Shaw conducted by Barbara Tabach on September 02, 2011 and November 14, 2011 for the Boyer Early Las Vegas Oral History Project. Shaw discusses her husband, Rollin, his work at the Nevada Test Site, and moving to various locations for his job. She also tells stories of the Shaws and their fellow Nevada Test Site employees’ parties, of her learning to paint with watercolors, and her children’s educations in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Archival Collection
Oral history interview with Tom Maveal conducted by Cheryl Peters on April 13, 2004 for the Public School Principalship Oral History Project. In this interview, Maveal reflects upon his nearly 30-year career as a teacher and administrator with Nevada’s Clark County School District from the 1970s to the 2000s. He discusses his experiences working as an administrator with Title I, and compares this with his experience as a principal. He describes his regular job responsibilities and challenges, and discusses bilingual education programs.
Archival Collection
Oral history interview with Thomas McDonald conducted by Ted Papatheodorou on July 05, 1975 for the Ralph Roske Oral History Project on Early Las Vegas. In this interview, McDonald describes his experiences running a newspaper and a restaurant in Chicago, Illinois before moving to Las Vegas, Nevada to work as a manager at the Stardust Hotel and Casino. McDonald shares several short anecdotes, such as being thrown off of a freight train in 1915 in early Las Vegas, or serving then-Senator Lyndon B. Johnson at his restaurant in Chicago.
Archival Collection
Oral history interview with Arthur D. Schlauder conducted by Geneva Beasley on June 30, 1975 for the Ralph Roske Oral History Project on Early Las Vegas. In this interview, Schlauder discusses moving to Las Vegas, Nevada in 1946. Schlauder also discusses his career with Las Vegas Machine, a machine shop and steel fabrication company. Schlauder later discusses being a member of social clubs such as the Purchasing Agents Association and the Kiwanis Club. Lastly, Schlauder discusses the change and growth of the Las Vegas Strip as well as the city overall.
Archival Collection
Oral history interview with Mary Hausch conducted by Claytee D. White on April 07, 2009 and April 10, 2009 for the Voices of the Historic John S. Park Neighborhood Oral History Project. Hausch discusses her working as a reporter at the Las Vegas Review-Journal and teaching journalism at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. She also discusses marrying Bob Coffin, buying the Gubler House in the John S. Park Neighborhood, and with her husband, working to have the neighborhood designated a historic neighborhood.
Archival Collection