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 Kevin Sweet conducted by David G. Schwartz on May 23, 2016 for the Slot Operations Oral History Project. During his interview, Sweet discusses his various roles in the gaming industry, specifically the everyday tasks in monitoring slot floors and serving casino patrons. Sweet also describes how he has worked with slot machine vendors, including how decisions are made to bring new slot games into the floor.
Archival Collection
Oral history interviews with Olmedo Hoyos conducted by Marcela Rodriguez-Campo on October 29, 2018 and November 9, 2018 for the Latinx Voices of Southern Nevada Oral History Project. Hoyos talks about his childhood, family, and work life in Bogota, Colombia. He talks about his struggles as a young child, his community, and poverty. He talks about Colombian culture and traditions and how he included that in his restaurants. Hoyos then explains the problems and corruption that was happening in Colombia and the Revolutionary Movement of Laborers (MOIR). He immigrated to the United States twice and spoke about his journey, the discrimination between ethnicities, and difference in treatment of Mexicans and Colombians in jail. He recounted his process of getting a permit, residence, and citizenry. He explains why he moved to Las Vegas, Nevada in 2000 and his past jobs. He describes the process of opening up a restaurant, making it the first Colombian restaurant in Las Vegas.
Archival Collection
Oral history interview with Ronald Marshall conducted by Barbara Tabach on March 14, 2012 for the Boyer Early Las Vegas Oral History Project. In this interview, Marshall talks about living and working on the Walking Box Ranch outside of Las Vegas, Nevada when it was owned by Rex Bell, Sr. and Clara Bow. He discusses moving with his mother, younger brother, and step-father from Tucson, Arizona when his step-father was hired as ranch manager by the Bell's, the kind of work they did on the ranch, from building fences and a windmill to herding and branding cattle. He also discusses his friendship with Rex Bell, Jr. and how the Bureau of Land Management's decision to reduce cattle grazing impacted the business. Fianlly, he spends time identifying and discussing various cattle brands and farming implements for the interviewer.
Archival Collection
Oral history interview with Julie McDonald conducted by Michael Richardson on March 14, 1981 for the Ralph Roske Oral History Project on Early Las Vegas. In this interview, McDonald describes life in Las Vegas, Nevada after moving there in 1956, as well as the city's layout. McDonald also passionately describes the complexities, perks, and pitfalls she faced while working as a card dealer in various casinos.
Archival Collection
Oral history interview with Katherine McKee conducted by Claytee D. White on September 3, 2016 for the African Americans in Las Vegas: a Collaborative Oral History Project. In her interview McKee discusses her career dancing at the Mint, The Silver Slipper's Minsky's Burlesque, and the Dune's Viva Les Girls. She also discusses her performances on the road with Les Girls Montreal road show as well and her experience as Sammy Davis' "road wife."
Archival Collection
Oral history interview with Sylvester Collier conducted by Claytee D. White on May 17, 2017 for the African Americans in Las Vegas: a Collaborative Oral History Project. In this interview, Collier discusses his early life in Dallas, Texas. He talks about his interest in art, joining the United States Air Force in 1951, and being sent to Nellis Air Force Base in Las Vegas, Nevada. Collier recalls attending the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV), earning a master’s degree in education, and teaching art classes in the Clark County School District (CCSD). Later, Collier discusses starting the Left of Center Art Gallery, and describes some of his art pieces. Lastly, Collier talks about his experience as an African American artist.
Archival Collection
Oral history interviews with Shirley Harlan conducted by Claytee D. White on November 17 and 18, 2006 for the Boyer Early Las Vegas Oral History Project. Harlan opens her interview by discussing her upbringing in a small town in California during the Great Depression. She then discusses career limitations for women at the time she entered college and her decision to study social studies. Harlan then recalls why she and her partner moved to Beatty, Nevada in 1968 and what the town was like at the time. Harlan then specifically discusses the local library, including what kind of services were offered, and how she collaborated with other residents to move the library from the town hall to an converted school room. Harlan describes programs offered by the library, the bookmobile, and the budget challenges the library faced, including how a reduced tax base in Beatty reduced funding. She recalls important town figures, aboveground atomic testing, and tourism. Harlan then talks about unethical hiring practices in northern Nevada governments, being deputized by a female sheriff and supporting her anti-corruption agenda. She then discusses her appointments to government commissions and different board administrations. Lastly, Harlan describes education in Beatty, Nevada.
Archival Collection
Oral history interviews with Harry Mortenson conducted by Claytee D. White on April 08, 2014, April 22, 2014, and May 06, 2014 for the Boyer Early Las Vegas Oral History Project. In the first interview, Mortenson discusses his personal background, working at Los Alamos National Laboratory in New Mexico, and arriving to Nevada to work as a nuclear physicist at the Nevada Test Site. Mortenson describes his work and recalls anecdotes from his employment. He then talks about his company, Sigma Scientific, and explains the different projects where he worked as a consultant. In the second interview, Mortenson discusses the methods of transportation used to arrive to the Nevada Test Site, his involvement with different organizations, and his tenure in the Nevada State Legislature. In the final interview, Mortenson discusses the device he built to take photographs of the nuclear reactor cores at Las Alamos National Laboratory, and explains how that device worked.
Archival Collection
Oral history interview with Jimmy W. Newman conducted by Maureen Kelly Ryan on March 06, 1977 for the Ralph Roske Oral History Project on Early Las Vegas. In this interview, Newman discusses arriving to Las Vegas, Nevada in 1947 and his employment as a card dealer at various casinos. Newman then describes his move to the Sahara Hotel, his promotion to shift boss and purchasing a small percentage of the hotel. He goes on to discuss equal rights and workers rights for women and African Americans at casinos, significant people visiting the Las Vegas Hilton, and becoming the Executive Vice President and Casino Manager for Hilton Casino Incorporated.
Archival Collection