Plans for the construction of the Showboat Hotel Casino in Atlantic City from 1985. Parchment copy.
Site Name: Showboat Hotel and Casino (Atlantic City)
Address: 801 Boardwalk, Atlantic City, NJ

Latest Drawing Revision: 1985-07-22

Charles Malkowski interviews Ralph Daly (born in Texas in 1903) about his experience of moving to Las Vegas during its early growth. Daly talks specifically about Block 16 and the Arizona Club and the extent of gambling and prostitution that took place there in the early 1900s. Daly, who worked in oil fields but became paralyzed due to an injury, also talks about moving to Las Vegas to make his living on gambling after becoming disabled. He also describes how the construction of Boulder Dam attracted many migrant workers and how, after World War II, Las Vegas attracted tourists and became more of a gambling town as more casinos were built and worldwide advertising for those casinos started. Daly also discusses the end of prostitution in Las Vegas, certain famous gamblers he met, and the forms of cooling used before air conditioning was introduced.

On March 11, 1981, Melvin Thompson interviewed Richard F. Caldwell Sr. (b. 1919 in New Orleans, Louisiana) about his experiences living in Las Vegas, Nevada for over 49 years. The interview begins with Caldwell discussing his family and what brought him to Las Vegas. He then talks about working at the Nevada Test Site, the hotels and casinos that were built on the Strip, his experience working at some of those properties, and the way of life in Las Vegas in the 1940s and 1950s. The two also discuss politics, religion, and recreational gambling in the city. The interview finalizes with Caldwell’s account of the Westside of Las Vegas, African American entertainers who came to town to perform, and a brief mention of many specific historical sites in the city.

On March 5, 1979, Danny Winegar interviewed Helen M. Clark (born 1921 in Memphis, Tennessee) about her experiences in Nevada. Clark first describes why she and her family moved to Las Vegas and then explains why she was homeschooled. She then talks about her secretarial work for a prominent real estate agent in Las Vegas and some of her work in that field. Clark also discusses the beginning of tract home building, gambling, and the building of Hoover Dam. She also mentions life during the Great Depression, prostitution in Block 16, and the Helldorado celebration. The interview concludes with Clark’s recollection of the first hotels and casinos that were built on the Strip, including those who built them and the mob influence over them, and a brief mentioning of her experience as a real estate agent.

Carol Hunter interviewed columnist and former music consultant Joseph “Joe” Delaney (b. 1922 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania) on October 24, 1979 about his experiences in the entertainment industry of Las Vegas, Nevada. The interview begins with Delaney’s recollection of how Las Vegas looked when he first moved to the city in 1961. Delaney mentions some of the businesses and hotels that were popular at the time, including the entertainers that performed at many of those hotels. He then describes the evolution of piano bars to lounge acts to showroom performances in the hotels, as well as the types of changes made for admission to those performances as corporations took control over Strip properties. Delaney also provides insight into the intricacies of the agreements between the properties and various entertainers for their residencies, and he mentions many of the particular entertainers of the time throughout the interview. Delaney additionally discusses his original experiences in talk

On March 2, 1978, Kelley Tuchman interviewed Dr. Robert Foster (born 1921 in Colorado Springs, Colorado), principal of Helen J. Stewart School, about his experiences in educating and helping the mentally disabled. Foster first talks about his background in the military and his eventual teaching experience in special education at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. Foster then discusses his motivations for getting into the special education field and later talks about the growth of the program in Clark County and throughout the country. He also describes the role of legislation in helping the mentally disabled and later goes into detail about the approaches of the training and education program itself. Toward the end of the interview, Foster mentions a few of his personal experiences and discusses the importance of volunteering to help the mentally and physically disabled.