Oral history interview with Frances Ohman conducted by Claytee D. White on December 12, 2013 for the Boyer Early Las Vegas Oral History Project. Ohman begins the interview by discussing her family history and her father who escaped a Nazi concentration camp as a prisoner of war in World War II. She goes on to discuss her personal history, including her education and her experiences observing racial discrimination as a child in Kansas and during the 1960s in New Mexico. Ohman talks about visiting Las Vegas, Nevada during the 1960s and describes the casinos of the Las Vegas Strip and the entertainers she and her parents saw, including Dean Martin, Sammy Davis Jr., and Elvis Presley. Lastly, Ohman describes how she came to work for the University of Nevada, Las Vegas libraries, her job duties there, and her history working in Albuquerque, New Mexico as a librarian.
Oral history interview with Darwin Gidel conducted by Claytee D. White on October 21, 2009 for the Boyer Early Las Vegas Oral History Project. Gidel discusses being a flight engineer in the Air Force during World War II. He describes when he was shot down over Belgium in 1944 and was held as prisoner of war in Belgium and Germany for eleven months. He also discusses being an accountant.
Oral history interview with Karen Carmichael conducted by Stefani Evans on December 9, 2019 for the Boyer Early Las Vegas Oral History Project.
In this oral history Carmichael discusses the world of professional dancing in the 1970s through the 1990s. She discusses her start in the industry and a variety of Las Vegas shows she participated in including: the Union Plaza Can Can, the American Dream Festival, Dasin’ Dirdy, and Babes Ahoy. She also goes into great detail behind her vision for Skyline, her adagio act, and the many celebrities she encountered throughout her career.
Carmichael also discusses her second career in jewelry design, and her experiences working with art galleries on the Las Vegas strip. She details the experiences of starting off at traveling art festivals, working her way up to award winning designs, and the art of jewelry photography. She also discusses the process of researching and publishing history for her book. She ends the interview with a discussion of what it means to be an artist and role of creativity in her life and those around her. She also discusses the ways in which others such as Betty Francisco, Hedy Jo Star, Debbie Reynolds and Sammy Davis Jr. had shaped her life.
Oral history interview with Harvey Diederich conducted by K.J. Evans on January 4, 1999 for the Las Vegas Review-Journal First 100 Oral History Project. Diederich first discusses his background and education in journalism and later discusses the relationship between the Las Vegas News Bureau and hotel/casino publicists. Diederich then discusses some of his specific projects, such as those dealing with celebrities. Diederich also mentions some of the individuals he has worked for and the various cities he has travelled to for work.
Oral history interview with Elmer H. Nighswonger conducted by James F. Sullivan on February 21, 1979 for the Ralph Roske Oral History Project on Early Las Vegas. In this interview, Nighswonger describes joining the Las Vegas Fire & Rescue Department in 1946 and his career as a firefighter. Nighswonger discusses what the fire department was like during the 1940s, and how it and Las Vegas, Nevada has changed. He also talks about several fires and calls he attended, the fire engines used by the city during that time, and the limitations of those fire engines.
Oral history interview with Jean Rambo conducted by Mary Fitzgerald on April 29, 1977 for the Ralph Roske Oral History Project on Early Las Vegas. In this interview, Rambo discusses her career as a nurse in Las Vegas, Nevada. She describes her initial impressions and responsibilities as a nurse in Las Vegas, as well as the construction of Southern Nevada Memorial Hospital (University Medical Center). Lastly, Rambo discusses her experiences in nursing school.
Oral history interview with Jinetta Daniels conducted by Rani Dunn on November 30, 2014 for the African Americans in Las Vegas: a Collaborative Oral History Project. In this interview, Daniels talks about her upbringing in Mississippi and traveling to Las Vegas, Nevada by bus in 1962. She continues discussing her work as a maid at the Dunes Hotel, her membership in the Victory Baptist Church, and comments on various church and community leaders in the Westside. She also mentions her concerns about the closure of F Street in 2008 and her hopes for the revitalization of the Westside community.
Oral history interview with John Cahlan conducted by James Weslowski on April 10, 1978 for the Ralph Roske Oral History Project on Early Las Vegas. Cahlan discusses his memory of the beginning of Nellis Air Force Base, originally named the Las Vegas Aerial Gunnery School for the Army Air Corps. He also discusses the role of the city commissioners in establishing Nellis as a permanent airbase, as well as the role of Western Air Express, a commercial air company which eventually became Western Airlines.
Oral history interview with Carolyn Goodman conducted by David Schwartz on January 21, 2009 for the Remembering Jay Sarno Oral History Project. In this interview, Goodman talks about her friendships with Nate Jacobson, Jerry Zarowitz, and Elliot Price. She describes the business relationship that they had with Jay Sarno, the increase of casinos in Las Vegas, Nevada during the 1960s, and their contributions to the development of the Las Vegas Strip.
Oral history interview with Mary B. Cooke conducted by Gigi Arino on March 18, 1978 for the Ralph Roske Oral History Project on Early Las Vegas. During this interview Mary B. Cooke discusses previous jobs, personal family history, education, and the growth and development of the city. She also expresses her opinions on the topic of welfare, healthcare and the condition of the hospitals in Las Vegas. Digital audio and transcript available.