Oral history interview with John J. Weeteling conducted by his son, Terry Weeteling, on April 07, 1976 for the Ralph Roske Oral History Project on Early Las Vegas. In this interview, Weeteling describes moving to Tonopah, Nevada in 1942 while enlisted in the United States Air Force and life in the town. He talks about moving to Ely, Nevada in 1945 and working there as a truck driver, how Ely has grown and changed, and opening a paint and body shop in Hawthorne, Nevada. Weeteling continues, explaining why he moved to Henderson, Nevada in 1947, joining the fire department on the Basic Magnesium Plant compound, and describes life in Henderson. He then describes moving to Las Vegas, Nevada in 1951, Fremont Street during the 1950s, and the development of the Las Vegas Strip. Weeteling concludes by discussing local politicians, his recreational activities, ghost towns in Nevada, and nuclear weapons testing.
Archival Collection
Oral history interview with Mary V. Strachan conducted by Bill Strachan on February 26, 1979 for the Ralph Roske Oral History Project on Early Las Vegas. In this interview, Strachan discusses her personal history before arriving in Boulder City, Nevada in 1953. Strachan also describes population growth in Boulder City and Las Vegas, Nevada, as well as the development of Boulder City Hospital. Lastly, Strachan discusses her employment as a nurse at Boulder City Hospital.
Archival Collection
Oral history interview with Timothy Harney conducted by Sherrae Chesmore on February 26, 2006 for the Public School Principalship Oral History project. In his interview Harney discusses his experiences as public school teacher and principal in Southern Nevada. He also talks about what a typical day for a principal is like and what the expectation of teachers and principals are.
Archival Collection
Oral history interview with Ron Donoho conducted by Craig Brenner on February 28, 1978 for the Ralph Roske Oral History Project on Early Las Vegas. Donoho discusses the history of sheriffs in the Clark County Sheriff’s Office and the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department. Donoho mentions various sheriffs that were his colleagues and the political dynamics during their leaderships. He also recalls a list of Southern Nevada police officers killed in the line of duty.
Archival Collection
Oral history interview with Ernie Hensley conducted by Lisa Gioia-Acres on January 25, 2008 for the All That Jazz Oral History Project. Hensley discusses playing in the United States Air Force Band and becoming a member of the "Airmen of Note," the premier jazz ensemble for the Air Force. He also discusses working long-term with Jimmy Mulidore at the Las Vegas, Nevada Hilton Hotel, and his experiences working with Andy Williams, Sammy Davis, Jr., Juliet Prowse, Steve and Eydie, and Sarah Vaughn.
Archival Collection
Oral history interview with Dorothy Wright conducted by Claytee Wright on April 23, 2015 for the Boyer Early Las Vegas Oral History Project. Wright opens her interview by discussing her parents and their upbringings. She then describes her father's time in the Marines during World War II and his death a few years later. Wright then talks about her stepfather and her family's move to Las Vegas, Nevada for her stepfather's job at the Nevada Test Site. Wright describes moving away from Las Vegas to attend college in Washington and, returning to Las Vegas in 1968. She talks about attending the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, working for the Nevada Humanities Committee, and active African American civic groups in the 1970s. Wright ends the interview highlighting some of the major Las Vegas projects she wrote grants for including the Neon Museum and the Welcome to Las Vegas Sign.
Archival Collection
Oral history interview with Florence Murphy conducted by K. J. Evans on September 04, 1998 for the Las Vegas Review-Journal First 100 Oral History Project. In the interview, Murphy discusses working as a pilot and manager at Sky Haven Airfield (North Las Vegas Airport) in the early 1940s and Alamo Airfield (McCarran International Airport) between the late 1940s and the 1950s in Las Vegas, Nevada. She describes her first time piloting an airplane in approximately 1936 when a barnstormer, a stunt pilot in flying circuses, offered public flights for civilians. Murphy also discusses her first time in an airplane as a child with her father, the grand opening of Sky Haven, and her experiences working for Bonanza Airlines.
Archival Collection
Oral history interview with Carolyn Freeman conducted on January 30, 2006 for the Boyer Early Las Vegas Oral History Project. Freeman begins by discussing her upbringing, her father, who was the president of the Japanese American Citizens League, and her early interest in dancing. She also details her experiences as a Japanese American during World War II and being relocated by the federal government. Freeman then describes how she began her career as a dancer after getting a role in a Broadway play in New York City, New York, and her later experiences dancing in productions in Reno, Nevada and San Francisco, California during the 1950s and 1960s. Lastly, Freeman discusses the differences between living in Las Vegas, Nevada compared to California and being offered the chance to dance in a Frank Sinatra show by himself and Sammy Davis Jr.
Archival Collection
Oral history interview with Jack Ruggles Sr. conducted by Donald Parker on March 15, 1978 for the Ralph Roske Oral History Project on Early Las Vegas. In this interview, Ruggles describes moving to early Boulder City, Nevada in 1931 as a child due to his step-father's supervisory job at the Hoover (Boulder) Dam. Ruggles describes life in Boulder City and later becoming a construction worker and helping to build the Basic Magnesium Plant in Henderson, Nevada. Ruggles goes on to discuss his career and experiences as a police officer in Las Vegas, Nevada. During the discussion of his career as a police officer, Ruggles describes his participation in maintaining racial segregation in casino properties for casino owners.
Archival Collection