Dayvid Figler (1967 - ) is the quiet boy who became an insightful and creative contributor to the local culture of Las Vegas. The oldest of Barbara and Meyer Figler?s three children, he was four years old when the family station wagon reached Las Vegas in 1971. They moved in with Uncle Izzy (aka Big Irish) Figler for a few months. Having the ?juice,? Dayvid?s father soon became a Pan dealer on the Strip. As the family grew, Barbara eventually immersed her energies in her children?s activities, Hadassah and Temple Beth Sholom. In this oral history, Dayvid also recalls his awkward, but incredibly interesting youth, his bar mitzvah at Temple Beth Sholom, and path to a successful career as a criminal defense attorney. He also talks about embracing Las Vegas as his home, owning a home in John S. Park neighborhood and mentions a number of literary depictions of Las Vegas that he admires. Dayvid describes growing up a ?casino kid? who lived in an apartment near the Riviera Hotel. This, in addition to his slight stature and academic brilliance, may have set him apart from many of his childhood peers. He graduated from Valley High School at the age of 16 and by the age of 23 he was a rising star in the legal world. He looks back with appreciation to his list of mentors who encouraged him along the way. Dayvid is also a local favorite as an essayist and poet. For a number of years he could be heard on KNPR/NPR. He has been a performer in hundreds of productions that featured his comic wit and writings, from Lollapalooza to Tom and Jerry?s on Maryland Parkway.
The Palace Station Hotel and Casino sign sits at 2411 West Sahara Avenue. Information about the sign is available in the Southern Nevada Neon Survey Data Sheet. Site address: 2411 W Sahara Ave Sign owner: Palace Station Sign details: Founded by Frank Fertitta III, was originally Bingo Palace in 1976 but was changed to Palace Station Sign condition: 4 - some broken lights on the sign but for the most part seems in great condition. Owners unsure if keeping the sign or replacing it with a new one during 2017 remodel of property Sign form: back to back pylon Sign-specific description: Double sided pylon road side sign, word "PALACE STATION HOTEL CASINO" In red encasement stuck to the front of a minimalistic image of a train, the word "BINGO" underneath the train front. Skeleton Neon is used to accentuate the features of the train and the lettering on the sign. Sign - type of display: Neon and incandescent Sign - media: Steel, Plastic Sign animation: Chasers around "PALACE STATION HOTEL CASINO" and "BINGO" boxes and the neon in the boxes turn off then fill in from both sides until full again Sign environment: Property is near the I-15, by local businesses and some residential Sign - date of installation: c. 1983 Sign - thematic influences: Seeking to avoid the western theme popular among casinos at the time, Fertitta chose trains. Worried that the name Bingo Palace didn't highlight the full-range of gaming and amenities on offer at the expanded casino, Fertitta held an open contest to rename the casino later that year. More than 26,000 entries were received over three weeks. Las Vegas resident Claire Jarvis won as Palace Station touched on the new train theme while keeping part of the original name. - Las Vegas Review Journal Sign - artistic significance: Owner Frank Ferttitta Jr held a contest for the casinos new theme and the "train station" theme was the favorite out of the entries. Survey - research locations: UNLV Special Collections, Las Vegas Sun, YESCO, Review Journal Surveyor: Danny Jacobs Survey - date completed: 2017-09-10 Sign keywords: Pylon; Neon; Incandescent; Steel; Chasing; Back to back; Roadside; Video screen; Reader board
Oral history interview with Bryan Chan conducted by Vanessa Concepcion, Cecilia Winchell, and Stefani Evans on October 18, 2021 for Reflections: The Las Vegas Asian American and Pacific Islander Oral History Project. Bryan Chan discusses his life growing up in California, his family's migration stories to the United States, and his education. He discusses his appearance on a reality television show which led to becoming a singer for boy band LMNT. Bryan talks about his entertainment career, including his move to Las Vegas to sing and host for the Chippendales show at the Rio Hotel and Casino. He also shares insight into his family's traditions and his favorite foods that his father and grandmother cooked. Subjects discussed include: chain migration; Chippendales; giglife; virtual events; traditional foods.
On March 2, 1980, Dennis Hunt interviewed his mother, Catherine Hunt (born August 25, 1932 in Palmyra, Missouri) about her life in Southern Nevada. The two discuss Catherine Hunt’s work as a secretary before becoming a housewife. The interview concludes with Catherine Hunt’s thoughts on population growth, women’s rights, and the Equal Rights Amendment.
From an early age, Marie McMillan displayed an adventurous sensibility, a characteristic that is revealed in how life unfolded for her. In this multi-part interview, Marie begins with her birth in 1926 California, and continues with stories of her childhood recollections of the Depression era, her longstanding closeness with Nanny, her maternal grandmother, and memories of Old Bent, her paternal grandfather. She enjoys a flirtatious vitality and attends college for a year. However, as World War II begins to infest the U.S., Marie finds herself falling for a young merchant marine named Duke Daly. They marry, have two children, and live a transient life moving about California and Hawaii as he goes to school, then seeks and finds employment in a postwar economy. By the late 1950s, the Daly household is stressed and begin to split time between California and Las Vegas. Marie holds positions that require security clearance and administrative talents. In 1961, Duke passes away a
Janice and Robert Spurlock were married in 1990 and each has a lifetime of Las Vegas memories. They have made Sandy Valley home for nearly 32 years. Together the couple recalls the people and places of Las Vegas' past from their points of view during this oral history interview. For Janice the stories begin in the 1930s after her family moved to Las Vegas from California. She was a youngster of about five. Among the topics she talks about is walking to Fifth Street Grammar School, graduating from Vegas High School, and fun had during Helldorado Days. In 1953, Robert arrived. He was a young man headed from Arizona to Colorado seeking work as a welder. He stopped in Henderson, Nevada and never quite made it out of the area. For the next two decades he worked construction and helped build many local landmarks. He shares stories about the range wars and about being accidentally exposed to radiation from the Nevada Test site.