In 1948 in Las Vegas, Nevada, a camera-girl-turned-cocktail-waitress and a casino credit manager welcomed the birth of their son, Darrin Bush. After attaining his education at St. Joseph’s Catholic School and Bishop Gorman High School, Bush earned his Bachelor’s degree in journalism at the University of Nevada, Reno. Bush credits his love for photography to his mother’s influence and his study of journalism. Bush’s first job after college as a room service waiter at the Sahara Hotel eventually grew into the coveted position of room service swing captain. His swing shift duties included the entertainers' dressing rooms, which meant taking care of the entertainers, getting them what they needed, and stocking their favorite foods and drinks nightly. Through his work, Bush eventually formed close friendships with several celebrities of the day. He enjoyed his work, but he never stopped honing his skills as an amateur photographer. In the mid-1980s, Bush left the Strip to become a professional photographer for the Las Vegas News Bureau. Throughout his News Bureau career, Bush photographed the casino buildings made famous by Las Vegas-the construction and the architecture of Southern Nevada’s gaming palaces-as well as iconic events in Las Vegas history. Darrin retired from the News Bureau in about 2014, but his work recording the building of and events of Las Vegas lives on in the News Bureau archives. He continues to be an avid photographer.
Text
Oral history interview with Thomas J. Schoeman conducted by Stefani Evans and Claytee D. White on July 18, 2016 for the Building Las Vegas Oral History Project. Schoeman discusses his childhood, education from the University of New Mexico, and the architectural community within Las Vegas, Nevada. He also talks about Jack Miller and Associates Architectural Studios projects and his favorite Las Vegas buildings.
Archival Collection
Image
Image
Oral history interview with Carol-Ann Swatling conducted by Claytee White on May 05, 2010 for the Boyer Early Las Vegas Oral History Project. Swatling discusses her primary caregivers, her maternal grandmother and her great uncle and aunt. She also discusses working in the reference department at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas Libraries for 28 years and experiencing various evolutions in the libraries.
Archival Collection