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Transcript of interview with Mary Ellen Osborn Lake by Fred Wilson, February 18, 1951

Date

1951-02-18

Description

On February 18, 1951, Fred Wilson interviewed Mary Ellen Osborn Lake (born 1870 in Mercer County, Missouri) and her son, Thomas Lake (born 1889 in Missouri). Wilson first asked Mary Ellen questions about when she first arrived in Las Vegas, Nevada in 1904. Much of the relatively brief interview involved questions related to the first Methodist churches in Las Vegas and the Lakes’ involvement and recollections of the locations and members of the church community.

Text

Carol Frey oral history interview: transcript

Date

2018-03-30

Archival Collection

Description

Oral history interview with Carol Frey conducted by Claytee D. White on March 30, 2018 for the Remembering 1 October Oral History Project. In this interview, Carol Frey discusses her work as a volunteer for the Trauma Intervention Program (TIP) of Southern Nevada. She specifically talks about the October 1, 2017 mass shooting in Las Vegas, Nevada and her volunteer efforts at one of the hospitals, where she provided support for survivors of the shooting, answering any questions they had, calling family members, arranging transport of loved ones to Las Vegas, and any other assistance that was needed, either emotional or practical. Throughout the interview, Frey discusses the moments that have stuck with her, including the gestures of gratitude the TIP volunteers had received from United Health Care employees and Sandy Hook High School students.

Text

Photographs of Riviera signs, Las Vegas (Nev.), 2002

Date

2002

Description

Nighttime views of the Riviera Hotel and Casino signs on the Strip. Information about the sign is available in the Southern Nevada Neon Survey Data Sheet.
Site name: Riviera Hotel and Casino (Las Vegas, Nev.)
Site address: 2901 S Las Vegas Blvd
Sign owner: Riveria Holdings Corporation
Sign details: The Riviera is another of the properties on the Strip which brought its borders to the street. It is one of the properties with an extensive collection of signs on its properties. The glass wall and block long facade, which incorporates infinity lighting and neon displays. A highly animated an reflective ceiling of the westernmost pedestrian element right along Las Vegas Boulevard also plays host to a continuously pulsing entablature of text and neon. The outer portion of the wall facing west is also adorned with raceways, backlit signs, neon stars, and a host of other signs as well. The northwest corner is a unique collection of fascia wall design and sculptural elements on the corner as well for the "Nickeltown" portion of the casino. Along the east end of the property, more Riviera logo/wall signs denote entrances, while the eastern most edge plays host to the massive Riviera Pylon. Various signs also reside on the eastern side of the property. Text signs are located in several positions among various structures. There is also a rather busily illuminated awning, which is lined with incandescent bulbs and text.
Sign condition: Structure 5 Surface 4 Lighting 5
Sign form: Pylon; Fascia; Porte-cochère
Sign-specific description: The main attraction to the Riviera is its mirrored round wall which serves as a multiuse billboard built around the neon advertisements for the Riviera's big show: Splash Front façade: The front façade of the Riviera is best described by starting with the giant glass well and heading north. The radius of the giant reflective extravaganza is in the general direction of the southwest so reflectivity is extremely good during the afternoon hours. The surface of the structurally integrated visions is surfaced with giant reflective mirrored panel which give way to the multicolored neon puzzle work of the Splash logo. The logo advertises for the show using iconography from the show itself represented with pan channel figures lined on the interiors with neon of corresponding colors for which they are painted. The text that spells "Splash" is painted red, with the circular raceway that sits in its background is painted yellow. The "Splash" text sits above the organic shapes of water shooting out from underneath the array of signage, painted blue and purple. The image of the female inside the logo text is graphically treated with the proper registration of illustrative quality. She is also lined with neon in the proper colors over the major outlines of her form. The entire array sits on a black background laden with incandescent bulbs. The neon is arranged so that as it progresses toward the ground the organic shapes radiate in a repeating pattern outward. The blue and purple neon radiate toward the ground while the red neon in the "Splash" radiates left toward the other side of the wall. Green channels spurt out of the top lined with green neon as well. On opposite sides of the radius wall, there are a series of signage that mirror each other. "Riviera" is written in channel letters filled with neon, and a series of internally lit, color cabinets, lined on the edges with incandescent bulbs. The middle portion of the wall is occupied with various sized stars, raceways, and incandescent bulbs found on extensions and diamond shaped faces. The stars are lined on the interior profile of the shape with blue and pink neon, as well as incandescent bulbs on the interior as well. The bottom of the radius wall is adorned with adorned with internally lit cabinets as well as various small neon creations. Moving north along the face of the building the façade the external elements are greatly supportive of the mirrored walls, and just as brilliant in their own right. The façade begins just to the south of the giant mirrored wall, with a section lined with vertical bars of neon animating in red, pink, purple, and blue neon. Riviera is written in cahnnel letters and filled with incandescent bulbs. The letters are outlined in red neon. On either side of the rectangular section, two small versions of the giant mirrored wall support green and blue wavy channels, lined on the interior edges with corresponding neon colors. Incandescent bulbs are present as well. The façade on the north side smoothly transitions into a wall of transparent plastic cubes, lit from the inside, with raceways running down the edges. This façade runs the entire length of the building, until the end is reached at the northwest corner and Nickeltown. Along the facade, internally lit cabinets surrounded by raceways occupy the vicinity of the lower portion of the sign. The faces are colored plastic and treated with graphics and text. Toward the end of the facade, a collection of small signs is fused together to create a single collection of busy signs. The entire structure is a chaotic vision of relief sculpture smashing into text and iconography, while bright, vibrant colors and neon, fight for attention. The majority of the sign is located on the body of the building, reaches down to touch the ground. Four fluted columns rise up from the ground to meet the bottom base of the massive wall sign. The columns rise up into a sculpted cabinet that is heavily crafted and adorned with ornate edges of hard-coated foam or fiberglass scrollwork. The swelling and swirling scrolls swell out in three dimensions. The entire border of the bottom section is turned into a detailed, organically shaped, cloud like shape. The scrollwork as well as the columns is finished white, with the recesses being toned a golden color. The effect accentuates the three dimensional nature of the design. The surface of this bottom portion is a diagonally crisscrossing pattern of white lattice- work on top of a golden surface. The center of the open surface is occupied by a giant pan channel, of the top three points at a purple, five-pointed star. Flanking either side of the star are small, steel, closed face cabinets, in the shape of squatty looking five pointed stars. They are varying sizes and are painted the three separate colors of purple, yellow, and green. The top point of the largest purple star rises through the top part of the bottom cloud section touching up into the massive collection of signs. This particular sign centers on a top logo reading "Riviera Slot Adventure" in channel letters in the style of action adventure movies such as "Indiana Jones." The first word is written in the logo style of the Riviera, and painted yellow on the interiors. The letters for the two words, "Slot Adventure" are bent with the force of motion and painted red, grading into an orange. Behind that, a circular cabinet, representing a globe, is painted blue in the center and fading to white. Flanking either side of the globe, associated more with the top portion of the globe, pairs of arching bronze colored cabinets slightly arch outward suggesting shining or an explosion. They are laden with incandescent bulbs. The remainder of the sign between the bottom star structure and the top slot adventure text, is occupied by a varied array of signage that can be designated between two halves of the collection. The left-hand side of the sign consists of three-dimensional sculptural elements, channel letters, relief elements. The far left side of the collection is rounded out by the three dimensional relief of crashing waves, creating a background for the three-dimensional structure of the mermaid. Red channel letters spell "Splash" above the mermaid, in white channel letters painted red on the inside. Neon lines the interior of the letters as well. Below the mermaid, more channel letters spell "Gardens" in red channel letters painted yellow on the interiors and lined on the interiors with neon. Above the crest of the wave a relief of a train shoots toward the north with a yellow and red circular cabinet above that with the text for jackpot junction. The train relief is also the designed with perspective to appear as if it is moving forward. Directly to the left of the train is set of yellow channel letters painted blue on the interior reading "Jackpot Factory," lined on the interior with neon. A purple backing cabinet is graphically painted on the face with images of gears. Just to the left of the text is the three dimensional sculpture representing a stack of coins. The space below the "Jackpot Factory" a purple cabinet with a colored face reads with graphics and text for "Valley of Games." Directly to the left of the "Valley of the Games" cabinet a three dimensional cherub is holding a large nickel, with a banner above that. The cherub is painted with the proper flesh tones, and the nickel is adorned with the proper details. The wings animate, utilizing two tubes of neon shaped as wings and in different positions to appear as flapping. A white arched steel banner, with blue text, reading "Nickel Heaven." Neon floats over the top of the letters. The right hand side of the entire collection is just as detailed and elaborate, if not ore than the left hand side. A white steel cabinet cut into the profile of the text, which is painted yellow with red outlines. The text reads 'Slot Frenzy' in two lanes. The red borders are lined with incandescent bulbs. The remaining negative space in the center of the sign is a painted slot handle with a circle of neon around the top of the handle. To the right of that, the surface of the board is created out of relief of faux rocks above what is a set of railroad tracks. A mine cart is on the tracks with giant diamond shaped gems residing in the interior space. A cabinet made of an arched banner and a square cabinet resides above the mine cart. The banner reads Double diamond in blue text, and "mines is spelled" in blue text on the rectangle. Further right the rocks give way to a portion of the cabinet, that reads "Jackpot City" in yellow channel letters, with yellow neon. Vertical raceways lined with incandescent bulbs shoot upward in the area of the text. All are supported on a multicolored flat cabinet, predominantly painted red. Nickel town: On the Northwest corner of the property three distinct images comprise the signage. The main marquee for Nickeltown over the entrance, a Riviera logo just to the right of that, and a large sculptural fountain, that dominates the corner with it's presence. Over the brass and glass doors for the entrance, a polished metal overhang radiuses above the door, and contains the words Nickel Town in channel letters. The two words are written horizontally in a line, and separated in the middle with a pan cjhannel star also lined with neon on it's interior. The star is centered with a channel number "5" which is filled with white neon. The star's neon colors are pink and blue, and are arranged as interior lining of the star. The underside of the awning, as the rest of the front facade, is adorned with the incandescent bulbs, placed neatly in the designated prismatic shapes. The neon rings also are present, running the pediment across the facade. Elements of the electric wall can be seen as well, with the metal diamonds supporting incandescent bulbs trailing upward from the awning up to the facade of the building behind it. Several different sizes of star rise up as well, they are identical in color and design shape. Since the interiors do not contain a channel letter, they contain a channel shaped star, lined with incandescent bulbs in the center. A different sort of star shape is present as well. This shape is an eight-sided shape, reminiscent of a snowflake. When I say snowflake, it is essentially a cross shaped piece crossed, with an "X" shape. The shape is designed out of a pan channel, filled with incandescent bulbs. White neon backs the channel. Directly to the right of the entrance, the mirrored facade reflects the entrance, as the reflective surface house vertical, neon bars as well. The three different colors are Blue, gold and green. Consuming the majority of the concrete expanse created by the small plaza, is the neon-laden fountain of light and steel, with a base of ceramic pool. The design is a circular pool, covered in 1"x1" ceramic tiles, and filled with water. Thee square poles are bent over, looking as if they are spraying up out of the fountain. They appear almost as if a bouquet. One is painted Blue, one gold, and the other red. These poles are striped with neon tubing of the corresponding colors. Internally lit cubes, of the same color scheme as the primary palette. Wrapping around the circumference of the top half of the plumage, is a silver pediment that radiuses around the fountain. The finish is polished metal, and matches the overhang presented in the Nickel Town signage. Raceways run along the top and bottom edges of the face, wile the internally lit advertisements occupying the open space of the pediment every so often. Riviera Convention Center: Directly to the east of Nickeltown, is the Riviera Convention center. Signage for the building is first evident when traveling west, looking at the east face of the building. Not far on the north side of the east face of the building, large channel letters hang denoting the building. The Riviera logo text is spelled in the signature text, outlined with red neon and filled with incandescent bulbs. Below that, a two lined text reads convention center in red channel letters, lined on the interior with red neon. On the south side of the building, two lines of text reads, "Royale Pavilion" and "Entrance" below that. These channel letters are red, and lined with red neon on the interiors. Tower: Along the north side of the main tower, "Riviera" is spelled with giant red channel letters, filled with incandescent bulbs, and lined with red neon. The rear entrance is shared for the hotel, and the convention center, and is denoted with signage, and an overhang. A large blockish overhang is cantilevered off of the side of the building and projects outward, toward the east. On the front edge, an arcade of arches is evident, which reveal five tube-like vaults that project the half radius all the way back to the building. All of the edges of the raceway, including the spaces on the underside, which separates the vaults, are lined with incandescent bulb lined raceways. The Riviera text spells "Riviera" across the front of the cantilevered structure. The channel letters are painted red, lined with red neon and filled with incandescent bulbs. Left of the cantilevered structure are letters, which spell convention center. They are channel letters with red plastic faces.
Sign - type of display: Neon; Incandescent; Backlit
Sign - media: Steel; Plastic; Glass; Fiberglass
Sign - non-neon treatments: Graphics; Paint
Sign animation: Chasing, flashing, oscillating
Notes: The incandescent bulbs inside the text reading "Paris" on the balloon oscillate rapidly.
Sign manufacturer: Federal Signal (fascia front glass)
Sign designer: Marge Williams/ Arch: Nikita Zukov (fascia design)
Sign - date of installation: 1988-1989
Sign - date of redesign/move: Pylon was moved to Convention Center Dr. and Paradise Rd. c. 1988
Surveyor: Joshua Cannaday
Survey - date completed: 2002
Sign keywords: Chasing; Flashing; Oscillating; Pylon; Fascia; Porte-cochère; Neon; Incandescent; Backlit; Steel; Plastic; Glass; Fiberglass; Paint; Graphics

Mixed Content

Photographs of Arby's and Guinness World of Records Museum signs, Las Vegas (Nev.), 2002

Date

2002

Description

Daytime and nighttime views of the Arby's and Guinness World of Records Museum signs on the Strip. Information about the sign is available in the Southern Nevada Neon Survey Data Sheet.
Site address: 2776 Las Vegas Blvd, 2780 Las Vegas Blvd
Sign owner: Arby's: Schultzen and Harry Sax, Guinness: ?, Cj's: PDS Gaming used to be Carl Fredrickson
Sign details: Located in a small lot on the west side of the strip, north of the giant Circus Circus pylon, and just north of the Arco AM/PM, the Arby's fast food establishment shares property and a sign with Guinness World of Records, and CJ's Slot Sales Facility. The Arby's is located in the front of the lot facing the strip, flanked on either side by drives. The "L" shaped structure for the other two establishments lies in the rear, western portion of the lot. To the north of the property, is vacant desert, stretching to Sahara Ave. To the south is Fantasia Gifts. Text signage adorns both structures, as well as a small pylon on the front northeast corner of the property. This sign is located in close proximity to the street.
Sign condition: Structure 4 Surface 3 Lighting 3 The structural integrity of all the signs on the property seem to be stable and in decent repair. The surface of the Guinness channel letters is faded, and showing patches of white. The lighting on the Guinness sign does not work, but the main pylon is functional. Even though CJ's slot sales are not present in this location any more, the text on the pylon for CJ's is functional and animating. The back-lit letters on the Arby's facility are functional, but the red channel letters are not.
Sign form: Pylon; Fascia
Sign-specific description: The north and south sides the Arby's building contain red painted, channel letter text, reading "Museum & Gift Shop," with a lengthy channel arrow underlining the above text and pointing toward the buildings located at the rear of the property. The pylon sign is on the north end of the property, across the drive from the establishment itself. It is basically a two-sided, vertically standing rectangle, divided into two sections by a narrow LED message center. The top half belonging to Arby's and the bottom half designated for the Guinness establishment. Both are placed on a smaller section, which serves as the base. The top half is finished in mirrored panels, providing a reflective surface for the Arby's logo. The insignia for the establishment is the outline of a ten-gallon cowboy hat, with the text spelling "Arby's," displayed cutting through the outline onto either side of the object. The entire logo is constructed of crafted channel raceways. Two separate yellow pieces form the top and bottom portions of the hat, while the text is created in orange. All the channels are filled with incandescent bulbs, and outlined in neon. The bottom portion of the sign is also two sided with, a yellow tinged face providing space for a four lined series of text. The text reads, "Guinness World of Records Museum," in red channel letters, and filled with neon, of the same color. The entire sign itself is bordered in neon. The remaining exposed face of the cabinet is finished with mirrors also. The bottom edge of the cabinet is a sloped mirrored surface which angles down into thinner, but equally wide base that contains signage also. In polished channel letters, internally lit with red plastic faces, the text "Slot Sales," resides and contains a small arrow of the same design on the western edge of the sign. A black internally lit cabinet sits beneath that. The sides of the lower portion are mirrored panels as well. The wall signs of the building at the rear of the property, are similar to those seen on the north and west sides of the Arby's establishment. The signs run parallel to the walls of the face of the building. The building is "L" shaped with the leg of the "L" pointing east, and the longer section running north. Supported on a background held up with a series of cylindrical columns, a facade of gold, raceway bordered message banner, runs along the east face. It then recedes west along the leg of the "L", parallel to the northern face section, and angles back to meet the rest of the building. The text on the sign is spelled in red channel letters, and bordered with yellow neon. Along the shortest section facing east, the word "Guinness" is spelled. The section shooting west, and facing north, possesses the text "World of Records." The texts in both sections are almost as tall as the banner itself and in all capitals. The angled portion has smaller text, reading "Entrance" and two arrows pointed down on either side. The remainder of the eastern face is blank until the northern end of the face. On the wall above the entrance two cabinets flank a set of red channel letters reading "CJ's." The edges of the cabinet on either side of the center initials, is crafted in a triangular peak, making the two signs into arrows pointing toward the center. The outside edges are negative triangular cuts, echoing the other pointed end. The edges of the cabinet are crafted out of red raceways, lined with incandescent bulbs. Red channel letters, filled with neon occupy the white background on both cabinets. The left cabinet reads "Slot" and the right reads "Sales."
Sign - type of display: Neon; Incandescent
Sign - media: Plastic; Glass
Sign - non-neon treatments: Paint
Sign animation: Flashing, oscillating
Sign environment: The environment of the Arby's Guinness complex is one of finality. To the north a vacant lot stretches on, leaving the Arby's dangling in conclusion on the west side of the strip. Even though giants such as the Sahara and the Circus Circus loom nearby, the Arby's complex seems very alone.
Sign - date of redesign/move: In August of 2002, the Signage for CJ's was removed
Sign - thematic influences: The theme is only dealt with within the realm of the businesses that they advertise. The Guinness signage is only text, but retains the raceways that are consistent throughout strip properties. The pylon itself is a multi use structure for all the properties, with a mirrored surface, and the cowboy hat logo for Arby's. So if there is any theme present it could be linked to a somewhat cowboy theme.
Sign - artistic significance: The facade can be linked to a trend that took place in Las Vegas in the 1970's. In an effort to help with energy consumption, the incorporation of mirrored panels was put into effect to help reimburse the present effect of lighting. The pylon has a mirrored surface. A trend popular throughout the 80's as well. In a weird link to a specific casino, the Arby's western hat coupled with the mirrored surface is reminiscent of a site such as the Westward Ho Motel. It too is a mirrored surface, utilizing similar colors, and the inkling of a western theme present in its text. The yellow bulbs animated in the Arby's channel edge are comparative to the pulsating raceways of the Westward Ho.
Surveyor: Joshua Cannaday
Survey - date completed: 2002
Sign keywords: Flashing; Oscillating; Fascia; Pylon; Incandescent; Neon; Plastic; Glass; Paint

Mixed Content

Michael Chin oral history interview: transcript

Date

2022-12-20
2023-01-12

Description

Oral history interviews with Michael Chin conducted by Jerwin Tiu, Cecilia Winchell, and Stefani Evans on December 20, 2022 and January 12, 2023 for Reflections: the Las Vegas Asian American and Pacific Islander Oral History Project. In this interview, Chin describes growing up in a largely Americanized household. His paternal grandparents immigrated from China and owned a laundry shop that his father worked in as well. Chin discusses his education and his interest in creative writing, including editing the school newspaper and writing an a cappella blog with his friend while in college. After graduating, he worked at the John Hopkins Center for Talented Youth as a resident assistant before getting into a graduate program and obtaining his MFA.

Text

Erica Mosca oral history interview: transcript

Date

2023-02-03

Description

Oral history interview with Erica Mosca conducted by Cecilia Winchell, Stefani Evans, and Jerwin Tiu on February 3, 2023 for the Reflections: the Las Vegas Asian American and Pacific Islander Oral History Project. In this interview, Mosca reflects on her life journey from a low-income Asian American to a current serving Nevada State Assemblywoman. She recalls that most of her childhood was in Palm Springs, California where she enjoyed a diverse community of students within her education system. It was not until she moved to Navato, California where she first experienced the economic and resource gap between economically diverse areas. Mosca went on to be involved in a college readiness program and received a scholarship to Boston University. After college, Mosca went on to work for Teach for America where she was stationed on the east side of Las Vegas at Goldfarb Elementary School where she grew a passion for leadership. She eventually returned to school and graduated from Harvard University, returning to Las Vegas to start her nonprofit "Leaders in Training." Mosca hopes to inspire change in her communities by enacting legislation and initiatives targeted towards the communities she was and continutes to be a part of.

Text

Binion's Horseshoe Casino Records on Poker

Identifier

MS-00325

Abstract

The Binion's Horseshoe Casino Records on Poker (1960-2006) are composed of materials related to the World Series of Poker (WSOP) held at Binion's Horseshoe Casino. Publicity and promotional materials include press releases and press kits, newspaper and advertising clippings, photographs, advertising campaigns, and advertising copy. These records were mainly generated by the Binion press agent, Henri Bollinger. Other topics covered in the collection include the establishment of the Poker Hall of Fame, and promotional and publicity efforts by Binion's Horseshoe in the 1970s and 1980s.

Archival Collection

Matt Gregory Entertainment Papers

Identifier

MS-00381

Abstract

Collection is comprised of the papers of Las Vegas producer, manager, and agent Matt Gregory from 1959 to 1986. Included are contracts, costume sketches, press releases, videos, show reviews, and advertisements. Also included are correspondence, public relations material, business related material, costume and set design drawings and sketches, slides, negatives, photographs, transparencies, and videos, mostly from the 1960s through the 1980s.

Archival Collection

Kenneth H. Childers Architectural Drawings

Identifier

MS-00851

Abstract

The Kenneth H. Childers Architectural Drawings (1968, approximately 1981-1995) contain the work of Childers and his Las Vegas, Nevada architectural firm, Kenneth H. Childers Architect. The drawings depict both residential and commercial structures built primarily in Las Vegas.

Archival Collection