Oral history interview with Krystal Ramirez conducted by Monserrath Hernández and Barbara Tabach on October 30, 2019 for the Latinx Voices of Southern Nevada Oral History Project. Krystal talks about her personal history growing up in Texas and spending summers with her family in Mexico. She shares her thoughts about how Las Vegas has changed and how she has contributed to the city's art scene as a staff photographer for Vegas Seven (a local magazine), the New York Times, and the Marjorie Barrick Museum. Subjects discussed include: Texas; Chihuahua, Mexico; Latinx Identity; Vegas Seven; Beat Coffee House; Downtown Las Vegas.
The Fergusons Motel sign, restored by Downtown Project, sits at 1028 Fremont Street. Information about the sign is available in the Southern Nevada Neon Survey Sheet. Site address: 1028 Fremont St Sign owner: 1028 Fremont LLC (Assessor) /Downtown Las Vegas Project (Bruzda, 2016; Millward, 2017; Schoenmann, 2013; Snel 2014) Sign details: The building was constructed in 1946 (Assessor). The business opened originally as the Franklin Motel (RoadsideArchitecure.com). The motel may have been renamed Ferguson's in 1962 (Las Vegas motels-Then and Now). The current sign probably dates from the late 1950's or 1960's and is not from the Franklin (RoadsideArchitecture.com). Downtown Project partners purchased Fergusons Motel in December 2012 and the property was closed as of 2013 (Schoennmann, 2013). The Downtown Project planned to convert the motel's 69 rooms into retail shops, offices, taverns and a restaurant (Schoenmann). As of May 2017, no construction had been completed and The Downtown Project had altered its plans to instead use the site for residences, restaurants and art space (Millward, 2017). Sign condition: Condition is 5. The sign has been reconditioned to look like new. Sign form: Pole Sign-specific description: The sign is mounted on a rectangular metal pole which is painted yellow. Attached to the street side of the pole are several metal cabinets joined to form an "L" shape which points toward the motel. The bottom cabinet contains the word "KITCHENS", which runs horizontally in white painted sans serif letters and white sans serif skeleton neon letters. Below "KITCHENS" is a white plastic light box. Below the lightbox are two rows of intertwining clear light bulbs. The bottom of the metal cabinet is shaped like two undulating waves. Over the top of "KITCHENS" is a small cabinet which spells out "VACANCY" in white san serif letters which are covered by clear skeleton neon sans serif letters spelling out, "Sorry NO VACANCY". The word "MOTEL" runs vertically down the sign in white painted and white neon letters, all san serif. Neon tubes outline the letters while another tube runs down the center. Running down the street side of the sign are three intertwining rows of clear light bulbs. The top of the cabinet is painted green in the shape of a chevron or boomerang. The bottom sides of the boomerang intersect at a perpendicular angle and the top is curved. The tip of the boomerang juts out from the sign toward the hotel. The interior of the boomerang is traced by three rows of skeleton neon. On top of the boomerang is a yellow circle outlined in light blue. The blue outline contains 16 clear light bulbs. The yellow interior of the circle has 16 spiral rows of clear light bulbs running from the exterior to the interior of the circle. The yellow pole which supports the sign runs through a lozenge shaped blue metal cabinet. The cabinet states, "FERGUSONS" in Googie style white letters and skeleton neon and "DOWNTOWN" is sans serif white letters and skeleton neon. Above the cabinet, attached to a pole, is a white statue of a climbing figure which is similar to other figures on Fremont Street and was likely added to the sign by the Downtown Project. Sign - type of display: Neon and incandescent Sign - media: Steel and plastic. Possibly fiberglass for the climbing figure. Sign - non-neon treatments: Incandescent light bulbs, light box Sign environment: In the East Fremont district this motel is surrounded by other motels many of which are also currently closed. Sign - date of installation: Circa late 1950's/ 1960's Sign - date of redesign/move: The sign is probably from the late 1950's or 1960's (RoadsideArchitecture.com). A postcard from the 1960's shows the background of the "MOTEL" portion of the sign painted black (Garofalo, 2011). Below "FERGUSONS" hung two smaller signs: the top sign displayed the AAA symbol and the words, "Phone", "Pool" and "T-V" (Garofalo, 2011). The lower sign displayed three badges (auto clubs?). Sign - artistic significance: The sign design style is Googie. Survey - research locations: Bruzda, N. (2016 May 2). Construction planned for Fergusons Motel in downtown Las Vegas still yet to be seen. Las Vegas Review Journal. Retrieved from https://www.reviewjournal.com/business/construction-planned-for-fergusons-motel-in-downtown-las-vegas-still-yet-to-be-seen/ Clark County Assessor. Parcel No. 139-35-201-006. Retrieved from http://www.clarkcountynv.gov/assessor/Pages/PropertyRecords.aspx?H=redrock&P=assrrealprop/pcl.aspx Garofalo, M. (2011 November 1). Still standing-Fergusons[sic] Motel [Photograph]. Retrieved from https://www.flickr.com/photos/vintageroadtrip/6305057708/in/photolist-aBa4Zw-qeNAZa-fxWx3V-54q1dr-7qs1A1-81uYMJ-9i1MAF-pUfCjM-m57jkW-8BzGrN-nM1Nyq-zCCx9s-EJBciL-BkTrgS-zpiF94-aW6aKv-2ZFRQ4-opLfq5-riESKk-n8Wdz-qmMWgN-riESNg-FW15N3-dvx2N-7As5GF-aC7z44-omUMSx-qmMWKy-5XLHvx-evbtLo-onbi7i-635ftN-UhMyz7-8sfVoW-BVWgRY-m8qWB8-ev8mFD-6sadvS-8FdMPf-pBdbtQ-etP68R-pfCeRE-54HNiA-9uFAxg-3b4UbW-FWTWBt-pjCShX-8Bv6mp-aUDgVc-qUKBLu Las Vegas motels-Then and now. (n.d.) Retrieved from http://stefanidrivesvegas.com/2.html Millward, W. T. (2017 May 8). Plans to turn Fergusons Motel into mixed-use campus advance. Las Vegas Review Journal. Retrieved from https://www.reviewjournal.com/local/local-las-vegas/downtown/plans-to-turn-fergusons-motel-into-mixed-use-campus-advance/ RoadsideArchitecture.com. Fergusons Motel. Retrieved from http://www.roadarch.com/signs/nvvegas2.html Schoenmann, J. (2013 July 3). Joe Downtown: Ferguson Motel being converted into taverns, retail spaces. Las Vegas Sun. Retrieved from https://lasvegassun.com/news/2013/jul/03/joe-downtown-ferguson-motel-being-converted-tavern/ Snel, A. (2014 August 5). New plans proposed for rundown Fremont Street motel. Las Vegas Review Journal. Retrieved from https://www.reviewjournal.com/business/new-plans-proposed-for-rundown-fremont-street-motel/ Surveyor: Mitchell Cohen Survey - date completed: 2017-08-16 Sign keywords: Steel; Plastic; Fiberglass; Incandescent; Pole sign; Neon
Oral history interview with Cindy Baca conducted by Barbara Tabach on May 22, 2019 for the Remembering 1 October Oral History Project. Cindy Baca, born and raised in Las Vegas, talks about her family and occupation as a librarian at Escobedo Middle School. Cindy's twin daughters were present and injured during the Route 91 Festival and October 1 shooting. She describes their experiences and the Random Acts of Kindness project she piloted at her school after the incident.
Oral history interview with Alber A. Mora conducted by Rodrigo Vazquez and Laurents Bañuelos-Benitez on December 7, 2018 for the Latinx Voices of Southern Nevada Oral History Project. Alber Mora talks about his life growing up in Cuba with his family and the circumstances of their departure from the country; his brother faced pressures to join the military, which led the Mora family to immigrate to the United States by way of a fishing boat in 1994. Alber discusses the family's lives in Houston, Texas and how he met and married his wife, Rosemary, before the couple moved to Los Angeles and Alber began working at Porto's Bakery, a famous Cuban eatery in L.A. Alber shares how he and his wife eventually moved to Las Vegas, where he works for Caesar's Palace and for the Culinary Workers Union as a Shop Steward.
From the Roosevelt Fitzgerald Professional Papers (MS-01082) -- Unpublished manuscripts file. Presented at the Social Science Conference of the National Social Science Association, Newport Beach, California.
Oral history interview with Arsya Respati conducted by Madison Chang on December 4, 2021 for Reflections: The Las Vegas Asian American and Pacific Islander Oral History Project. University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV) student Arsya Respati shares his childhood and upbringing in Jakarta, Indonesia and educational background. He discusses his studies at the international BINUS SCHOOL Simprug in Jakarta and his immigration to the United States with his younger brother to pursue the culinary arts at the William F. Harrah College of Hospitality at UNLV. Arsya Respati talks about his relationship with his parents and their daily communication, his "aunty" who has helped him adjust to American culture and homesickness, his Muslim faith and traditions, and his employment. He also shares his views on Indonesian politics and cultural diversity, and the diversity of Las Vegas.