Joyce Moore's family moved to Las Vegas from Chicago in 1953, when she was eight years old. She attended Rancho High School, married and had three daughters, and currently lives in Las Vegas. Joyce's father was in the gaming industry and her mother was a nurse. Growing up in Las Vegas meant going to shows with her mother, spending summer days in the pool at the Showboat Hotel, and riding horses to the Last Frontier. While a teenager at Rancho High school, Joyce worked at several movie theaters including the Huntridge, went to school dances and marched in the Hellodorado Parade. After her divorce, Joyce returned to work to support herself and her children, first at the Daily Fax then later on the Strip at the Aladdin and Circus, Circus doing a variety of office and accounting jobs. As a lark she and a friend applied to work as cocktail waitresses at the MGM; she was hired and spent the next five years in a job that was by turns interesting, exhausting, frustrating and fun. This interview covers several periods of Joyce's life - her childhood, teen years, and early adult life - and what it was like to grow up, live and work in Las Vegas in from the mid-1950s until the mid-1970s.
The Jerry's Nugget Casino sign sits at 1821 North Las Vegas Boulevard. The family-owned and operated casino has been in business for over fifty years. Information about the sign is available in the Southern Nevada Neon Survey Data Sheet. Site address: 1821 N Las Vegas Blvd Sign owner: The Stamis Family Sign details: In 1964, Jerry Stamis and Jerry Lodge opened Jerry's Nugget Casino. The property, formerly the Towne House Bar, was converted into a casino. Four years after its opening, the owners bought the nearby Bonanza Club along with its sign, adding an additional 10,000 square feet to their property. The site has undergone numerous renovations, including in 1982 when it became a full-service casino complete with a restaurant, bars, and nearly 700 slots. The porte cochere was also added at that time. In 1996, a theatre lounge was added as well as a bakery and even more gaming tables. The casino, which celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2014. This location still claims to cater to "locals." Currently, it consists of slots, table games, keno lounge, and a bingo hall, among other popular features. Sign condition: About 4-5, appears to have relatively low damage Sign form: Sculptural pylon Sign-specific description: Neon sign looks to be in the form of an oil derrick, "Jerry's" in a nugget shape at the top, "Nugget" spelled downward in light blue neon, possibly was once orange. Sign - type of display: Neon Sign - media: Steel Sign environment: Located in North Las Vegas along Las Vegas Blvd, near the Silver Nugget Casino. Sign - date of installation: 1964 for most of the signage for the property Sign - date of redesign/move: 1982 Porte Cochere added with expansion Sign - thematic influences: The signage conveys the Old West theme of striking it rich with gold, silver or oil, as they have an oil rig for portion of their sign. Survey - research locations: Neon Museum tour outline, Jerry's Nugget website http://www.jerrysnugget.com/ , recorder's office, Assessor's page Survey - research notes: For the 50th anniversary of their Company they donated the money for the restoration of their sign which is showcased on the documentary "Restoration Neon" and remains in the Neon Museum. Surveyor: Carlyle Constantino Survey - date completed: 2017-07-12 Sign keywords: Neon; Steel; Pylon; Incandescent; Back to back; Reader board; Video screen