The Penelope Ruchman Collection of Las Vegas, Nevada Casino Professionals Oral Histories includes interviews conducted by Ruchman from approximately 1999 to 2001 of casino industry workers who worked in Las Vegas, Nevada. The majority of interviews were conducted by Ruchman in their office at Gambler's Book Shop (GBS), but some where conducted in interviewee's homes and offices, or over the phone. The collection represents Ruchman's efforts to interview and document a generation of early casino industry workers that were quickly aging. The project was intended to be compiled as a definitive history of Las Vegas and American gambling, entitled "After the Gold Rush." The project was permanently postponed in the fall of 2001 when Ruchman left GBS to work for Park Place Entertainment as a corporate business and operations analyst, and later as casino operations director for Caesars Palace. Not all interviews have digital transcripts available.
Archival Collection
Oral history interviews with Rob Schlegel conducted by Dennis McBride on various dates in March and April of 1998 for the Las Vegas Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender Archives Oral History Project. In the interviews, Schlegel recalls his early life in Port Angeles, Washington, his conservative Baptist upbringing, and his early experiences with literature. Schlegel then discusses working with newspaper publications in high school and college, understanding his sexuality during college, his first gay sexual experience, and his first trip to Las Vegas, Nevada. He recalls working with Robert Lloyd "Bob" Brown at the
Archival Collection
Oral history interviews with Thalia Dondero conducted by Suzanne Becker on March 10, 2008 and August 22, 2008 for the Women's Research Institute of Nevada (WRIN) Las Vegas Women Oral History Project. Dondero opens her interviews discussing why she became involved with the Las Vegas, Nevada Parent Teacher Association (PTA) and eventually the Nevada State PTA. Dondero then describes her work with the Girl Scouts and her election campaign for a seat on the Clark County Commission. Dondero also discusses Las Vegas city development and how the city has flooding issues. Later Dondero discusses her membership in the Las Vegas Junior League and her work throughout the state to supervise the living conditions of foster care children. Lastly, she describes her experience as a commissioner working to ensure various goods and services were available to the community.
Archival Collection
Oral history interviews with Nanyu Tomiyasu conducted by Robert McCracken on January 18, 2000, February 05, 2000 and April 02, 2000 for the Women's Research Institute of Nevada (WRIN) on behalf of the Tule Springs Preservation Committee. Tomiyasu opens his interview by discussing his father's immigration journey from Japan to Las Vegas, Nevada. Tomiyasu then describes his father's career in Las Vegas as a vegetable farmer. He talks about the process and challenges his father faced as a farmer in Nevada, and the techniques he used to maintain his land. Tomiyasu then discusses taking over his father's farm, racial discrimination the family faced, and the farm's purchasing agreements with local grocery stores. He also talks about the water systems his farm and the surrounding area relied on, as well as the animals that lived in the area. Tomiyasu ends his interview by discussing his mother's life story and his wife and children.
Archival Collection
The Charles Vanda Photograph Collection, approximately 1960 to 1988, contains black-and-white and color photographic prints with some corresponding negatives of Charles Vanda with colleagues and friends from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV). The images depict Vanda at UNLV sporting events, graduation ceremonies, and other campus events. Also included are some images from fellow musicians, entertainers, and producers associated with Vanda.
Archival Collection
The Ham Family Photograph Collection contains five photographic albums primarily featuring images of the Ham family's travels throughout the western United States and Artemus W. Ham Jr. and Betty Ham Dokter during their childhood between approximately 1900-1949. Also included is one photograph used as a Christmas greeting for the Ham family from 1981. The photographs feature locations including Cedar Breaks National Monument, Utah; Grand Canyon, Arizona; and Yosemite National Park, California. The collection also contains photographs of the Ham family at Mormon sites throughout Utah. Lastly, there are postcards and photographs of locations throughout the United States, Germany, and Japan.
Archival Collection
The Mollie Gregory Collection of Oral Histories contains audio interviews and brief transcripts that focus on welfare, family, and women's issues in Nevada from 1970 to 1974. Gregory interviewed Nevada residents including Maya Miller, Ruby Duncan, and Mary Wesley, who described their lives during the anti-poverty and women's rights campaigns in the early 1970s. The collection documents views on welfare; the Equal Rights Amendment; race, discrimination, and civil rights; and political campaigns.
Archival Collection
Oral history interviews with Harry Reid conducted by Claytee D. White on July 28, 2017, December 1, 2017, August 8, 2019, and September 12, 2019 for the Boyer Early Las Vegas Oral History Project. In the first interview, Senator Harry Reid talks about his experiences as chairman of the Nevada Gaming Commission from 1977 to 1981. He discusses casino decisions related to the Stardust Resort and Casino, the Fremont Hotel, the Aladdin Hotel and Casino, and the Hacienda Resort Hotel and Casino as well as the FBI requesting wiretaps and the Nevada Gaming Commission issuing gaming licenses at that time. In the second interview, Reid shares details as city attorney in Henderson, Nevada, his work with the University Medical Center Hospital Board, and case details as an attorney with the firm of Singleton, DeLanoy, and Jemison. Some of the cases he describes include litigation against Safeway stores, charges of drugs and murder, and evictions.
In the third interview, Reid discusses his term serving the United States House of Representatives and his role as Senate Majority Leader. He recalls his election to Nevada Assembly in 1968, his tenure as Lieutenant Governor of Nevada from 1971 to 1975, his position as chairman of the Nevada Gaming Commission from 1977 to 1981, and his position as Nevada's delegate in the United States House of Representatives from 1983 to 1987. Reid also talks about his political defeats when running for United States Senate and for Mayor of Las Vegas. In the fourth interview, Reid talks about various significant sites in Nevada including Searchlight, Yucca Mountain, and the Nevada Test Site.
Archival Collection
Group of documents dealing with the legislative reapportionment of the Nevada State Assembly based on population distribution.
Text