Oral history interview with Richard Caldwell conducted by Melvin Thompson on March 11, 1981 for the Ralph Roske Oral History Project on Early Las Vegas. The interview begins with Caldwell discussing his family and what brought him to Las Vegas, Nevada. He then discusses him working at the Nevada Test Site. Other topics discussed include the hotels and casinos that were built on the Strip, his experience working at some of those properties, and the way of life in Las Vegas in the 1940s and 1950s. The interview finalizes with Caldwell’s account of the Westside of Las Vegas and African American entertainers who came to town to perform.
Oral history interview with Jeanettee L. Del Rosario conducted by Alessandra Del Rosario on December 6, 2021 for Reflections: The Las Vegas Asian American and Pacific Islander Oral History Project. Jeanettee Del Rosario talks about her family life with nine siblings and her upbringing in Urdaneta City, Pangasinan province, Philippines. She shares her educational background in hotel and restaurant management and, after immigrating to Las Vegas, Nevada in 2006, the different hotel positions she has held in the city. Jeanettee Del Rosario discusses the process of immigration, language barriers, and missing her family in the Philippines. She also talks about Filipino traditions of respect, barangay fiestas, cultural foods, and religion.
On February 11, 1977, collector Lee LaVecchia interviewed Barry V. Holt (born January 20th, 1946 in Las Vegas, Nevada) at his home in Las Vegas, Nevada. In the interview, Mr. Holt speaks about the differences between growing up in Las Vegas in the fifties and sixties compared to how his children are growing up at the time of the interview. He also discusses education and the religious community in the city.
Stephen Kulifay interviews Patricia “Pat” Bryan (born in Alexandria, Minnesota on March 17, 1917) about her experiences living in Las Vegas. The two begin the interview by discussing her education at University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) and Northwestern and her move to Las Vegas in 1947. Bryan also discusses her family’s involvement in the soda bottling business and eventual involvement in real estate. She goes on to describe a wide range of topics to include the first hotel properties, the entertainers at the time, the African American and Asian communities, the railroad, shopping, housing, brothels, banking, utilities, roadways, climate, and religion. The two also discuss the popularity of Las Vegas, with focus on tourists and gaming, the expansion and growth of the city, the cowboy attire worn in early days, the Helldorado parade, Nellis Air Force Base and government land, the beginning of University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV), and her thoughts on the future of Las Vegas.
On March 15, 1981, LeGary Stowers interviewed Victor Givens (born 1958 in Las Vegas, Nevada) about his profession in the gaming industry, specifically as a table games dealer. Givens first talks about his family background and then talks about his educational, occupational, and residential histories. He then talks about the various qualities required of individuals who work in the casino industry, his beliefs regarding religion and gambling, and some of the motivations and goals that are present for those within the field of gaming.
Modern dance pioneer Ruth St. Denis, nee Ruth Dennis, was born on January 20, 1879 in Newark, New Jersey. Her training began as a child with the practice of physical exercises developed by Francois Delsarte. As a teenager, she appeared in Broadway musicals and was a protégé of David Belasco, a theatrical producer. She combined spirituality, eastern culture, and religion in her dance routines. Christian themes were also explored and depicted in her works.