The Fred Houghton Papers (1909-1998) consist of Houghton’s legal and personal files on his Blue Chip Ranch property in Las Vegas, Nevada. The materials include legal cases, maps, reports, and correspondence concerning water access on the property, and his work with the Las Vegas Well Users Association, which primarily contains correspondence in conjunction with Las Vegas's water politics. The collection also contains court cases during the 1930s when Houghton worked as a lawyer in Chicago, Illinois, as well as legal files for his time as a public defender for the State of California. The personal files in the collection primarily consist of correspondence, banking records, diaries, and notebooks.
The James Hulse Photograph Collection on Pioche, Nevada contains photographs and postcards from Pioche, Nevada from 1905 to 1951. The photographs primarily depict the town, mining operations, and the Lincoln County Courthouse. The photographs also depict the town during a fire in 1947, the Power & Electric company, several buildings in the town, and Main Street.
Oral history interviews with Renee Diamond conducted by Caryll Batt Dziedziak on November 17, 1997, November 20, 1997, November 27, 1997, and November 30, 1997 for the Women's Research Institute of Nevada (WRIN) Las Vegas Women Oral History Project. Diamond begins her interviews describing her childhood and young adult life in Los Angeles, California. Diamond then discusses her interest in organizing, which started with the Rumford Fair Housing Act campaign. Diamond talks about continuing her activism with the Women's Democratic Club in Las Vegas, Nevada after she moved there in 1972. Diamond discusses Las Vegas in the 1970s, the activist community at the time, Ruby Duncan, and the importance of the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA). Diamond goes on to describe the ERA extensively, including the benefits of passing the ERA, campaigns and challenges specific to Nevada, and locals involved in the efforts. Diamond also talks about working with the National Organization of Women (NOW), and her presidency in the Women's Democratic Club.
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.
Oral history interview with Margaret and Frank Price conducted by Joanne L. Goodwin on March 05, 1997 for the Women's Research Institute of Nevada (WRIN) Las Vegas Women Oral History Project. Margaret Price opens the interview by describing the family's move from Ohio to Las Vegas, Nevada for Frank's health in 1950. Price then moves on to describe her experiences and the people she met while working as a waitress at the El Rancho Hotel and Casino. Margaret and Frank Price then discuss Margaret's career at the Dunes, and the variety of entertainment acts available in the 1950s. The Prices also describe job stability, worker benefits, and unions during the 1950s. Frank then discusses organized crime in Las Vegas and its relation to law enforcement and sex work. He also talks about the various casinos he worked at and the effects that the shift from individual owners to corporate ownership had on the casino industry. The interview ends with both Prices sharing their memories and knowledge of Binion's Hotel and Casino.
Oral history interview with Stella Champo Iaconis conducted by Kay Long on May 14, 1997, May 21, 1997, May 26, 1997, and September 22, 1997 for the Women's Research Institute of Nevada (WRIN) Las Vegas Women Oral History Project. Iaconis opens her interviews discussing her difficult upbringing and life on a ranch in Las Vegas, Nevada with her dad in the 1910s and 1920s. Iaconis then describes her experiences as a waitress in Las Vegas. As the interviews continue, Iaconis discusses Block 16 and sex work, the Helldorado Days, and life in 1930s Las Vegas. Iaconis ends the interview talking about her father and his career as a miner; her many husbands; and her personal history in Las Vegas.
Oral history interviews with Nancy Houssels conducted by Caryll Batt Dziedziak on November 18, 1998, December 07, 1998, and December 14, 1998 for the Women's Research Institute of Nevada (WRIN) Las Vegas Women Oral History Project. Houssels begins her interviews discussing her childhood in California and the influence World War II had on her upbringing. Houssels then talks about her dance training and career including topics on her auditions, her dance partners, and touring Europe in the 1960s. Houssels describes coming to Las Vegas, Nevada in 1968 where she was booked as a dancer in Folies Bergere at the Tropicana Hotel. Houssels then discusses the influences Mormonism and adiago ballet had on her life. Houssels then describes how she co-founded the Nevada Ballet Theatre with Vassili Sulich, performances of the company, their dancers, and community outreach.
The Spencer and Georgia Hanna Butterfield Photograph Collection (approximately 1900-1978) consists of black-and-white photographic prints and negatives of the Hanna and Butterfield families. It also contains images of early and prominent residents of Las Vegas, Nevada such as James Cashman Sr., Las Vegas Chamber of Congress members, Union Pacific Railroad president George Ashby, and many other notable persons from early Las Vegas. The collection also includes photographs taken in Elko County, Nevada, the Hoover Dam, and other Las Vegas area images.
The Claudine Williams Photograph Collection (approximately 2007-2009) consists of nine optical disks containing ninety-eight digital surrogate images dating between 1940 and 2000. The images primarily portray Claudine Williams in publicity images for various hotel and casinos Williams and her husband owned alongside prominent individuals, including Dean Martin, Hillary and Bill Clinton, and Robert Reich. Other images depict Williams in her youth and with her family members. Additional materials include images of Williams’ business cards, articles in various Las Vegas and Nevada magazines and newspapers on Williams, and images of properties Williams operated.
Oral history interview with Anna Bailey conducted by Claytee White on March 03, 1997 for the Women's Research Institute of Nevada (WRIN) Las Vegas Women Oral History Project. Bailey opens her interview by describing her early life, family, and dance training. She discusses moving to Los Angeles, California at age fifteen, her first dancing gigs, and touring in London, England. She also talks about her experiences as an African American dancer including issues with segregation while touring in the southern United States. Bailey then discusses her life in Las Vegas, Nevada in the 1950s, and working as a dancer at the Moulin Rouge. She describes the club, the other dancers that performed there, and how the African American community felt when the club closed. Bailey then discusses how her husband and the entertainers Josephine Baker and Frank Sinatra helped integrate Las Vegas. She ends her interview by describing the last hotel she danced at, the Flamingo, where she performed in an integrated dance line.