Search Results
Program from Christmas with Class at the Thomas and Mack Center, December 16, 1983
Date
1983-12-16
Description
This program is from the gala opening of the Thomas and Mack Center at the University of Nevada Las Vegas in 1983, which featured a celebrity lineup including Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin and Diana Ross. The program provides details of the contributions of Jerome Mack and Parry Thomas to the University of Nevada, Las Vegas.
Text
Transcript of interview with Sandra Peña by Lada Mead and Stefani Evans, March 27, 2017
Date
2017-03-27
Archival Collection
Description
Sandra Peña’s story begins in East Los Angeles, where she spent her first fifteen years with her parents (both from Michoacán, Mexico), and her younger sister. The father's managerial position at Master Products allowed the family to live rent-free in a company-owned house behind the main factory, because he collected the rents for the company's two other dwellings. In this interview, Peña recalls the family move to Porterville, in California's Central Valley, her return to Los Angeles at nineteen, and her work with Parson’s Dillingham, a contractor for the Metrolink rail system. She draws the link between the Los Angeles and Las Vegas construction communities by describing her husband's move to Las Vegas to find work; a chance Las Vegas encounter with a friend from Chino, California; her ability to gain employment in Las Vegas at Parson’s, a company that had joint ventured with Parson’s Dillingham, and her move from there to Richardson Construction, a local minority-owned company. As Peña says, "It's kind of all intermingled. Even if you go here and you go there, it's like everybody knows everybody." Throughout, Peña weaves her family story into the narrative as she describes her youth, the birth of her son, the illness and death of her father, and her family's participation in her current employment with Richardson. As she remembers the people, places, and events of her life, Peña speaks to the ways one woman of color built on her interstate construction connections and rose in a male-dominated industry.
Text
Jessica Hutchings oral history interview: transcript
Date
2018-03-21
Archival Collection
Description
Oral history interview with Jessica Hutchings conducted by Barbara Tabach on March 21, 2018 for the Remembering 1 October Oral History Project. In this interview, Jessica Hutchings discusses her experience flying to Las Vegas, Nevada on the night of the October 1, 2017 mass shooting. She speaks of her flight's detour to Phoenix, Arizona, and her discovery of the shooting. Hutchings explains how Congregation Ner Tamid, where she is a cantor, contributed to the community healing after the tragedy, including their organization of vigils, a music fundraiser called "Vegas Strong in Song," and discussing the event with teenage Hebrew School students who had questions and concerns about the shooting.
Text
Audio from interview with Mike and Sallie Gordon, March 2, 1977
Date
1977-03-02
Archival Collection
Description
Full interview audio with Mike and Sallie Gordon in March 1977 in which they discuss arriving in Las Vegas and their business enterprises.
Sound
Robin Greenspun oral history interview: transcript
Date
2017-02-09
Archival Collection
Description
Oral history interview with Robin Greenspun conducted by Barbara Tabach on February 09, 2017 for the Southern Nevada Jewish Heritage Project. In this interview, Greenspun discusses her family background and growing up in Las Vegas, Nevada. She talks about her early interest in the arts, working in television productions, and becoming a film director.
Text
Photographs of Flamingo signs, Las Vegas (Nev.), 2002
Date
2002
2017-08-11
Archival Collection
Description
Photos show Flamingo signs at night. Two surveys were conducted to gather information about this sign. One was conducted in 2002 and one was conducted in 2017. PDFs are available for both surveys. See the 2017 survey PDF for additional information that is not included in the object description.
Site name: Flamingo Hotel and Casino (Las Vegas, Nev.)
Site address: 3555 S Las Vegas Blvd
Sign owner: Park Place Entertainment
Sign details: The majority of the Flamingo hotel and casino's neon signage encompasses the stretch of property that faces the strip. Even though the original porte-cochere and pylon sign are no longer in use, or in the original position, they are still evident and very much present. The original pylon has been moved around the corner onto Flamingo, actually closer to the Barbary coast than the Flamingo. The famous sculpted bull-nose design is repeated several times throughout the property and the design is repeated in visual reference on the towers of the hotel.. The Flamingo was one of the first hotels to push its entrance out to the street.
Sign condition: Structure 5 Surface 5 Lighting 5
Sign form: Pylon; Fascia; Porte-cochère
Sign-specific description: The Flamingo's vast array of signage of various types and styles make the hotel one of the more unique facades. Headed north just past the corner entrance to the Barbary Coast, only a two-lane drive separates the two properties. Across the drive, the original top of the old porte-cochere creates the first of the several three-dimensional, sculpted, corner sign you see. The well known swollen base and flexing body of this trademark crowning figure spread out in a bouquet of pink and orange steel feathers. Neon runs horizontally in a repeated pattern up the lengths of the feathers, with the outlying edge portions painted white and filled with incandescent bulbs, turning into single row raceways at the waving ends of the very tips. This corner serves as a pedestrian entrance now, and one of the main causeways between the Barbary Coast and Flamingo. The fattened plumage is set up high a top the corner of the building pointing to the southwest. The broad corner is dominated by the expansive sculpture. Standing atop of the plumage a channel letter logo sign faces outward spelling "Flamingo" in the Flamingo cursive text. The text is appropriated in a radius pattern, supported by a steel support structure making the logo seem as if it is floating above the sculpture. The sign is filled with incandescent bulbs. Two tubes of blue neon wrap the bull nose molding just below the three-dimensional structure, creating a space for the facade of the faceted pediment. Wrapping the face of the corner is a large entablature of patterned squares forming a grid like terrain with incandescent bulbs in the center of each square. Each square is faceted into pyramid shapes with bulbs at the center of each. Just above the pedestrian's head and below the faceted entablature, a raceway sandwiched by two tubes of pink neon creates a bottom line of the composition. The configuration continues to the right of the entrance into a smaller representation of the same effect. To the right of the old porte-cochere entrance, a small wall sign for "mega-jackpot world" is displayed with pink and Purple channel letters filled with neon on the section of wall which faces to the west. The sign is also incorporated into the famed pink and orange flame style, with the plumage emulated in channel pans on either side of the text. They are complete with horizontal neon bars and sections lined with incandescent bulbs as well. The section of wall that the sign sits upon is in the style of the faceted entablature spoken of previously. The two tubes of blue neon are above the pediment and sign and the bottom is also rounded out with the pink neon. Continuing east down the south face of the building, a continuous glass entablature is first seen, at the same height as the blue neon capped molding. The entablature is a glass wall lined with glass faced, two, dimensional figures of flamingos and shrubbery. Details such as wings, and other features are denoted by pink colored glass. Standing several inches off of the wall, the flamingos are lit from behind with red and pink neon creating halos, which reflect off of the glass behind them. The top edge of the pediment is lined with teal neon, while the bottom is blue. The top edge of the building, above the pediment and along other edges of the face, is a rolling design of hills lined pink neon. This element continues down the south wall of the building until it reaches the current porte- cochere. This structure is a circular drive covered with a circular roof. The east and west edges of the structure play host to large channel letter logo for the Flamingo. The pink steel structure spells "Flamingo" in their continuous cursive fashion, and filled with incandescent bulbs. The ceiling of the porte-cochere is an ornate pattern of raceways lined with incandescent bulbs. The pattern is reminiscent of a flower and it's radiating petals. The mirrored pediment continues past the porte-cochere on the wall of the building. Down the west face of the building, being the front of the facility along the strip, past the original porte-cochere, the glass pediment continues until it stops at a small wing of the building denoting another entrance. The entrance slightly radiuses out from the flat plane of the building, and is crowned by another three dimensional swollen bouquet of steel plumage spreading generously over the entrance, stretching it's waving fingers a good degree out on either side. It is constructed with the same color scheme and array of placement for incandescent lighting and neon. While not quite as bulbous as the southwest corner entrance, it breadth is the quality that beckons to the entrance. On the entablature below, the Flamingo logo is spelled in channel letters, and filled with pink neon. Teal neon lines the top of this pediment as well as blue along the bottom. The glass pediment continues on the wall north of the entrance until the face of the building goes from a stucco finish into a section of the elevation created by a wall of glass window panels. This section of the front is anchored in the center by as giant Doric column crowned by a third set of three dimensional sculpted array of pink and orange plumage. Like the two previously mentioned elements of this nature, the swollen base and stretching feathers take on a waving effect. This element is smaller in width than the previous two, but it's feathers or fingers curl forward in the center providing a support for a triangular cabinet section, with the two visible faces pointed northwest and southwest. The feathers continue in a smaller portion on top of the cabinet, appearing as if they rise thorough the cabinet.. The appearance of this set of plumage takes on different appearances for two reasons. The first being it's position upon the top of a column making appear as a torch. The plumage takes on the effect of being flames instead of feathers. The second being the severity of the curve of the center leaf or flame. From the side, coupled with the outer wings, it takes on the persona of a perched bird. The glass pediment continues past this section, stopping with another rooftop set of plumage on the entrance to the building, facing northwest. Above a backlit plastic advertisement cabinet, the fiery fingers of the sculpted, swollen signage, stand as a solid marker to the end of the property, or entrance to the pedestrian headed south. The glass pediment picks up again along the north face of the building headed east. On the East side of the Flamingo property, two fully three-dimensional sculpted steel structures serve as a gateway to the east side of the porte-cochere. Flanking either side of the drive, two identical bud-like structures stand with the same influence as the swollen elements of the front property. A short, faceted column, supports a three tiered, three layered rosebud shape crafted out of leaves more akin to palm fronds. Sagging leaves, pointed toward the ground, create the section between bud shape and the supporting column. They are folded down, representing the action of the leaves being opened. Neon runs in short horizontal bars along the outer surface leaves and all flat planes excluding the topsides of the relaxed leaves. These two markers also take on the persona an organic structure as a sapling palm tree, or rosebud, as well as the image of a burning torch. Building signage: Upon the western tower Flamingo is spelled in channel letters designed with the Flamingo text, and filled with pink neon. Upon the eastern face of the south tower, the half plumage of neon, flaming upward, reside underneath the Flamingo text logo. The same sign is repeated on the north edge of the west tower. Pylon: The original pylon sign now located on the north side of Las Vegas Blvd, in close proximity to the hotel, but actually between the Bourbon Street and the Barbary Coast. The vertical pylon is a double-sided pylon that faces east west. It has slightly modified over the years. The internally lit message center has been scaled down to fit its new environment. The pylon rises up in a square pole design, with neon running vertically up the center, approximately fifteen feet above the pedestrian's head, before being interrupted by the message cabinet. The cabinet has a white plastic face with removable letters. Gold polished raceways line the face of each of the sign, and incandescent bulbs line the raceways. The sides of the cabinet slope inward, round at the corners at the top, reaching toward the center that rises at a peak. The neon continues upward past the highest peak of the cabinet, and continues up to fan outward, created a giant frond of vermilion and red. The giant fan shape at the top supports channel letters, that spell "Flamingo' in white channel letters that are outlined in blue neon and filled with incandescent bulbs. The top fan shape is actually comprised of seven different levels, appearing to be stacked on top of one another. The center, oblong shaped panel, is the highest, with three sections on each side, fanned out, stepping back into space. The furthest wings on the edge are scrambled with bent and undulating tubes of pink neon. The center two are red, and the center holds the pink members. The waving tubes, which lose form and pattern as they spread toward the edges, resemble veins of a leaf, or the elements, which make up the feather. The sides of the pylon, including the internally lit cabinet, are treated with a pink paint.
Sign - type of display: Neon; Incandescent
Sign - media: Steel; Glass
Sign - non-neon treatments: Paint
Sign animation: Chasing, flashing, oscillating
Notes: The incandescent bulbs inside the text reading "Paris" on the balloon oscillate rapidly.
Sign environment: The Flamingo is in between the Barbary Coast and O'Shea's on the east side of the street. The establishment itself dominates the stretch of property, separating the pedestrian from the sidewalk with various shrubbery and palm, a phenomenon seen often on the strip. Exiting the Barbay Coast, headed north, the passerby is seamlessly brought into the Flamingo, bombarded by the vibrant pink and orange plumage, and continuous atmosphere. O'Shea's lies on the north end of the Flamingo, adding a bookend type effect along with the Barbary Coast. Even though the Barbary Coast is a vibrant and active property, most of it's action lies on the south side of the building, thus the Flamingo signage is the most dominating within its length along the Strip.
Sign manufacturer: Original Pylon: Ad-Art, Facade: Heath & Co
Sign designer: Original : Raul Rodriguez. Original Pylon: Bill Clarke
Sign - date of installation: Original Pylon: 1968 Original Porte Cochere 1976
Sign - date of redesign/move: When Park Place Entertainment separated the Flamingo name from Hilton, all of the text signs which read Hilton were removed. The original pylon sign was moved from the west side, or street side of the property, and moved East down Flamingo Rd., Between the Barbary Coast and the Bourbon Street during remodeling done in the Eighties. The pylon has been modified several times over the years, but has evolved into a slimmer, less flamboyant version, including a simplified internally lit message center.
Sign - thematic influences: The theme surrounding the resort is the theme of the pink flamingo bird, and its tropical environment. The blazing pink tone ( Vermillion ) of the neon is seen extensively throughout the property, as well as the repeated image of the pink bird. The white plaster facade and sculpted edges of the exterior's roof line are reminiscent of sun drenched villas, while staying well within the realm the surrounding environment. Elements such as the mirrored entablatures lined with illuminated pink Flamingos
Surveyor: Joshua Cannaday
Survey - date completed: 2002
Sign keywords: Chasing; Flashing; Oscillating; Pylon; Fascia; Porte-cochère; Neon; Incandescent; Steel; Glass; Paint
Site name: Flamingo Hotel and Casino (Las Vegas, Nev.)
Site address: 3555 S Las Vegas Blvd
Sign owner: Park Place Entertainment
Sign details: The majority of the Flamingo hotel and casino's neon signage encompasses the stretch of property that faces the strip. Even though the original porte-cochere and pylon sign are no longer in use, or in the original position, they are still evident and very much present. The original pylon has been moved around the corner onto Flamingo, actually closer to the Barbary coast than the Flamingo. The famous sculpted bull-nose design is repeated several times throughout the property and the design is repeated in visual reference on the towers of the hotel.. The Flamingo was one of the first hotels to push its entrance out to the street.
Sign condition: Structure 5 Surface 5 Lighting 5
Sign form: Pylon; Fascia; Porte-cochère
Sign-specific description: The Flamingo's vast array of signage of various types and styles make the hotel one of the more unique facades. Headed north just past the corner entrance to the Barbary Coast, only a two-lane drive separates the two properties. Across the drive, the original top of the old porte-cochere creates the first of the several three-dimensional, sculpted, corner sign you see. The well known swollen base and flexing body of this trademark crowning figure spread out in a bouquet of pink and orange steel feathers. Neon runs horizontally in a repeated pattern up the lengths of the feathers, with the outlying edge portions painted white and filled with incandescent bulbs, turning into single row raceways at the waving ends of the very tips. This corner serves as a pedestrian entrance now, and one of the main causeways between the Barbary Coast and Flamingo. The fattened plumage is set up high a top the corner of the building pointing to the southwest. The broad corner is dominated by the expansive sculpture. Standing atop of the plumage a channel letter logo sign faces outward spelling "Flamingo" in the Flamingo cursive text. The text is appropriated in a radius pattern, supported by a steel support structure making the logo seem as if it is floating above the sculpture. The sign is filled with incandescent bulbs. Two tubes of blue neon wrap the bull nose molding just below the three-dimensional structure, creating a space for the facade of the faceted pediment. Wrapping the face of the corner is a large entablature of patterned squares forming a grid like terrain with incandescent bulbs in the center of each square. Each square is faceted into pyramid shapes with bulbs at the center of each. Just above the pedestrian's head and below the faceted entablature, a raceway sandwiched by two tubes of pink neon creates a bottom line of the composition. The configuration continues to the right of the entrance into a smaller representation of the same effect. To the right of the old porte-cochere entrance, a small wall sign for "mega-jackpot world" is displayed with pink and Purple channel letters filled with neon on the section of wall which faces to the west. The sign is also incorporated into the famed pink and orange flame style, with the plumage emulated in channel pans on either side of the text. They are complete with horizontal neon bars and sections lined with incandescent bulbs as well. The section of wall that the sign sits upon is in the style of the faceted entablature spoken of previously. The two tubes of blue neon are above the pediment and sign and the bottom is also rounded out with the pink neon. Continuing east down the south face of the building, a continuous glass entablature is first seen, at the same height as the blue neon capped molding. The entablature is a glass wall lined with glass faced, two, dimensional figures of flamingos and shrubbery. Details such as wings, and other features are denoted by pink colored glass. Standing several inches off of the wall, the flamingos are lit from behind with red and pink neon creating halos, which reflect off of the glass behind them. The top edge of the pediment is lined with teal neon, while the bottom is blue. The top edge of the building, above the pediment and along other edges of the face, is a rolling design of hills lined pink neon. This element continues down the south wall of the building until it reaches the current porte- cochere. This structure is a circular drive covered with a circular roof. The east and west edges of the structure play host to large channel letter logo for the Flamingo. The pink steel structure spells "Flamingo" in their continuous cursive fashion, and filled with incandescent bulbs. The ceiling of the porte-cochere is an ornate pattern of raceways lined with incandescent bulbs. The pattern is reminiscent of a flower and it's radiating petals. The mirrored pediment continues past the porte-cochere on the wall of the building. Down the west face of the building, being the front of the facility along the strip, past the original porte-cochere, the glass pediment continues until it stops at a small wing of the building denoting another entrance. The entrance slightly radiuses out from the flat plane of the building, and is crowned by another three dimensional swollen bouquet of steel plumage spreading generously over the entrance, stretching it's waving fingers a good degree out on either side. It is constructed with the same color scheme and array of placement for incandescent lighting and neon. While not quite as bulbous as the southwest corner entrance, it breadth is the quality that beckons to the entrance. On the entablature below, the Flamingo logo is spelled in channel letters, and filled with pink neon. Teal neon lines the top of this pediment as well as blue along the bottom. The glass pediment continues on the wall north of the entrance until the face of the building goes from a stucco finish into a section of the elevation created by a wall of glass window panels. This section of the front is anchored in the center by as giant Doric column crowned by a third set of three dimensional sculpted array of pink and orange plumage. Like the two previously mentioned elements of this nature, the swollen base and stretching feathers take on a waving effect. This element is smaller in width than the previous two, but it's feathers or fingers curl forward in the center providing a support for a triangular cabinet section, with the two visible faces pointed northwest and southwest. The feathers continue in a smaller portion on top of the cabinet, appearing as if they rise thorough the cabinet.. The appearance of this set of plumage takes on different appearances for two reasons. The first being it's position upon the top of a column making appear as a torch. The plumage takes on the effect of being flames instead of feathers. The second being the severity of the curve of the center leaf or flame. From the side, coupled with the outer wings, it takes on the persona of a perched bird. The glass pediment continues past this section, stopping with another rooftop set of plumage on the entrance to the building, facing northwest. Above a backlit plastic advertisement cabinet, the fiery fingers of the sculpted, swollen signage, stand as a solid marker to the end of the property, or entrance to the pedestrian headed south. The glass pediment picks up again along the north face of the building headed east. On the East side of the Flamingo property, two fully three-dimensional sculpted steel structures serve as a gateway to the east side of the porte-cochere. Flanking either side of the drive, two identical bud-like structures stand with the same influence as the swollen elements of the front property. A short, faceted column, supports a three tiered, three layered rosebud shape crafted out of leaves more akin to palm fronds. Sagging leaves, pointed toward the ground, create the section between bud shape and the supporting column. They are folded down, representing the action of the leaves being opened. Neon runs in short horizontal bars along the outer surface leaves and all flat planes excluding the topsides of the relaxed leaves. These two markers also take on the persona an organic structure as a sapling palm tree, or rosebud, as well as the image of a burning torch. Building signage: Upon the western tower Flamingo is spelled in channel letters designed with the Flamingo text, and filled with pink neon. Upon the eastern face of the south tower, the half plumage of neon, flaming upward, reside underneath the Flamingo text logo. The same sign is repeated on the north edge of the west tower. Pylon: The original pylon sign now located on the north side of Las Vegas Blvd, in close proximity to the hotel, but actually between the Bourbon Street and the Barbary Coast. The vertical pylon is a double-sided pylon that faces east west. It has slightly modified over the years. The internally lit message center has been scaled down to fit its new environment. The pylon rises up in a square pole design, with neon running vertically up the center, approximately fifteen feet above the pedestrian's head, before being interrupted by the message cabinet. The cabinet has a white plastic face with removable letters. Gold polished raceways line the face of each of the sign, and incandescent bulbs line the raceways. The sides of the cabinet slope inward, round at the corners at the top, reaching toward the center that rises at a peak. The neon continues upward past the highest peak of the cabinet, and continues up to fan outward, created a giant frond of vermilion and red. The giant fan shape at the top supports channel letters, that spell "Flamingo' in white channel letters that are outlined in blue neon and filled with incandescent bulbs. The top fan shape is actually comprised of seven different levels, appearing to be stacked on top of one another. The center, oblong shaped panel, is the highest, with three sections on each side, fanned out, stepping back into space. The furthest wings on the edge are scrambled with bent and undulating tubes of pink neon. The center two are red, and the center holds the pink members. The waving tubes, which lose form and pattern as they spread toward the edges, resemble veins of a leaf, or the elements, which make up the feather. The sides of the pylon, including the internally lit cabinet, are treated with a pink paint.
Sign - type of display: Neon; Incandescent
Sign - media: Steel; Glass
Sign - non-neon treatments: Paint
Sign animation: Chasing, flashing, oscillating
Notes: The incandescent bulbs inside the text reading "Paris" on the balloon oscillate rapidly.
Sign environment: The Flamingo is in between the Barbary Coast and O'Shea's on the east side of the street. The establishment itself dominates the stretch of property, separating the pedestrian from the sidewalk with various shrubbery and palm, a phenomenon seen often on the strip. Exiting the Barbay Coast, headed north, the passerby is seamlessly brought into the Flamingo, bombarded by the vibrant pink and orange plumage, and continuous atmosphere. O'Shea's lies on the north end of the Flamingo, adding a bookend type effect along with the Barbary Coast. Even though the Barbary Coast is a vibrant and active property, most of it's action lies on the south side of the building, thus the Flamingo signage is the most dominating within its length along the Strip.
Sign manufacturer: Original Pylon: Ad-Art, Facade: Heath & Co
Sign designer: Original : Raul Rodriguez. Original Pylon: Bill Clarke
Sign - date of installation: Original Pylon: 1968 Original Porte Cochere 1976
Sign - date of redesign/move: When Park Place Entertainment separated the Flamingo name from Hilton, all of the text signs which read Hilton were removed. The original pylon sign was moved from the west side, or street side of the property, and moved East down Flamingo Rd., Between the Barbary Coast and the Bourbon Street during remodeling done in the Eighties. The pylon has been modified several times over the years, but has evolved into a slimmer, less flamboyant version, including a simplified internally lit message center.
Sign - thematic influences: The theme surrounding the resort is the theme of the pink flamingo bird, and its tropical environment. The blazing pink tone ( Vermillion ) of the neon is seen extensively throughout the property, as well as the repeated image of the pink bird. The white plaster facade and sculpted edges of the exterior's roof line are reminiscent of sun drenched villas, while staying well within the realm the surrounding environment. Elements such as the mirrored entablatures lined with illuminated pink Flamingos
Surveyor: Joshua Cannaday
Survey - date completed: 2002
Sign keywords: Chasing; Flashing; Oscillating; Pylon; Fascia; Porte-cochère; Neon; Incandescent; Steel; Glass; Paint
Mixed Content
