Four women, Cynthia Cicero, Betty Brown, Tina Boag, and Jan Ravetti, recall coming to Las Vegas to obtain jobs during the period of mob ownership in the Las Vegas hotels. Each had a different reason for coming. A recession in Buffalo, New York, brought Cynthia and her husband to Las Vegas to obtain employment; Jan Ravetti’s family moved from Pennsylvania due to her father’s illness and possible employment; parents of Tina Boag, who was born in Paris, were entertainers who travelled and performed extensively; and Milton Prell, opening the Aladdin Hotel and Casino, encouraged Californian Betty Brown to work for him. Cynthia Cicero obtained a job with the City of Las Vegas, but the other three worked on the Strip in the casinos. Their experiences in the hotels show the differences between mob and corporate management since they were working there before and after Howard Hughes purchased six of the large Vegas hotels. The four ladies tell about their work on the Strip from Betty’s experience as a genie at the Aladdin to Tina’s position as a twenty-one dealer. They were acquainted with the casino owners and managers, entertainers like Sammy Davis, Jr. and Dean Martin, and show girls. They also knew first-hand the interactions between mobsters and the public. Food, for example, was a giveaway, an enticement for people to come into the hotel to gamble. They also knew stories about high rollers, the robbery of the baccarat tables at Caesars Palace, and the importance of “taking a fall” including the rewards attached. The ladies describe the shops on downtown Fremont Street and the Strip such as Nina Clark’s, Ronzones, Dillards and Chic Hecht’s as well as Penneys and Sears. A young woman shopped at Suzie Cream Cheese, for example, for the right outfit to wear to Pussy Cat A Go-Go, the rock and roll club on the Strip. Las Vegas also had many good gourmet and ethnic restaurants, piano bars, hotel lounges, and pubs with excellent entertainment. The ladies also describe the difference in the treatment of women during the 1960s and 1970s by men in clubs. Women rarely bought drinks nor did they pay for dinners when with gentlemen. Finally, the ladies compare areas where they lived including McNeil Estates, Heritage Square and the Chisholm-built homes in the Jones-Vegas Drive area. Not to be forgotten, however, are the terrible rain storms that flood streets and the Strip. Serious gamblers in the casinos refused to leave the tables while drenching rains washed cars from the hotel parking lots during the 1970s. Neither did they leave the MGM casino when the hotel caught on fire in1980.

When Barbara Brents and her husband Mike moved to Las Vegas in 1987, she had no desire to call it home. It was part of a life adventure, an enchantment with the "Old West" and about a job at UNLV. Sure it wasn't the ivy covered campus, but "the kitsch of Las Vegas was kind of the appeal." Living in John S. Park Neighborhood proved to have a charm on the couple, who have lived in three different homes there. One had a view of Bob Stupak's World of Las Vegas sign and another was used in a scene for the television series Nasty Boys. Their current home was previously owned by Berkeley Bunker, a former U.S. Senator. Over the years they have enticed others to live in John S. Park and continue live there themselves. Barbara shares historic footnotes, political stories, and what lead up to the historic districting of the neighborhood she so dearly cherishes. As she says, "The reason I like Las Vegas is this neighborhood, and I would be gone in a second if this neighborhood died."

Greg Brown arrived in Las Vegas in 1998 to take a position with the history department at UNLV. His future wife had lived here off and on as a child and relocated back to Las Vegas in 2000. In 2002 the couple purchased a home in John S. Park neighborhood. Living in John S. Park Neighborhood can be simultaneously frustrating and wonderful from their point of view. They share thoughts and observations about their experiences on a range of topics, including: local politics and redevelopment, the importance of Mid-Century Modern architecture, the obsolete utility poles, neighborhood beautification, First Fridays, and safety efforts.

Lisa Brown was very thoughtful in selecting to move into the Scotch 80s neighborhood. Her home on Bannie Street was built in 1959 and is an example of the popular midcentury modern design. The Scotch 80s is snug in its matured landscaping. At the same time, Lisa describes a view of the Stratosphere from her backyard. Her neighbors represent a list of longtime residents (across the street neighbors Carolyn and Oscar Goodman—current and former Las Vegas mayors). Lisa Brown, who has lived in Las Vegas two times since 1996 and continuously for the past eleven years, talks about the decision to relocate from guard-gated Henderson communities. Though her friends questioned why, she firmly believes that she has found the place she will live for decades to come. In 2010, Lisa began an over one-year renovation of the house. Working as her own contractor and using local design experts, she was adamant about preserving the essence of the house’s architectural design. She is only the third owner of the property and felt a responsibility to maintain a connection to the house’s previous owners. She shares anecdotes of how she did that, how she maintained the original footprint and only added a few square feet.

John Cahlan (1902-1988) discusses his experiences in journalism, including his work as an editor for the Review Journal. Cahlan is interviewed by Lester Wisbrod. He provides details on some of the major events covered by the newspaper, such the building of the Boulder Dam, as well as his work in establishing Nellis Air Force Base. Cahlan also describes some of the social changes over time, including the growth of air travel for tourism and gambling.

James Weslowski interviews John Cahlan (1902-1988) in Cahlan’s home about the history of Las Vegas. Cahlan provides mostly his own narrative about the beginning of Nellis Air Force Base, originally named the Las Vegas Aerial Gunnery School for the Army Air Corps. He also discusses the role of the city commissioners in establishing Nellis as a permanent airbase, as well as the role of Western Air Express, a commercial air company which eventually became Western Airlines.

Larry DuRussel interviews John Cahlan (b. 1902) about the history of Nevada. Cahlan discusses how Las Vegas was developed, how Nellis Air Force Base was built and what it was used for, and how water was originally supplied to Las Vegas. Cahlan also mentions the various Hollywood stars he met during his career as a journalist for the Review Journal. DuRussel also asks Cahlan about the atomic testing conducted in Nevada.