Doug Coombs interview Charles Brinker (born 1915 in Graham Station, West Virginia) about his experiences living in Southern Nevada and his career in carpentry. Brinker also discusses his background in watch repair, his move to Las Vegas from West Virginia, his experiences in homesteading, grocery shopping in early Las Vegas, the building of his house for his family, and his various jobs and projects as a carpenter.
Jeff Neher interviews accountant Beverly J. Britton at her apartment in Las Vegas, Nevada. Born September 29th, 1949 in Vernon, Texas, Britton relocated to Las Vegas, Nevada in 1995. During the interview Britton offers an overview of life in the Las Vegas area from 1955 to 1979.
Seneca Eugene Anderson interviews pharmacist and politician Robert N. Broadbent (born in Ely, Nevada in 1925). Broadbent discusses origination, government, and changes in Boulder City, Nevada.
Jay Brewer interviews local store clerk Marilyn B. Brockett, born December 10th, 1925, in Cedar City, Utah. Marilyn B. Brockett, originally known as Marilyn B. Ballard before marriage, moved to Nevada in 1932. During this interview Brockett discusses social changes and the growth of Boulder City, Nevada from 1932 to 1975.
Jeff Kennedy interviews gaming industry professional John Brooks (b. 1937) at his home in Las Vegas, Nevada. During the interview Brooks discusses gaming, education, the early above ground atomic blasts, Boulder Dam, and social and environmental changes in Nevada. Brooks also discusses the Old Ranch, economic changes, religion, politics, family life, the Navy, sports, the railroad, Fremont Street and the hotels on the Strip in Las Vegas.
Alice Brown, former UNLV librarian, was born in Cleveland, Ohio. She gives a thorough and fascinating history of her family going back to the 1600s and includes a detailed description of the family home, which may have served as a stop on the antislavery Underground Railroad. Alice attended college in Pennsylvania and earned a library degree at Carnegie. After Pearl Harbor, she enlisted in the Women's Army Auxiliary Corps and served in the U S. and overseas. Upon discharge from the Army, she worked as assistant children's librarian in Cleveland Heights for a time and then followed a friend out to Tacoma, Washington. She worked in the Tacoma Public Library as children's librarian, and also met her husband there. Alice's husband was offered a job in Henderson, Nevada, at the manganese plant. That didn't work out, but he was hired at Titanium right away. Alice describes Henderson as it was in the fifties, and also discusses the state of the libraries in both Henderson and Las Vegas. After the birth of her third child, Alice began working at the University of Nevada Southern Regional Division (now UNLV) part time. This was in 1962, and Alice shares detailed memories of the university campus, library, and faculty and staff from that era. Alice did not slow down after her retirement in 1985. She did volunteer work, traveled, and attended classes at UNLV. Today she volunteers at the Clark County Heritage Museum as a cataloger and at the hospital helping deliver papers and lab work to their various destinations.
Eric M. Cheese interviews University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV) librarian Alice Cowles Brown at the UNLV Campus Library. Born in Cleveland, Ohio, on March 10th, 1919, Brown moved to Henderson, Nevada in 1956. This interview offers an overview of life in Las Vegas and Henderson from 1956 to 1981. Brown also discusses road conditions, social structures, the educational system, support for intercollegiate sports and UNLV.
Marcus Brown interviews his father, Bernard Lee Brown (born 1915 in New Albany, Indiana) about his experiences living in Las Vegas, Nevada. Bernard discusses his work at various gaming properties on the Strip and in Downtown Las Vegas, owning his own shoe business, working at the Nevada Test Site, racial discrimination, the role of unions, and overall changes in Las Vegas over time.
Harry Brown, born in Independence, Missouri in 1912, moved to Las Vegas with his wife in 1934 during the Great Depression in order to start working on the Boulder Dam. Brown continued his occupation as a carpenter throughout the years while living in Las Vegas and resided in several properties with his family in Las Vegas and North Las Vegas. During the interview, Brown describes some of his experiences from being in the Sheriff’s Mounted Posse, the equivalent of a modern search and rescue team, which was deputized by the sheriff. Brown additionally describes the tradition of the Helldorado parades, in which he was a part, and he provides his overall thoughts on living in Las Vegas.
Ian McLaughlin interviews Robert “Bob” Brown (birthdate unknown) at his home on February 23, 1981 about his experiences living in Las Vegas since 1955. Brown mentions that his background is in the food business, working for various hotels and restaurants in the city. Brown discusses some of the developments of the Las Vegas Strip, including the opening and closing of various casinos, as well as issues relating to the increasing crime rate, rise in air pollution, and growth in population in the city. Brown also mentions some of the entertainers from the Strip such as Wayne Newton and Frank Sinatra, and he describes the various recreational activities available to Las Vegans in and around the city. The interview concludes with Brown’s discussion about how means of transportation have evolved and how the city has grown since he moved to Las Vegas.