Oral history interview with Paul Norton conducted by Sergio Pellegrino on April 3, 1981 for the Ralph Roske Oral History Project.
In this interview, Paul Norton discusses his life in Henderson, Nevada and Las Vegas, Nevada from 1952 onward. He shares details of his work at Basic Magnesium Inc. (BMI) and at mills around the Valley. Norton talks about his opposition of the MX missile, in contrast to his opinions about atomic testing in Nevada. He also discusses the businesses that operated from 1950 to 1980, how the Las Vegas Strip was constructed, details of Fremont Street and the I-15 freeway, and flooding that was particularly destructive in Henderson.
Oral history interview with Avril "Juanita" Simmons and Fred "Bubba" Simmons conducted by Claytee D. White on May 21, 1996 for the UNLV University Libraries Oral History Collection.
In this interview, husband and wife Bubba and Juanita Simmons talk about their separate moves from Fordyce, Arkansas to Las Vegas, Nevada in the 1940s and their impressions of the city after moving. Bubba shares stories of his employment at the Basic Magnesium, Inc. plant in Henderson and his experiences living in tents on the Westside, traveling to work with the help of Red Mitchell, and sharing living spaces with nine to ten other men. Juanita discusses her work as a family's caregiver and speaks to the kinds of occupations Black women obtained in Las Vegas at that time. The couple share stories of city life and the clubs, eateries, and shops that were present in the area.
Oral history interviews with John Edmond conducted by Claytee D. White on February 19 and 25, 2013 for the African Americans in Las Vegas: a Collaborative Oral History Project. Edmond discusses his family history in Tallulah, Louisiana and moving to Las Vegas, Nevada before Basic Magnesium, Inc. drew many African Americans to the region. He recalls working as a young boy at the local bowling alley and later attending college in Seattle, Washington. After college, Edmond returned to Las Vegas and became the first Black baccarat dealer at the Stardust Hotel working for Frank Rosenthal. He discusses later owning the largest shopping center in the city.
The Dow Metals, Incorporated Records on Basic Magnesium, Incorporated (1940-1951) contains reports and photographs pertaining to the Colorado River Commission of the Nevada Basic Magnesium Project, Las Vegas, Nevada.
The David G. Malcolm Papers (1942-1971) contains information on Basic Magnesium, Incorporated (BMI), Nevada Gaming laws and regulations, and a motor home organization titled Vegas Vagabonds. Included are correspondence, original papers for the purchase of land for BMI, newspaper clippings, BMI newsletters, statistical data from the Chamber of Commerce, and miscellaneous gaming information.
Oral history interview with Thelma Aiken (formerly Thelma C. Liggitt b. 1899) conducted by Patrica Gaydosh on April 05, 1976 for the Ralph Roske Oral History Project on Early Las Vegas. Born in Osceola, Iowa, Aiken discusses moving to Henderson in 1942. Aiken also offers in-depth descriptions of housing, schools, early above ground atomic tests, gambling, and the closing down of the Basic Magnesium (BMI) Plant in Nevada.
The Southern Nevada Historical Society Records document the management and development of the Southern Nevada Historical Society (SNHS) as well as various historical projects in Las Vegas and Southern Nevada that the society sponsored from 1948 to 1983. The records include SNHS correspondence (1951-1978), meeting minutes (1958-1983), and accounting information (1959-1980). It also contains copies of the SNHS Backtrails Newsletter, promotional material for events, membership lists, and research materials for various projects related to the history of southern Nevada and Las Vegas.
Oral history interview with Joseph C. Mattingly conducted by Sean Powers on February 23, 1979 for the Ralph Roske Oral History Project on Early Las Vegas. In the interview, Mattingly discusses moving back and forth between Las Vegas and Reno, Nevada during the 1930s and 1940s before finally settling in Las Vegas in 1954. Mattingly also discusses his life as a sheet metal worker for commercial buildings, Las Vegas Strip hotels, and buildings on the University of Nevada, Las Vegas campus.
Oral history interview with Hugh McAllister conducted by A. D. Hopkins on January 15, 1981 for the Ralph Roske Oral History Project on Early Las Vegas. In the interview, McAllister discusses his early life working as a miner in Colorado and Nevada, his time in Lathrop Wells, Nevada, and his eventual move to Las Vegas, Nevada in 1936. McAllister also discusses his work as a bread truck driver, highway construction worker, and a machine shop worker for Basic Magnesium, Inc.
Oral history interview with Estes McDoniel conducted by Gregory S. Hayes on March 11, 1975 for the Ralph Roske Oral History Project on Early Las Vegas. McDoniel discusses his personal history in Henderson, Nevada, including his campaign for Mayor. McDoniel then discusses the first high school in Henderson, Nevada, and the Basic Magnesium Plant.