Oral history interview with Vivian "Viv" Frehner conducted by Gregg Carter on July 20, 1974 for the Ralph Roske Oral History Project on Early Las Vegas. In this interview, Frehner talks about his upbringing in St. Thomas, Nevada, his marriage, his early work as a sheriff's deputy, a rancher, farmer, and road maintenance worker. He recalls going to the movies for twenty cents as a child, catching wild horses to ride in rodeos as a teenager, and the heat of Las Vegas, Nevada summers after he moved there for work as a young man for work. He remembers seeing dozens of artisan wells in Las Vegas well into the 1940s, the opening of Flamingo Hotel and Casino, the death of actress Carole Lombard in a 1941 plane crash outside Las Vegas, and the 1950s above-ground nuclear testing by the U. S. government.
Archival Collection
Oral history interview with George Albright conducted on April 13, 1972 for an unspecified project. In this interview, Albright first talks about his background in operating appliance businesses before discussing his role in creating building plans for the Hoover (Boulder) Dam. He later talks about his experience working with the Las Vegas Chamber of Commerce, the Clark County Board of County Commissioners, and specific details on how conventions were planned in the various Las Vegas Strip properties.
Archival Collection
The UNLV Libraries Single Item Accession Photograph Collection (approximately 1869-1999) contains photographs, postcards, negatives, and slides primarily pertaining to Southern Nevada, with a focus on Las Vegas, Nevada, collected by the University of Nevada, Las Vegas University Libraries, Special Collections and Archives. The collection primarily includes images of early Las Vegas, hotels and casinos along Fremont Street and the Strip, railroad infrastructure, local businesses, and residential neighborhoods. Also included are images of Hoover (Boulder) Dam's construction, MX Missile testing, Nevada mining camps, and the natural desert environment. Other images depict towns throughout Nevada including Boulder City, Henderson, Reno, Luning, Tonopah, Goodsprings, Delmar, Beatty, Panaca, Overton, Caliente, Logandale, and Aurora.
Archival Collection
The Ralph Roske Photographs (approximately 1917-1989) depict life in rural Southern Nevada and newspaper clippings from the Goodsprings Gazette. The collection consists of thirty-five images dated from 1917 to 1989. The images consist of unidentified Nevadans, Las Vegas landmarks, and members of the McAllister family in Carraca, Nevada.
Archival Collection
The Peg and George E. Crockett Family Photographs (approximately 1940-2008) are comprised of aerial photographs of Alamo Airport (later McCarran International Airport) and the surrounding Las Vegas Valley in the 1940s and 1950s. Photographs of the interior, exterior, and airfield at Alamo Airport document the early stages of what is now one of the busiest international airports in the United States. The collection also contains audiovisual material, which depict events including the Miss Rodeo America pageant and the Sahara Cup boat races on Lake Mead, and locations including Fremont Street in downtown Las Vegas, Nevada and Hoover Dam. A significant portion of the collection consists of photographs of the Crockett family at various events, on family vacations, and their home in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Archival Collection
Oral history interview with Helen Mott Cecil conducted by Claytee D. White on April 24, 2007 for the Boyer Early Las Vegas Oral History Project. Helen Mott Cecil discusses growing up in Las Vegas, Nevada on the Westside, including seeing the Helldorado parades and Hoover (Boulder Dam). She also discusses working for Farmers Home Association and in the medical care and entertainment industry during the 1930s. She then discusses her divorce and other topics like the atomic bomb testing, the bus system, and downtown Las Vegas.
Archival Collection
Oral history interview with Louise Riley conducted by Bryan Neel on March 27, 1979 for the Ralph Roske Oral History Project on Early Las Vegas. In this interview, Riley discusses her life after moving to Boulder City, Nevada in 1946, and later moving to Las Vegas, Nevada. Riley describes dates with her husband on the Las Vegas Strip, which included visiting clubs or watching Liberace perform. Riley also discusses her husband's job as an accountant at the Hoover (Boulder) Dam, as well as briefly discussing her experiences viewing nuclear weapons tests.
Archival Collection
Oral history interview with Vernon S. Caples conducted by Cheryl Caples on February 25, 1979 for the Ralph Roske Oral History Project on Early Las Vegas. Vernon S. Caples (born August 7th, 1891 in St. Johns, Oregon) discusses the history of Las Vegas, Nevada. Vernon describes what Las Vegas was like in the early days, from the Red Light District to the Nellis Air Force Base. He also mentions the implementation of a government program that was set in place to aid senior citizens living in Las Vegas.
Archival Collection
Oral history interview with John H. Pappas conducted by James Greene on October 04, 1974 for the Ralph Roske Oral History Project on Early Las Vegas. In this interview, Pappas describes coming to the United States during the early twentieth century, eventually making his way to Nevada in 1904. Pappas discusses working for the San Pedro, Los Angeles & Salt Lake Railroad Company helping to build the railroad from Caliente, Nevada to Las Vegas, Nevada. Pappas later discusses leaving Nevada, then returning to help build the Hoover (Boulder) Dam, before leaving due to the extreme heat. Pappas describes his personal history in Las Vegas, the city's changes, and opening his own restaurant.
Archival Collection
Oral history interview with Jesma and Carlyle Wilcox conducted by Sally Griffis on February 19, 1976 for the Ralph Roske Oral History Project on Early Las Vegas. Jesma Wilcox begins by describing her family ranch, how her father leased the property to tenants, and what it was like living without air conditioning and refrigeration. She describes using a nearby stream as a water source, recreational activities, and the Mormon settlers and missionaries who first settled on the ranch. Wilcox talks about her religious involvement with the Mormon Church and life in Las Vegas, Nevada during the mid-twentieth century, as well as how Las Vegas has changed. Wilcox, with her husband Carlyle, also discusses the history of the nuclear weapons tests. Carlyle then describes the construction of the Basic Magnesium Plant in Henderson, Nevada.
Archival Collection