Mixed Content
Oral history interview with Pablo Macias conducted by Elsa Lopez, Monserrath Hernandez, and Claytee D. White on December 07, 2019 for the Latinx Voices of Southern Nevada Oral History Project. Pablo Macias was rasied in the small town of Carlin outside of Elko, Nevada. His father and mother met in Ogden, Utah where his father was working on railroad in Nevada and Utah. After finishing high school, he got a job at Elko Blacksmith Shop, where he learned to weld. After attending Northern Nevada Community College, he enrolled and graduated from UNR. After graduation, he took a position at Von Tobel Middle School in 1990 teaching Spanish and Physical Education. While working as a Spanish teacher in Rancho High School he enrolled in a Master's program at Nova Southeastern University, completing the program in education administration. He currently serves as the Associate Director of Corporate Work Study Program Operations for Cristo Rey St. Viator College Preparatory High School. Subjects discussed include: Education, Rancho High School, Von Tobel Middle School, Barrick Mining, and Cristo Rey.
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A loose paper version of "Law School Study for the University of Nevada, Las Vegas" by Willard H. Pedrick and Lorne Seidman, photocopied from the Southwestern-Nevada Law Review, Volume 10, 1978. From the University of Nevada, Las Vegas William S. Boyd School of Law Records (UA-00048).
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Oral history interview with Magdalena Martinez conducted by Monserrath Hernandez and Barbara Tabach on April 4, 2019 for the Latinx Voices of Southern Nevada Oral History Project. In this interview, Magdalena Martinez recalls her childhood and growing up in Los Angeles, California. Martinez's parents are from Durango, Mexico, and immigrated to the United States in the 1970s. Martinez describes the generational differences that the women in her family faced and how the feminist movement of the 1970s did not resonate with women of color. Her family moved to Las Vegas in 1986 where she attended Bishop Gorman High School. After transferring to the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV) from community college and joining a student organization that would later become Student Organization of Latinxs, she became an early member of the Latino Youth Leadership Conference (LYLC) sponsored by the Latin Chamber of Commerce. Martinez describes how the LYLC has evolved over the years, and talks about her role in those changes. She discusses past work for CSN, NSHE, and currently is the Director of Education Programs with the Lincy Institute.
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The Basic Magnesium Inc. (BMI) Records and Photographs (1933-1965) document the planning, construction, and management of the BMI magnesium manufacturing plants near present-day Henderson in Clark County, Nevada and a magnesium mining operation in Gabbs, Nye County, Nevada. Materials include chronological reports, press releases, telegrams, budgets, building diagrams, maps, and black-and-white photographic prints. The records document employee housing and infrastructure projects, magnesium production statistics, and employee data. The photographic prints, which include many aerial images, provide a visual record of the construction of the plant, the mining operation, and the associated support facilities and employee housing.
Archival Collection
The Marie and James B. McMillan Papers (1928-2010) primarily contain documents pertaining to the families and careers of Marie and James B. McMillan. Included in the collection are photographs, biographical materials, newspaper clippings, award certificates, programs, obituaries, scrapbooks, trophies, legal and military documents, and political campaign documents. Marie McMillan is a former Las Vegas, Nevada flight instructor and one of the first women to work at the Nevada Test Site in Nye County, Nevada. James B. McMillan was the first African-American dentist to practice in Nevada, as well as a prominent Nevada civil rights leader.
Archival Collection
Not many sixteen-year-olds assume the roles of father and mother to three younger siblings (one an infant), graduate from high school on time, and earn a full-ride scholarship (plus a loan) to a prestigious university. One such sixteen-year-old was Washington, D.C., native DeRuyter O. Butler, Executive Vice President of Architecture, Butler/Ashworth Architects, Ltd., LLC, and formerly Executive Vice President, Architecture, of Wynn Design & Development, LLC, and Director of Architecture, Atlandia Design & Furnishings, Inc. Determined to do right on behalf of his siblings and himself, Butler recruited his grandmother and enrolled in Catholic University, earning his B.S. in Architecture in 1977 while working overtime at the U.S. Post Office, buying a house in Maryland, and supporting his family. His first professional job in Philadelphia required him to rethink his living arrangements. Partnering with his sister, who assumed childcare duties during the week in Maryland, Butler lived in New Jersey during the week and commuted to Maryland on the weekends. After four years in that position and a short stint of being unemployed, in 1982 he became a draftsperson for Steve Wynn's Atlandia Design in Atlantic City. After he had worked with architects Joel Bergman and Paul Steelman in Atlantic City for four years, Wynn moved Atlandia Design to Las Vegas. Butler followed in 1986, bringing with him his grandmother and his youngest brother. In this interview, Butler discusses his unusual career path; the challenges of responding to and anticipating entertainment and recreation market trends; Wynn's insistence on always striving for "better"; and the importance of concealing service infrastructure in order to create the ultimate guest experience. He emphasizes Wynn's leadership in the gaming industry and with Clark County and the City of Las Vegas. He speaks to lessons learned from designing The Mirage, Bellagio, the Wynn, Wynn Palace, and Encore. Finally, he describes real-world limitations to building such as drought and historic water rights; traffic patterns, ride-hailing companies, and parking restrictions, and flight patterns and building heights.
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Born in 1932 and raised in Los Angeles; mother was a housewife and later became a painter; mention of Olvera Street; Pio Pico first Mexican governor of California; Pico House; member of the Army; Deputy Sheriff; Mother Pauline Brown and father Lee Koury; Los Angeles County Sharon Tate; LaBiancas; Spahn Ranch; "the three girls on the comer" - Lynette Fromme, Sandra Good, and Nancy Pitman; Family - referring to the Manson case - Charles Mason, Robert Beausoleil, Susan Atkins, Steve Dennis Grogan, Patricia Kernwinkle, Mary Theresa Brunner, Bruce McGregor Davis, and Leslie VanHawten; Shorty Shay the person in charge at Spahn Ranch; mention of Polaroids mailed to prisoners that ended up being an important part of the Manson case.
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Emilio Muscelli was in his mid-80s when he sat for this oral history interview. With a thick Italian accent he recalled his career as a Las Vegas maitre d' that spanned decades of Strip history. Emilio arrived in America in 1948, landed a job at the Copacabana in New York City. His boss was Jack Entratter, who brought Emilio to Las Vegas when he opened the Sands in 1952. Over the decades he has witnessed the ups and downs of Las Vegas economy and has befriended many celebrities along the way. He reminisces during this interview about his friendship with singer Bobby Darin, actor Cary Grant and meeting a laundry list of others. He fondly speaks of those he worked for and their contribution to the growth of Las Vegas.
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In 1939, Wilma (Frank) Bass was born in New York City, where she began her involvement in theater at the age of ten. Almost twenty years later, she met Burt Bass (1932- ) when both worked for a photography studio, one of Burt first post-high school jobs. Burt opened his first professional photography studio in 1962, shortly after he married Wilma in 1960. The couple soon had two daughters – Jill and Wendy – and moved to Las Vegas in 1974. Burt initially worked for his brother-in-law Ed Frank's check cashing businesses and later opened his own photography business, Burton Studio. He later added services such as fingerprinting, background checks, and photographs for identification cards. Wilma worked as a jewelry salesperson, first at the Gold Factory then at Nieman Marcus. Socially, she was very involved with Temple Beth Sholom’s Sisterhood, using her theater talents to write, direct and produce various shows for the Sisterhood, ORT as well as B’nai B’rith Youth Organization. In this interview, Burt discusses his photography business, the migration of its storefront around town, and his colorful landlords, including individuals like Moe Dalitz and Art Marshall. Wilma talks about her sales career in the local jewelry industry, and more extensively, she shares memories of her involvement in the Jewish community with theater productions. Much of the discussion revolved around related news articles and personal photos from their relationships and activities within the Jewish community. The couple also shares stories of friendships with local entertainers, including Jerry Lewis and Neil Sedaka.
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