James “Jim” Bonaventure was born June 15, 1949 and was raised in Steubenville, Ohio. His family moved to Las Vegas, Nevada in 1958. He’s worked since he was 13 years old and entered the hotel casino industry at 16. The weekend buffet at the Hacienda Hotel was not his cup of tea, but he hit his stride at his second job, the Horseshoe Hotel and Casino, and stayed there for seven and half years. But it was the work at the Union Hall that he loved.
On March 3, 1979, Michael Martocci interviewed Laura (born in California) and Don Garvin (born in Goldfield, Nevada) about their lives in Las Vegas, Nevada. The two provide details on their family background, the first sources of water in Las Vegas, and the early city limits. They also describe their early occupations, religion, gambling, the Mormon Fort, and the effects of the Great Depression. The interview concludes with a brief discussion on the development of the Las Vegas Strip and recreational activities.