Search Results
Transcript of interview with James M. Lancaster by Linda Voorvart, March 4, 1980
Date
Archival Collection
Description
On March 4, 1980, Linda Voorvart interviewed former senior safety engineer and power plant operator, James M. Lancaster (born July 5th, 1911 in Trinidad, Colorado) in his home in Las Vegas, Nevada. Lancaster explains how he first came to Southern Nevada from Mexico and Cuba. Lancaster then goes on to explain his occupational history, and the different jobs that he held in Southern Nevada, specifically at the Nevada Test Site.
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Interview with William John Mayer, July 20, 2004
Date
Archival Collection
Description
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Transcript of interview with Andrew and Debbie Levy by Barbara Tabach, September 12, 2016
Date
Archival Collection
Description
Andrew (Drew) Levy was born and raised in Las Vegas, Nevada, where his family became prominent civic and real estate leaders. His grandfather was Harry Levy, a former Las Vegas City Commissioner, and his father Alvin Levy was a former councilman. Drew is always proud to say that he never left Las Vegas and of partnering with his father in the Levy Realty Company. While growing up, Drew it was easy for a teenager to enjoy the perks that could accompany his family?s civic persona?such as casino shows, events and meeting early Las Vegas casino executives like Moe Dalitz. After graduation from Clark High School, Drew attended Arizona State University. It was in Tempe that he met Debbie Cheek, his future wife. When Debbie arrived in Las Vegas, she enrolled at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, where she finished her degree and started her accounting practice. She ran her business for ten years before opening Art Starts Here, an art school. In the 1990s, Debbie?s passion for art led her to be involved in the creation of First Friday, a local monthly art festival. She also teaches a summer art camp for the Adelson Educational Campus. Drew and Debbie became deeply involved in the many Jewish congregations in Las Vegas. Blossoming first at Temple Beth Sholom where they were married in 1980, Debbie sat on the preschool board and oversaw the temple board, while Drew was the advisor for the youth group. The couple later joined Congregation Ner Tamid where Drew was congregation president from 1999 to 2000 and Debbie was board treasurer in 2001. Debbie includes stories of her conversion to Judaism and keeping kosher. In this interview, Drew and Debbie Levy reflect on changes they see in Las Vegas, from when Drew was a kid to the times they raised their own daughters, Sarah and Jenna, here. Looking at the larger picture of the city, they describe booms in the real estate market and growth in the artistic and cultural aspects of Las Vegas. They provide a perspective of the growth of the local Jewish community.
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Transcript of interview with Louis F. La Porta by Stefani Evans and Claytee White, November 4, 2016
Date
Archival Collection
Description
Louis La Porta served on the City Council of Henderson, Nevada and the Board of Clark County, Nevada and oversaw periods of great growth. He was born in 1924 in New York City, but his service in the United States Air Force pulled him out West. After settling in Henderson, Nevada, with his wife Elayne, La Porta became interested in insurance sales and local politics. While in office, La Porta oversaw the development of critical roads for Clark County, the Henderson Historical Society, and Henderson Libraries. He recounts each of these major developments in his interview, chronicling the evolution of Henderson, Nevada, into a major city.
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Transcript of interview with Dr. Harrie Fox Hess by Scot Siegel, February 26, 1979
Date
Archival Collection
Description
On February 26th, 1979, Scot Siegel interviewed his psychology professor, Dr. Harrie Hess (born March 1, 1929 in Hammond, Indiana) in his office at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. Dr. Hess discusses his family’s reason for moving to Nevada and how he felt as a young adult moving to Las Vegas. The two go on to talk about Dr. Hess’ contributions to Nevada through his work as a psychologist, and briefly mentions the first law to be drafted on psychology certification in Nevada. Dr. Hess then describes the Wild Cat Lair as an important site of social recreation for early Las Vegas youth. The interview concludes with his memory of Boulder (Hoover) Dam and how he believes that workers from the Great Depression paved the way for industrial success in gambling due to their employment on the Dam.
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Photographs of Glass Pool Inn signs, Las Vegas (Nev.), 2002
Date
Archival Collection
Description
Site address: 4613 S Las Vegas Blvd
Sign details: Located on the very south end of Las Vegas Blvd the Glass Pool Inn boasts a Pylon/Pole sign along the east side of the Strip. Both the sign and the adjacent lounge, which holds vestiges of wall signs, are directly Northwest of the famed glass Portaled pool, where the establishment takes its name.
Sign condition: Structure 3 Surface 2 Lighting 2
Sign form: Pylon
Sign-specific description: The Glass Pool's main sign is a double-backed, double poled, internally lit pylon design. The top portion, a sculpted internally lit marquee in the classic kidney pool shape, reads "Glass Pool Inn." A smaller sign of similar water referenced design, sits below the main marquee. They are both contained in sheet metal framed painted blue. The bottom portion is comprised of a incandescent bulb LED matrix center, a Sheet metal message center containing a small plastic readerboard with vinyl letters, and a red neon sign for vacancy. The boxes or the message centers are also blue sheet metal.
Sign - type of display: Neon; Incandescent; Backlit
Sign - media: Steel; Plastic
Sign - non-neon treatments: Paint
Sign animation: none
Sign environment: The Glass Pool Inn sits on south end of the strip among the small dying hotels of Las Vegas Blvd's earlier history, it is one of the first signs you see traveling North on the strip entering town. Just north lies the beginning of the main flood of architecture from the modern strip; while to its south are the beginnings of the strip and the spawning new growth of Las Vegas. The Glass Pool stands in the unique position of being in that gateway of entering the Las Vegas Strip
Sign manufacturer: YESCO
Sign - date of installation: 1953
Sign - date of redesign/move: In 1989 when Steve Wynn was establishing the Mirage, there was another property which also had the name: the small southern Strip, roadside motel. When Wynn acquired the name the original Mirage simply changed its name to the Glass Pool Inn. The original sign was left in place, and simply remodeled to fit the new name of the motel. Permitted by the county to refurbish in December of 1988.
Sign - thematic influences: Water and the pool itself, kidney-shaped design.
Sign - artistic significance: The Glass Pool is an artistic artifact of the older smaller strip hotels. Artistically it is reminiscent of the roadside pole sign used to attract traffic. It represents one of the last strip roadside motels in that portion of the Strip.
Surveyor: Joshua Cannaday
Survey - date completed: 2002
Sign keywords: Pylon; Neon; Incandescent; Backlit; Steel; Plastic; Paint
Mixed Content
Photographs of Holiday House Motel sign, Las Vegas (Nev.), March 1, 2017
Date
Archival Collection
Description
Site address: 2211 S Las Vegas Blvd
Sign details: The Holiday House Motel was originally the Bagdad Inn that opened up in the 1950's. The actual motel was possibly named after Bagdad California, a small ghost town in the San Bernardino county. This town was a former route 66 pit stop and later passed by with the new I-15 and I- 40 in the late 1970's. The motel changed its name in 1983 to Holiday House Motel. The motel currently has a for sale sign.
Sign condition: The sign is in a 4.5. There seems to not have much sun or wind damage to the sign. The color is still fresh.
Sign form: This is a two- pole squared structured sign.
Sign-specific description: The sign is a bright red squared basis. All aspects of the sign's advertisement are connected together in one large square. There is no separation within the structure; it just looks like one giant red canvas with words and would even suggest the sign is very minimal. At the bottom, right portion of the sign you will see a small reader board (currently the reader board has been covered with a for sale sign). Vertically on the left side is the word motel in white lettering. The holiday house font is in yellow incandescent lighting, and the font looks italicized. The no vacancy is in neon underneath the holiday house typography. Two white poles are what holds up the sign.
Sign - type of display: Neon, Incandescent and fluorescent lighting.
Sign - media: Steel and Plastic
Sign - non-neon treatments: Reader board
Sign animation: Flasher for the incandescent light bulbs in the letters
Sign environment: This location is on the north end of the Strip across the street from the Stratosphere and near the Holiday Motel and Fun City Motel.
Sign - date of installation: 1983
Sign - date of redesign/move: In 1950's the sign was Bagdad Inn and in 1983 the establishment later changed into the Holiday House Motel.
Sign - thematic influences: This sign could have inspiration from the post modernism idea of open space and minimal design to "advertise" to consumers. This sign is very representative of 1970's designs.
Sign - artistic significance: Every portion of the sign was thoughtfully placed to hit the consumer in a fast and efficient way.
Survey - research locations: Vintage Vegas http://vintagelasvegas.com/search/Holiday+House+Motel and Roadside Architecture http://www.roadarch.com/signs/nvvegas.html .
Surveyor: Gisselle Tipp
Survey - date completed: 2017-08-30
Sign keywords: Neon; Incandescent; Steel; Plastic; Flashing; Reader board; Pole sign; Fluorescent; Roof Sign
Mixed Content
Aerial photograph of McWilliams' Original Las Vegas Townsite and Clark's Las Vegas Townsite, Las Vegas (Nev.), 1931
Date
Archival Collection
Description
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Photograph of Fremont Street, Las Vegas (Nev.), 1900-1925
Date
Archival Collection
Description
Site Name: Fremont Street (Las Vegas, Nev.)
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Photograph of Leo Carrillo in front of the Carrillo Room at the Last Frontier Village (Las Vegas), circa mid 1940s
Date
Archival Collection
Description
Actor Leo Carrillo, who played Pancho in the popular 1950s TV series "The Cisco Kid" poses in his 1941 Cadillac with a woman outside of the Carrillo Room at the Last Frontier Village.
Site Name: Frontier
Address: 3120 Las Vegas Boulevard South
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