The collection is comprised of records of the San Pedro, Los Angeles & Salt Lake Railroad Company (1901-1976). The construction of this railroad led to the founding of Las Vegas, Nevada and the creation of the Empire Construction Company and Las Vegas Land and Water Company. The records document the company's operations and include correspondence and contracts relating to lots in the Las Vegas townsite, payments and accounts, invoices and other audit materials from 1905 to 1923. The collection also includes the records of the railroad agent at Arden Station, located ten miles south of the Las Vegas Station, which contain correspondence, ledgers, freight and way bills, shipping orders, and telegrams.
On March 1, 1979, Lance Cooper interviewed Suzette Cox (b. 1945 in San Diego, California) about her experiences living in Las Vegas, Nevada. Cox talks briefly about her career history in working at the Las Vegas Sun, as a deputy sheriff, and eventually as a secretary at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. She also talks about the various parts of Las Vegas in which she has lived since moving to the city in 1953. The two also discuss the Las Vegas Strip, gambling, recreational activities, atomic testing, the Mormon Fort, and how Las Vegas has changed over the years.
On March 11, 1978, Sosuke Miyazawa interviewed Nanyu Tomiyasu (b. May 28, 1918 in Las Vegas, Nevada) about his family’s farm and their legacy as one of the pioneering families of the city. Tomiyasu begins by talking about what brought his family to Las Vegas, the city’s abundant water reservoir and his father’s farm. In particular, Tomiyasu discusses his father’s experiments with farming as one of the city’s early farmers, the transition into nursery farming and Japanese gardens. Moreover, he discusses his siblings, the local schools, their great quality, the successful students the city produced and the growth of school populations. Tomiyasu describes the large Japanese population and the Union Pacific Railroad that many of them worked on. He ends by discussing the change in architecture within the city, such as where old buildings stood and what they are used for now, the first Episcopal Church and the old Mormon Fort.
The John Wittwer Collection on Agriculture in Nevada (1898-1972) contains the professional papers and records of John Wittwer in his capacity as an Agricultural Extension agent for the University of Nevada from 1921 to 1954. The records are primarily annual reports containing text, photographs, newspaper clippings, and charts that provide a rich chronicle of the conditions of agriculture and ranching in southern Nevada from 1898 to 1972, with the bulk of the material dating from 1929 to 1955. These conditions span water issues, such as flood control and irrigation, to the general difficulties of sustaining agriculture and viable food production in a desert environment. The reports come from the Agricultural Experiment Stations in Clark and Lincoln counties and most contain both a statistical report and a narrative summary.
McWilliams' summary of his findings in his survey of the Las Vegas Ranch, including land boundaries and water resources. Link to one of the plats mentioned in the letter is in references field.
On January 20, 1975, collector businessman, James M. Greene interviewed businessman, William F. Kelsey (born November 6th, 1908 in Pasadena, California) in his home in Nelson, Nevada. Mrs. Kelsey is also present during the interview. This interview covers the life and times of Mr. Kelsey.