Joan Massagli spent her childhood in the Tacoma, Washington area, singing three-part harmony—a member of a musically talented family that included five children and an aunt and uncle who raised all the kids to enjoy music. By high school in the early 1950s, she and her two older sisters were regulars on a local TV show. In 1956, the Sawyer Sisters act was formed and they were soon obtaining regular gigs in Las Vegas. Their popularity continued form 1957 to 1964 and they played many of the major hotels, usually as a warm up act for headliners that includes a list of names such as Roy Clark, Louis Prima, Shecky Greene, and Delia Reece. At first the Sawyer Sisters included older sister Nanette Susan and Joan. When Nanette quit to raise her family, youngest sister Kate stepped into what was called a "lively and lovely" trio. Joan met her future husband and musician Mark Tully Massagli, while performing in the early 1960s. Caring for ailing parents while working mostly in Las Vegas, the couple made Vegas home. Even after the Sawyer Sisters name faded from the Strip's marquees, Las Vegas remained home to the Massagli's, who raised their children here. Today they live in the Blue Diamond Village area and recall the changes that have occurred on the Las Vegas Strip—especially from an entertainer's point of view.
The Alice P. Broudy Papers on Broudy v United States (1940-2018) comprise materials collected and created by the wife of Charles A. Broudy during her effort to obtain compensation for his death in 1977, which she believed to be a result of repeated radiation exposure. Materials include government documents obtained through the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), correspondence, memos, litigation papers, scholarly reports and articles on radiation exposure and its effects, congressional testimony, speeches, newspaper clippings, books and audiovisual materials. Also included are photographs, slides, and one box of Alice "Pat" Broudy's personal papers. There are two boxes of papers that remain unprocessed.
The Jacob E. Von Tobel Photograph Collection contains black-and-white photographs of the pioneer Von Tobel family from 1900 to 1980. The collection includes photographs of the Von Tobel family, early Las Vegas, Nevada buildings and landmarks, and aerial photographs of Las Vegas and surrounding areas.
The International Food Service Executive Association (IFSEA) Records contain the organizational records from the IFSEA dating from 1916 to 2010. Included are meeting programs and minutes, menus, conference reports and proceedings, financial reports, newsletters, award certificates, scrapbooks, and stewards and caterers records focusing on the hospitality and food service industry. Materials are from both national and regional branches of the organization and include records from the United States military, with whom IFSEA has partnered with since the 1960s. Club artifacts and trophies are also contained in the collection.