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Transcript of interview with Fred Gibson by David Emerson, February 13, 2008
Date
2008-02-13
Archival Collection
Description
Fred Gibson's family came to Nevada in 1929; moving to Ely, Carson City, and eventually Las Vegas. He went into the Army after high school graduation and then studied Japanese at Yale. After some time in Colorado, Fred transferred to UNR and graduated from the Mackay School of Mines. Fred and his dad organized Pacific Engineering and Production Company of Nevada in 1955. The company merged with American Pacific in 1982 and today, among other enterprises, manufactures drugs at a facility in Rancho Cordova. His brother James Gibson served almost 30 years in the Nevada legislature. As a trustee director of the Nevada Development Authority (NDA), Fred was instrumental in organizing support for the idea of an engineering school at UNLV. Fred worked with people like Robert Maxson, Bob Gore, Jack McBride, Bill Flangas, and John Goolsby. He also teamed with Kenny Guinn to elicit donations from individuals and corporations, and lobbied the legislature to garner support for the school. As a member of the University Foundation, Fred has had a lot of interaction with Georgia Tech, and is trying to get the State of Nevada to approve a Georgia plan. He believes this will help the UNLV College of Engineering reach the level of schools like Georgia Tech and MIT. He also encourages the legislature to allow the university to use unclaimed property funds, but this idea still has not met with approval.
Text
Letter from R. L. Adamson (Los Angeles) to E. E. Bennett, November 14, 1952
Date
1952-11-14
Archival Collection
Description
Discussion of needed revisions for the contract for the Las Vegas Valley Water District's purchase of water production facilities and land from the Union Pacific Railroad.
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Transcript of interview with Edith and Arthur Bock by Claytee White, September 15, 2009
Date
2009-09-15
Archival Collection
Description
Arthur and Edith Block share memories of their respective childhoods in northern Nevada (Arthur) and East Chicago, Indiana (Edith). Sixty-three years of marriage encompasses Edith's career in banking and Arthur's work in the dry cleaning business and as a highway patrolman. It was his career in law enforcement that drew them to Las Vegas in 1968. Recalling Las Vegas in the sixties and seventies, Edith and Arthur discuss their first home, the hotels and entertainers, integration, and Howard Hughes. They talk about train service, agriculture, Basque influence, and the Thunderbirds in northern Nevada, and what it was like to live in those small rural towns. In contrast, they mention the downtown renovation, heavy traffic, explosive growth, and entertainment options in Las Vegas. In addition to their careers and raising a family, Edith and Arthur talk about their involvement with their church, which provides outreach programs and a certified day school. Arthur mentions working as security for the Summa Corporation after he retired from law enforcement, and Edith provides details about her work in banking. They also comment on the future of Las Vegas/Clark County and express their love for the state of Nevada.
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Photograph of Minsky's showgirl posing on a sofa at the Playboy Hotel, Chicago (Ill.), circa 1977
Date
1976 to 1978
Archival Collection
Description
A Minsky's showgirl posing on a sofa at the Playboy Hotel. The Playboy hotel was originally named The Knickerbocker, and has gone through several incarnations since it opened in 1927. Legend has it that in the 1930s the hotel housed a casino frequented by Al Capone. During World War II and the Korean War, US Armed Forces officers would fill the property's hallways and play cards in the Officer's Club. In 1952, Richard Nixon was nominated Vice President during the Republican National Convention held in the hotel. Finally, in the 1970s it became the Playboy Hotel, owned by Hugh Hefner. After completing a multi-million dollar renovation in 2008, the hotel has reinvented itself once again. However, the elegant two-storied lobby still honors the hotel's historic past, with marble ornaments and wood moldings. Site Name: Playboy Hotel (Chicago, Ill.) Street Address: 163 East Walton Place
Image
Photograph of a Minsky's Burlesque showgirl, Playboy Hotel, Chicago (Ill.), circa 1977
Date
1976 to 1978
Archival Collection
Description
A close-up of a Minsky's showgirl posing on a sofa at the Playboy Hotel. The Playboy hotel was originally named The Knickerbocker, and has gone through several incarnations since it opened in 1927. Legend has it that in the 1930s the hotel housed a casino frequented by Al Capone. During World War II and the Korean War, US Armed Forces officers would fill the property's hallways and play cards in the Officer's Club. In 1952, Richard Nixon was nominated Vice President during the Republican National Convention held in the hotel. Finally, in the 1970s it became the Playboy Hotel, owned by Hugh Hefner. After completing a multi-million dollar renovation in 2008, the hotel has reinvented itself once again. However, the elegant two-storied lobby still honors the hotel's historic past, with marble ornaments and wood moldings. Site Name: Playboy Hotel (Chicago, Ill.) Street Address: 163 East Walton Place
Image
