The Sadie and Hampton George Papers (1874-1948) consist primarily of the incoming and outgoing correspondence of Sadie Kiel George and her husband, Hampton George, regarding proposed land and mineral rights sales. The collection also includes some personal correspondence, and two of the most significant letters in the collection deal with the deaths of brothers William and Edward Kiel, Sadie's uncles, who were found dead at the Kiel Ranch in October 1900. Also included in the collection are receipts, cancelled checks, tax notices, mining claims, and land deeds.
The William Hillman Shockley Photograph Collection (1875-1925, 1951) contains black-and-white photographs documenting mining operations at the Mount Diablo Mine and Millworks in Candelaria, Nevada. It also includes photographs of nearby operations including the Northern Belle Mine and the Princess Mill. The collection contains photographs of Shockley, his son, William Bradford Shockley, as an infant, as well as images of Shockley’s brothers, Walter A. Shockley and George Shockley.
The Tonopah, Nevada Mining Town Photograph Album (approximately 1908) consists of twenty-two photographs in a leather-bound album. The photographs depict businesses, townspeople, street scenes, and mining operations in Tonopah, Nevada and the surrounding areas of Goldfield, Nevada and Mina, Nevada. Also included are photographs of a fire on May 12, 1908 that destroyed a block of commercial buildings in Tonopah, which were taken by local photographer E. W. Smith., and views of the downtown area both before and after the fire.
The University of Nevada, Las Vegas Arboretum Project Records are comprised of documents, brochures, and photographs dating from 1976 to 2012 documenting both the creation and operations of the Arboretum at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV). The collection includes photographs of planning the Arboretum, the opening ceremony, and aerial photos of the UNLV campus. The brochures include guides to the Arboretum, lists of types of plants grown, and information on the Xeric Garden.
The Claudine Williams Papers (1956-2009) contain awards, contracts, personal and business correspondence, newspaper clippings, and photographs pertaining to Las Vegas, Nevada businesswoman and philanthropist, Claudine Williams. The collection also includes extensive information on her hotel and gaming properties, including the Silver Slipper Gambling Hall, Holiday Casino, and Harrah's Hotel and Casino, as well as her honorary doctoral degree, medals, and audiovisual materials of interviews, news reports, and events.
Engineer Edward "Ed" Butera spent hours constructing models from the time he was a five-year-old boy in San Jose, California. Besides his interest in building and design, the young Butera also loved math and music—specifically the clarinet, at which he excelled, and which he still enjoys. After earning his Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering at San Jose State University he was hired by Ralph Joeckel as a consulting engineer for Trane, a heating and air conditioning company. Joeckel became a mentor and "second dad" to Butera after the company sent him to Las Vegas in 1972, and the two remain close to this day. In this interview, Butera shares how he engineered and designed power, water, sanitation, utilities, and heating and cooling systems on many Clark County high schools, hospitals, and data centers while considering such factors as the building's shape and its affect on the way wind forces act on its glass, windows, and doors. He talks of his casino work that began with the Stardust soon after he arrived in Las Vegas, and before his client list grew to include Tony Marnell, Steve Wynn, and MGM. Besides the hotels, he shares his experiences engineering the infrastructure for the Bellagio fountains, The Mirage volcano, Treasure Island's pirate show.
On May 8, 1976, James Thomas Griffin interviewed former casino dealer Midge Innis (born September 23rd, 1928 in Neligh, Nebraska) in her apartment in Las Vegas, Nevada about her life in Southern Nevada. The two discuss her occupational history as well as how she met her husband. The interview concludes Innis’ thoughts on environmental and social shifts in Las Vegas.
Dennis Ortwein arrived in Las Vegas in 1956. He shares many details about growing up in Montana, his parents and siblings, his education, and the moment in time when he was offered an opportunity to work in Las Vegas. He also lays out the path his singing career took, starting with school plays, duets with his sister, and high school quartets. Once in Las Vegas, Dennis taught for a while, served as principal, and was involved in creating programs that helped integrate schools. He also talks about his church choir work, entertainment in early Las Vegas, above-ground testing at the Nevada Test Site, and anti-nuclear protests. Dennis served as lab school and student teaching coordinator in Nigeria. He offers several anecdotes and stories about the time he and his family spent there. After retiring early (age 53), Dennis acted as consultant to the Esmeralda County school board, executive director for the National Conference of Christians and Jews, and wrote a book. He is currently enjoying his singing career by appearing at conventions, in musicals, and at weddings and memorials.