Brief history of water in Las Vegas and overview of the water situation

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.

On February 12, 1978, collector Jeff Thompson interviewed short-order cook and maid, Donna Henshaw (born on February 11, 1937 in Appleton, Minnesota) in the collector’s home in Las Vegas, Nevada. This interview covers the history and development of the Las Vegas area.

On March 14th, 1981, collector Greg Pushard interviewed postmaster Peggy Huber (born March 31st, 1884 in Conway, Arkansas) in her home in Las Vegas, Nevada. This interview covers Peggy’s life in Nevada and also offers an insightful overview of Nevada’s rich history. During this interview Peggy discusses life on the ranch, mining, settlement, and the local early aboveground atomic blasts.

Oral history interview with Yvanna Cancela conducted by Monserrath Hernández and Barbara Tabach on February 27, 2020 for the Latinx Voices of Southern Nevada Oral History Project. Yvanna Cancela, Nevada State Senator, discusses her personal history growing up in Miami, Florida and her studies at Northwestern University. She talks of working for Senator Harry Reid's campaign in Las Vegas, which led to her organizing efforts for the Culinary Workers Union Local 226. Yvanna recalls being appointed to the Nevada State Senate in 2016 as the first female state senate majority. In addition to fulfilling her duties as the Co-Majority Whip, she worked on the Joe Biden campaign and is the Executive Director of the Citizenship Project. After this interview was conducted, Yvanna received her Juris Doctorate from the William S. Boyd School of Law at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. Subjects discussed include: Miami, Florida; Nevada State Senate; The Citizenship Project.

Oral history interview with Eloiza B. Martinez conducted by Maribel Estrada Calderón on October 10, 2018 for the Latinx Voices of Southern Nevada Oral History Project. Martinez discusses the career preparedness she took while working for Commercial Credit Corporation and studying with Mayor Oscar Goodman. She then describes her first impressions of Las Vegas, Nevada and about her community involvement. Martinez then discusses her work at Wells Fargo as loan officer and assistant vice president, and talks about discrimination in the workplace and in the neighborhood where she grew up.

Part of an interview with Bess Rosenberg on November 12, 1975. In this clip, Rosenberg discusses her decision to move to Las Vegas and what her life was like.