Oral history interview with George Marshall conducted by Dottie Adams on February 02, 1972 for the Ralph Roske Oral History Project on Early Las Vegas. Marshall discusses politics while he was the Justice of the Peace in 1938, and District Judge in 1940. Marshall later talks about the above ground atomic test, economic and environmental changes, and gambling in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Archival Collection
Oral history interviews with Ralph Denton conducted by Donalene V. Ravitch on February 24, 1980 and March 16, 1980 for the UNLV University Libraries Oral History Collection. In these interviews, Denton recalls growing up in Caliente, Nevada. He talks about aspects and events in the community both during his life and before his birth, including the school system, housing, mining, the importance of the railroad, the stagecoach, the advent of legal gambling, farming, and the periodic flooding. He also discusses Caliente's population and the increase in ethnic minorities and Mormons in the area, the importance of politics, Franklin Delano Roosevelt's whistlestop visit to the town, and the economy during the depression.
Archival Collection
Oral history interview with James L. Willcox conducted by Carol Benner on March 04, 1979 for the Ralph Roske Oral History Project on Early Las Vegas. Willcox discusses working in a research office at the Nevada Test Site for the National Weather Service as a research meteorologist. Willcox later discusses the overall changes to Las Vegas, Nevada, specifically the effects that population increase had on the desert.
Archival Collection
Oral history interview with Mimi Rodden conducted by Claytee White on April 9, 2009 for the Boyer Early Las Vegas Oral History Project. Rodden begins by discussing her family's Basque heritage from their immigration to California and then into northern Nevada. She then discusses her immediate family, especially her mother, and the beginning of ther own volunteer work, which led to a lifelong interest in historic preservation that began with fundraising for the Nevada State Museum. After moving to Las Vegas, Nevada, Rodden continued working on historic preservation activities around the Keil Ranch and other historic sites in Clark County. Her work led to a Presidential selection for the National Advisory Council on Historic Preservation. She then discusses her move to Boulder City, Nevada and her work on the preservation of Tonopah Mining District.
Archival Collection
Oral history interview with Glenn Shaw conducted by Shirley Leavitt on February 05, 2004 for the History of the Blue Diamond Village in Nevada Oral History Project. Shaw discusses moving to Blue Diamond, Nevada in 1977, where he purchased an acre of land for $4,000. He also discusses his role in funding the construction of Avery Road in Blue Diamond Village in 1978. He highlights the changes in the Village between the 1980s and 2000s, namely the changes to the Blue Diamond mine, the library, and telephone lines.
Archival Collection
Oral history interview with Paul Sogan conducted by Dennis McBride on May 16, 1995 for the Boulder City Library Oral History Project. Sogan opens the interview briefly discussing his childhood and then describes his involvement in the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) in Nevada during the 1940s. Sogan provides details about the daily activities of CCC members, their living quarters, and his specific projects. He also tells anecdotes about interesting or dangerous projects the CCC members were assigned to work on. Sogan then talks about Boulder City, Nevada. He describes the features of the city including the mines and churches and the CCC members' opinions of the city.
Archival Collection
Oral history interview with Virginia Valentine conducted by Stefani Evans and Claytee D. White on July 25, 2016 for the Building Las Vegas Oral History Project. In this interview, Valentine discusses her early life in Florida. She recalls her move to Las Vegas, Nevada in 1981, working in a wastewater treatment plant, and becoming Chief Engineer and General Manager of the Clark County Regional Flood Control District. Valentine then talks about attending the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV), obtaining a master's degree in public administration, and her involvement with flash flood management in southern Nevada. Lastly, Valentine describes becoming a registered professional engineer (PE) and her work with the Nevada Resort Association (NRA).
Archival Collection
Oral history interview with John Cannito conducted by Stefani Evans on April 03, 2018 for the Building Las Vegas Oral History Project. In this interview, Cannito discusses his early life and constantly moving to different states during his youth. He talks about his father’s employment with Amtrak, train transportation, and joining Perini Construction in Phoenix, Arizona. Cannito describes the role of an engineer in a construction company, and co-founding a software development company. Later, Cannito recalls joining The PENTA Building Group, the projects he was involved with, and becoming Chief Operating Officer. Lastly, Cannito discusses the company’s relationship with Native American-owned casinos, and the importance of maintaining long-term relationships with clients.
Archival Collection
Oral history interview with Richard Hooker conducted by Claytee D. White on June 10, 2014 for the Boyer Early Las Vegas Oral History Project. In this interview, Hooker discusses his work as an artist and cultural practitioner for the City of Las Vegas Office of Cultural Affairs. He recalls his background in political science and his employment with the Nevada Arts Council. Hooker then describes the projects he was involved with, including preserving neon signs and the formation of the Neon Museum.
Archival Collection
Oral history interview with John Cahlan conducted by James Weslowski on April 10, 1978 for the Ralph Roske Oral History Project on Early Las Vegas. Cahlan discusses his memory of the beginning of Nellis Air Force Base, originally named the Las Vegas Aerial Gunnery School for the Army Air Corps. He also discusses the role of the city commissioners in establishing Nellis as a permanent airbase, as well as the role of Western Air Express, a commercial air company which eventually became Western Airlines.
Archival Collection