Susan Cowan grew up in Kansas City, Missouri, and enjoyed a loving childhood with her parents, older sister and grandparents, complete with family vacations to California and Mexico. Called to dancing ever since she can remember, this passion remained with her throughout her life. By the time Susan graduated from high school, she had moved five different times. This nomadic nature continued once being married and having two children, eventually settling in Boulder, Colorado. It was here that Susan began working in higher education, as a secretary at the University of Colorado-Boulder, where she met her second husband. During her 19 years at UC-Boulder, Susan advanced in her career, becoming the lead administrator for the Chemistry Department. It was also here that Susan took dance classes again, with some of the best in the field. Susan and her husband moved to Las Vegas after nearly 25 years in Boulder, where she quickly found a community to express herself in dance.
Before moving to Las Vegas, Judith Boyer graduated from the University of Southern California where she received a degree in business merchandising. She grew up in the Los Angeles area as an only child and discusses Southern California, married life and traveling. Judith moved to Las Vegas in November of 1948, worked at Ronzoni's Department Store on Fremont Street and then got the chance to work for Bonanza Airlines as a stewardess. Hostessing for an airline was her dream job and she did it for two years, but gave it up to marry Karsten Bronken and start their family. She discusses Las Vegas as it was in the 1950s. Her memories encompass great stories about the city when people still rode horses around town, participated in Heldorado Parades and enjoyed the early hotels and casinos that were so different from those of today. After her first husband passed away, Judith married Dr. Harold Boyer, who was a dermatologist in Las Vegas for many years. She shares several memories and anecdote
Hoover (Boulder) Dam, taken from the upstream side of the dam on the Arizona side, May, 1947. The intake towers, Nevada spillway house (in the background, behind the intake towers), and the Nevada spillway are visible. During the years of lobbying leading up to the passage of legislation authorizing the dam in 1928, Hoover Dam was originally referred to "Boulder Dam" or as "Boulder Canyon Dam", even though the proposed site had shifted to Black Canyon. The Boulder Canyon Project Act of 1928 (BCPA) never mentions a proposed name or title for the dam. When Secretary Wilbur spoke at the ceremony starting the building of the railway between Las Vegas and the dam site on September 17, 1930, he named the dam "Hoover Dam", citing a tradition of naming dams after Presidents, though none had been so honored during their terms of office. After Hoover's election defeat in 1932 and the accession of the Roosevelt administration, Secretary Ickes ordered on May 13, 1933 that the dam be referred to as "Boulder Dam". In the following years, the
Hoover (Boulder) Dam, taken from the upstream side of the dam on the Nevada side. May, 1947. The intake towers, Nevada spillway house (in the background, behind the intake towers), and the Nevada spillway are visible. During the years of lobbying leading up to the passage of legislation authorizing the dam in 1928, Hoover Dam was originally referred to "Boulder Dam" or as "Boulder Canyon Dam", even though the proposed site had shifted to Black Canyon. The Boulder Canyon Project Act of 1928 (BCPA) never mentions a proposed name or title for the dam. When Secretary Wilbur spoke at the ceremony starting the building of the railway between Las Vegas and the dam site on September 17, 1930, he named the dam "Hoover Dam", citing a tradition of naming dams after Presidents, though none had been so honored during their terms of office. After Hoover's election defeat in 1932 and the accession of the Roosevelt administration, Secretary Ickes ordered on May 13, 1933 that the dam be referred to as "Boulder Dam". In the following years, the n
Collection is comprised of photographs of Las Vegas, Nevada community leaders Flora and Stuart Mason and three event programs from Temple Beth Sholom (Las Vegas, Nevada). Materials date from approximately 1965 to 2010.
William Dean Whitaker was born in 1925 and raised in a suburb of Los Angeles, California. Dean, as he is known, talks briefly about his parents and his brothers, for his youth quickly ended when he joined the Air Force and became an aviation cadet once he had turned 18 years old. The year was 1943 and World War II was raging. He became a member of the 398 th Bomb Group and flew twenty missions before being captured by the Germans.
Wilma Freemyer lived in Las Vegas, Nevada for 56 years. She was born in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma on February 14, 1919. Freemyer worked as an advertising manager for the Las Vegas Review-Journal for 42 years and was a member of the Fraternal Order of Eagles Auxiliary Arie 1213. She served as president of the Eagles Auxiliary in 1956. She died in Las Vegas, Nevada on July 8, 1995.
Oral history interview with Hugo Chuc conducted by Elsa Lopez on December 6, 2018 for the Latinx Voices of Southern Nevada Oral History Project. In this interview, Hugo Chuc discusses growing up in Guatemala and moving to the United States. His early life was often unstable due to economic difficulties. Once Hugo turned nineteen, he made the journey to the United States and remained in California for a few years. When the cost of living became too much, Chuc and his family moved to Las Vegas, Nevada. He found work at Apex Construction, where he was first introduced to the Culinary Union. Chuc became increasingly involved in union work, despite the backlash he received from his employers.
Oral history interview with Dr. Patrice Johnson conducted by Kiley Veigel on November 16, 2009 for the Public School Principalship Oral History Project. In this interview, Johnson reflects upon her more than 20-year career as a teacher and school administrator in California and in the Clark County School District. She discusses her upbringing and how she always wanted to be a teacher, her training to become a teacher, and experiences in teaching. She describes her path to becoming a school principal, and eventually assistant superintendent for the Clark County School District. She also discusses how her family life has shaped her approach to teaching, in addition to regular job duties that she faced as a teacher and administrator.
Oral history interview with Barry Gunderson conducted by Scott Fiszer on October 18, 2002 for the Public School Principalship Oral History Project. In this interview, Gunderson reflects upon his 28-year career as a teacher and administrator with Nevada’s Clark County School District (CCSD). He discusses his approach to school administration, his regular responsibilities, and some of his biggest challenges. He offers suggestions for individuals interested in pursuing school administration, and uses his own experiences to give examples of having to make difficult decisions as an administrator.