Oral history interview with William McGarry conducted by Shannon Beesley on February 12, 1977 for the Ralph Roske Oral History Project on Early Las Vegas. In this interview, McGarry discusses moving to Las Vegas, Nevada in 1955 from Reno, Nevada. McGarry also discusses politics in Nevada including the state senators and the process of becoming a senator.
Archival Collection
Oral history interview with Alice Woodward conducted by an unnamed interviewer in 1972 for the Ralph Roske Oral History Project on Early Las Vegas. In this interview, Woodward discusses moving to Las Vegas, Nevada in 1935 because her husband found a mining job in the state. She talks about her experiences teaching, the mining industry, and camping with her family. Woodward recalls her husband dying of asbestosis and discusses the smog levels in Las Vegas.
Archival Collection
Oral history interview with John Scott conducted by Stephen M. Magee on April 29, 1986 for the Ralph Roske Oral History Project on Early Las Vegas. In this interview, Scott discusses his personal history living in Las Vegas, Nevada since 1940. He then describes life in Las Vegas and the growth in both population and infrastructure. Later, Scott discusses the Las Vegas economy, the Helldorado Parade, and describes the above ground nuclear bomb testings.
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Oral history interview with Jean Whitcher conducted by Michele deHoll on March 12, 1981 for the Ralph Roske Oral History Project on Early Las Vegas. In this interview, Witcher discusses arriving to Las Vegas, Nevada in 1932 and describes the construction of Boulder (Hoover) Dam, Fremont Street before it was fully paved, and social life in Las Vegas at the time. Witcher then recalls her work in costume repair and construction as a seamstress at the El Rancho Hotel and Casino. Later, Witcher discusses her work in costume design and recalls some of her more memorable designs.
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Oral history interview with Verilee Shelbourne conducted by Mark Simons on March 07, 1979 for the Ralph Roske Oral History Project on Early Las Vegas. In this interview, Shelbourne discusses her personal history in Las Vegas, Nevada. Shelbourne discusses prominent figures who have visited Las Vegas, her personal and political involvements, and nuclear weapons tests. Shelbourne also discusses how Las Vegas has changed.
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Oral history interviews with Mahamed Youssouf conducted by Barbara Tabach on August 06, 2013 and August 13, 2013 for the African Americans in Las Vegas: a Collaborative Oral History Project. In this interview, Youssouf discusses his childhood in Harar, Ethiopia and living there during the Ethiopia and Somalia conflict in the late 1970s. He recalls the Russian invasion into Ethiopia and the communist agenda that was enforced as a result. Youssouf then describes his involvement in student and community led protests and how he ended up in a refugee camp in Djibouti. He talks about his life in Djibouti as a tailor and his struggles finding permanent refuge. Youssouf discusses his acceptance into the United States as a refugee, arriving in New York, New York in 1980, and moving to Las Vegas, Nevada in 1985. Lastly, Youssouf talks about his store in North Las Vegas, Uniform Plus, and the African American experience in Las Vegas.
Archival Collection
Oral history interview with Hildred Meidell conducted by Greg Abbott on February 27, 1979 for the Ralph Roske Oral History Project on Early Las Vegas. In this interview, Meidell covers a range of topics about living in Las Vegas, Nevada, from her and her husband’s time as tourists in the city and their subsequent retirement to Las Vegas from Los Angeles, California. Meidell describes the Las Vegas Strip, the interstate and highway conditions between Los Angeles and Las Vegas, as well as their numerous visits to Hoover Dam (Boulder Dam). Moreover, she speaks about the changing layout of the city, the increase in shopping centers and department stores, and the clothing stores inside of hotels. Lastly, Meidell talks about the prominence of churches in local communities, the atomic testing program and the structural damages these tests caused in her neighborhood, and the influence of the railroad and passenger train on the town.
Archival Collection
Oral history interview with Patricia Marchese conducted by Helen F. Knorr on February 24, 1981 for the Ralph Roske Oral History Project on Early Las Vegas. In the interview, Marchese discusses her life in Morehead, Kentucky before moving to Las Vegas, Nevada. She discusses her administrative work with the City of Las Vegas, the Rainbow Company Youth Theatre, the Allied Arts Council of Southern Nevada, and the KNPR Nevada radio station. Marchese also discusses the cultural future of Las Vegas, her reactions to this future as a parent, and the value of the city's image to citizens and visitors.
Archival Collection
Oral history interview with Nick Robone conducted by Claytee D. White and Barbara Tabach on December 21, 2017 for the Remembering 1 October Oral History Project. In this interview, Nick Robone, born and raised in Nevada, details his process of healing after being shot during the 2017 Las Vegas mass shooting at the Route 91 Harvest music festival. He discusses the events of that Sunday night and how he has learned to view life in a more positive light. Robone mentions various coping mechanisms that have helped him, including being open about his experience and talking about it with other survivors as well as pursuing his passions.
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Oral history interview with Sonny Thomas conducted by Barbara Tabach on February 28, 2013 for the African Americans in Las Vegas: a Collaborative Oral History Project. Thomas discusses getting his first funeral home job at the age of 16, moving to Las Vegas, Nevada, his series of hotel jobs, and being part of the opening staff of MGM Grand Hotel. Thomas later talks about getting into the funeral industry and the various corporate buyouts of local funeral homes. He later discusses the tradition of African American funerals and his thoughts about segregation in Las Vegas during the 1960s.
Archival Collection