Joyce Marshall-Moore came to Las Vegas from Chicago in December of 1953. Only eight years old at the time, she clearly remembers the road trip with her father Royce (known as "Mousie"), her mother Agnes, and her two brothers. They left Chicago, where it was snowing, and arrived in Las Vegas on a cold snowy day! Joyce attended school at Sunrise Acres ES until eighth grade and then went to Rancho High School, graduating in 1962. She recalls that her father worked for a time at the El Rancho Vegas and that her mother found work at Southern Nevada Memorial Hospital. Agnes Marshall (nee Rasmussen) took her nurse's training in Buffalo, New York, and then worked at Buffalo General Hospital and Millard Fillmore Hospital. Later she joined the army and was stationed in Memphis, Tennessee, working at Kennedy General Hospital where she met Royce and married him. They moved to Chicago where she found work at Ravenswood Hospital. After their move to Las Vegas, Agnes was hired at Southern Nevada Memorial Hospital. She became disenchanted with nurse-patient interactions at the county hospital and found employment at Las Vegas Hospital. She worked there until 1976 and then was hired at Las Vegas Convalescent Center. Agnes followed her dreams and traveled during this period as well. Agnes worked with Doctors Lund, Allen, Woodbury, Sulvane, and Hardy, among others. Joyce recalls that Dr. Hardy, a cousin and look-alike to Oliver Hardy, was one of her mother's favorites. She shares anecdotes and memories of these and other doctors. Joyce remembers many aspects of her mother's life, including the fact that she took care of neighbors as well as her family and patients. She often worked double shifts and the pay was nominal, but she loved her job because of the relationships with her patients. Agnes passed away in 2006 at the ripe old age of 91.
Harriett Thornton Hicks was born June 8, 1913,in Parowan, Utah; the thirteenth child of 14. She tells of her pioneer family who dwelled in two log cabins—one for cooking and one for sleeping. In 1931, she moved to Las Vegas to join two older sisters who had relocated here. She was picked up at the train by young Charles Hicks, who was a friend of her sisters. Charles had a car and offered to provide transportation. Within three years, the two were married. She quit her drug store job to raise a family and he worked for the railroad, the only business at the time in Las Vegas. At the age of 96, Harriett recalls a range of community milestones, such as the Boulder Dam, the news of Pearl Harbor bombing, Fremont Street, the Biltmore Hotel, and how to live in a city with mob influences.
Interview with Corinne Entratter Sidney by Claytee White on June 5, 2007. In this interview, Sidney talks about growing up with privilege in California, where her father served as the attorney general. She attended school at UCLA and took acting classes and signed with United Artists. She met Jack Entratter in Los Angeles and moved to Las Vegas and worked as a Copa Girl. She discusses Jack Entratter's generosity and influence in town, and his style, and their lifestyle together. She mentions the likes of Frank Sinatra, Lena Horne and Sammy Davis, Jr. and her extravagant life living at the Sands. After Jack's death in 1971, she moved back to Los Angeles, returned to acting, and wrote a newspaper column. On a visit to Las Vegas with George Sidney after Sidney's wife Jane died, Corinne and George began dating and were married shortly after. They moved back to Las Vegas together for a slower pace. She describes her love of Las Vegas and its continued growth.
Corinne Sidney's life story makes for fascinating reading. She was born in 1937, the daughter of Alice Polk, former Ziegfeld showgirl, and Carl Kegley, an attorney. She attended U. of C. Berkeley, transferred to UCLA, and was spotted by a talent scout who convinced her to enter a Miss USA contest. Corinne's runner-up status in the Miss USA contest led to job offers in acting, so she decided to study acting. This, along with her childhood lessons in ballet, piano, singing, tap dance and horseback riding, led to a contract with United Artists, freelance work, television parts, and plays. Around the age of 18, Corinne met Jack Entratter. Their relationship brought her to Las Vegas, where she worked as a showgirl at the Sands for a few months, and where she married Jack a few years later. They lived a fabulous lifestyle which included travel, beautiful homes, and friendships with noted celebrities. Corinne went back to acting in Los Angeles after Jack passed away, but then segued into writing a gossip column and hosting a television show. She reconnected with an old friend (George Sidney) by writing the obituary for his wife, and within a few months they were married. The Sidney's moved back to Las Vegas, where Corinne still makes her home today.
The El Sombrero Mexican Bistro sign sits at 807 South Main Street. Information about the sign is available in the Southern Nevada Neon Survey Data Sheet. Site address: 807 S Main St Sign owner: Irma Aguirre Sign details: This modest, family-owned restaurant has been in town since the 1950's. It was then sold to the current owner, Irma Aguirre, and closed for a brief moment for renovation in 2014. They have been serving favorites like burritos, enchiladas, taco, and tamales for six decades. Even with their modern updates, they are still staying as true to their past as they possibly can. Sign condition: 5, the sign is still in beautiful condition. Sign form: Hanging sign Sign-specific description: The sign for the business extends out from the property towards the street. The rectangular sign is a bright blue that matches the color of the building. On the top outer corner of the sign sits a sombrero with a red and white striped band in the middle portion of the hat. The words "El Sombrero" are painted on the brim of the hat. There are skeletal neon tubes outline the hat and the words "El Sombrero." Next to this is a small sign, within the overall design of the rest of the sign, that is designed to look ripped on both sides and reads "Mexican Food" in red letters. Neon tubes outline these words. Underneath these elements of the sign is the word "CAFE" in bold white text with a thin black border. Neon tubes fill these letters as well. Extending from the bottom of the sign is a small rectangle with the building number "807" painted in black. Sign - type of display: Neon Sign - media: Steel Sign environment: The area that this restaurant sits is right between the Arts District and the excitement of Fremont Street. The locations nearby is a bail bond store, a supply stores for gaming, lawn equipment, and discount appliances. It is also a short distance from the North Premium Outlets. Sign - date of installation: Circa 1950's Sign - date of redesign/move: Possibly 2014, they closed this year to renovate the building and the sign looks different today from earlier images of the sign. Before they renovated the building the sign included some sort of striped scarf/cloth underneath the sombrero. However, after the renovation this must have been painted over. Sign - thematic influences: The sombrero on the sign also lends itself to the name of the property and the "Mexican Food" sign within the sign explicitly tells you what type of restaurant this is. It tells you the theme right away. Sign - artistic significance: The sign itself is very simple, but the few specific design elements of the sign are very distinct to the property. The sombrero is a nice touch to emphasize the name of the restaurant and the "Mexican Food" sign is helpful in letting both motorists and pedestrians know what type of food they serve. Survey - research locations: Las Vegas weekly article https://lasvegasweekly.com/dining/reviews/2014/nov/19/revamped-el-sombrero-cafe-mexican-downtown/ , Review Journal article https://www.reviewjournal.com/local/el-sombrero-a-mix-of-modern-classic/, asessor's page Surveyor: Lauren Vaccaro Survey - date completed: 2017-08-28 Sign keywords: Neon; Steel; Hanging; Cantilever construction