The David A. Davis Collection of Aerial Photographs (approximately 1990-1999) contains seven black-and-white photographic prints and one black-and-white photographic negative of aerial views of Las Vegas, Nevada. These photographs are reproductions of originals obtained by David A. Davis from the Nevada Department of Transportation, the United States Geological Survey, and Landiscor Real Estate Mapping.
Black and white image of an abandoned steam tractor. Description from Special Collections accompanying image: "According to the story told, this was one of the first three tractors ever built. One was shipped here to Eldorado Canyon to move ore and one was shipped to Death Valley for the Borax works (it is still in Death Valley). The other one was sent to South America to a mine. The one in Death Valley supposedly worked out fairly well being used mostly in sand. This one, it is told, was not too successful. The drive mechanism was by way of teeth on the inside of the big black wheels, driven by a pinion gear at the top. Small stones fell into the wheel and stuck in the grease necessitating frequent stops to remove the stones. The driver stood on a platform at the rear. May 1947."
Application for the Las Vegas Land and Water Company to appropriate the water from a new well on the Las Vegas Ranch. Original Collection: Union Pacific Railroad Collection 97-19
Rachel Gibson was the granddaughter of Nevada pioneers. Her maternal grandparents, George Rammelkamp and Anna Dougherty, were among the earliest white residents of northern Nevada, settling first in Dayton and later Yerington. Her mother, Clara Angelina, and her two aunts, Elizabeth and Georgie, graduated from the University of Nevada at the turn of the century. Clara taught in Yerington for a number of years before marrying Chase Masterson, a dentist. Rachel was born in 1913 in Yerington. The eldest of three children, she continued the tradition of women’s learning and education that began with her mother’s generation. Her 1930 class was the first to graduate from Las Vegas High School, and soon after Rachel moved to California to attend college. Although her father had counseled her to study law, Rachel chose the field of economics. She received her Bachelor’s degree from the University of California at Berkeley, and worked in San Francisco for one year before returning to complete
Interviewed by Monserrath Hernández. Francisco 'Cisco' Aguilar is a lawyer and the Founding Chairman of the Cristo Rey St. Viator College Preparatory High School. He talks about growing up in Tucson, Arizona in a Mexican household and continuing his passions to engage in social change as a lawyer. His career and community engagement led him to become a lobbyist, a fellow in Germany, and serve on various committees such as the Catholic Charities Board, Opportunity 180 Board, and the Nevada Athletic Commission. His oral history demonstrates his dedication to providing a future to the Latinx youth of Las Vegas.
From the Ralph Roske Oral History Project on Early Las Vegas collection OH-01063. On February 26, 1980, Nancy Bright interviewed school teacher, Patricia Lappin (born April 14th, 1924 in Denver, Colorado) at Robert L. Taylor Elementary School in Henderson, Nevada. The interview covers Boulder City, Nevada around Hoover Dam. The two discuss the different gambling habits between Southern Nevada locals and Las Vegas tourists. During the latter half of the interview, the two speak at length about the impact of nuclear waste on Nevada. Lappin explains the unique issues that Southern Nevada faces as one of three states to accept nuclear waste.
On March 2, 1980, Steven E. Pilgram interviewed river runner, Georgie Clark (born on November 13, 1910 in Chicago, Illinois) at Sambo’s Coffee Shop in Las Vegas, Nevada. This interview is an in-depth discussion about the Colorado River area, including changes, and new rules and regulations. Georgie also recalls working as a real estate agent and as a ferry command, civil servant in World War II.
On November 15, 1974, James M. Greene interviewed Ruth Dieleman (born 1908 in Searchlight, Nevada) and her husband Jake Dieleman (born 1904 in Axel, Netherlands) about their lives in Southern Nevada. Ruth first talks about her life in Searchlight while growing up, her experience as an educator, and her various residences in Southern Nevada. Jake first talks about his immigration into the United States and his eventual move to Nevada to get into construction rigging for the building of Hoover Dam. He discusses his work as a rigger in detail but also discusses his work on various Las Vegas casinos as well as his work in the state legislature.