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Oral History Interviews
Total records in this collection: 2578Print version of all records
| Narrator | Date | Project | Content | Transcript | Tapes |
| Carlson, Joe A. | 10/11/1972 | Local Oral History Project-Roske | History of Las Vegas, 1921 to 1960. Businesses on Freemont Street in the 1920s and 1930s. Recreation. North Las Vegas and Indian Reservation. Atomic testing. Gaming. Transportation. Demographic change. | no | 1 |
| Carlson, William D. Dr. | 03/19/1980 | Local Oral History Project-Roske | Early history of UNLV (Nevada Southern University) libraries, 1957-1960s. Narrator was the first dean. Maude Frazier Hall. Grant Hall. Collecting of books. Jerry Dye (Head Librarian, 1958-1964). Budget and funding. | no | 1 |
| Carpenter, Marianne | 03/02/1977 | Local Oral History Project-Roske | Personal reminiscences of living on Las Vegas. Helen Jane Stewart. Development of Las Vegas. Nixon visit. Clarke Gable. Observations of atomic testing. Brief career history. | no | 1 |
| Carpi, Elizabeth, Leonard & William | 1/14/2009 | Heart to Heart: A History of Las Vegas Health Care | Leonard was the premier contact lense fitter in LV. | yes | 0 |
| Carr, Vicki | 10/10/1990 | Arnold Shaw | Entertainment. Interviewer: Bill Willard | no | 1 |
| Carratelli, Susan and Holly | 06/24/1999 | Las Vegas Gay Archives-Dennis McBride | yes | 10 | |
| Carrigan, Chet | 02/17/1981 | Local Oral History Project-Roske | Las Vegas history. Working for the Sherrif. Population in Clark County. Lake Mead. Key roads. Effect of WWII on Las Vegas. The Depression. Floods. Tourism. Animal life. Mount Charleston. Hoover (Boulder Dam). Court House. McCarran Airport. Pioche. John Wayne. Fire and Police Department. El Rancho. Boulder City. Movie Theaters. Cashman Field. Underground lake. Railroad. | no | 1 |
| Carroll, Diahann | Arnold Shaw | Entertainment | no | 1 | |
| Carruth, Ella Earl | 06/23/1975 | Local Oral History Project-Roske | Bunkerville history before 1942. Life in Las Vegas from 1942 - 1975. WWII. Atomic Testing. Travel. Crops and agriculture. Bees. Environment. Social progress. [Cassette tape currently in need of repair] | no | 1 |
| Carter, Benny | 03/07/1970 | Arnold Shaw | Entertainment. Interviewer: Arnold Shaw | no | 1 |
| Carter, Billy | Arnold Shaw | Entertainment | no | 3 | |
| Carter, Channel | Arnold Shaw | Entertainment | no | 1 | |
| Carter, Nell | 05/21/1993 | Arnold Shaw | Entertainment. Interviewer: Joe Delaney | no | 1 |
| Carter, Nell | 8/11/1986 | Arnold Shaw | Entertainment | no | 1 |
| Carter, Nell | 09/21/1989 | Arnold Shaw | Entertainment | no | 1 |
| Carter/Chanel | Arnold Shaw | Entertainment | no | 1 | |
| Casey, Margaret "Peggy" | 1/13/2005 | Boyer Early Las Vegas Oral History Project | Female workers during WWII. Las Vegas history from 1952. Mesquite Club. Family life in mid-century Las Vegas: grocery stores; restaurants. Leisure activities: entertainment; gardening; golf. Description of atomic testing. Howard Hughes. Transformation of Las Vegas: transportation; downtown. [Helpful index attached to the transcript]. | yes | 1 |
| Casey, Walter | 11/15/2004 and 1/13/2005 | Boyer Early Las Vegas Oral History Project | History of Las Vegas from 1951 with a business-related perspective. Paradise Valley before development. K-12 education before the creation of the Clark County School District. Chamber of Commerce: Las Vegas News Bureau; Live Wire Fund. The ‘Mob’ and the rise of corporate gaming. National Association of Manufacturers and lobbying. Leisure activities: Hualapai Club; Kiwananis. ‘Myths’ of the Atomic Test Site. Yucca Mountain. Moulin Rouge, discrimination and segregation. Howard Hughes. Water: Colorado River Commission; Southern Nevada Water Authority. Modern-day Las Vegas. | yes | 3 |
| Cashman, James Jr. | Las Vegas Review Journal First 100 Project | Las Vegas Review Journal First 100 Project | no | 2 | |
| Casper, Elizabeth | 03/05/1978 | Local Oral History Project-Roske | Las Vegas history, 1946-1976. Education: growth of schools in Las Vegas; football rivalry between Ranch and Las Vegas High Schools. Career in teaching: teaching in the Westside (Kit Carson Elementary); discrimination/segregation and ‘busing’; drug use in schools. Growth of an art community. Art competition/shows. Churches/religion. Las Vegas High School “Rythmettes.” Value of a college education. | no | 1 |
| Cathcart, Jack | 03/01/1980 | Local Oral History Project-Roske | Las Vegas history, 1957-1980 focusing on the transformations in the entertainment field. Hotels on the “Strip,” Fremont Street, and landscape of Las Vegas during the 1950s. Entertainment in hotel lounges. Dancing: change of styles. Reminiscences in connection with Betty Grable, Judy Garland, Liberace, the Andrews Sisters, Jack Benny, Dean Martin, and the Lennox Sisters. Entertainment at military post during WWII. Change in the way casinos took care of customers. Star performers. [Helpful tape summary on file] | no | 1 |
| Caviglia, Caesar Rev. | 03/14/1977 | Local Oral History Project-Roske | Religion, St Peter 's Church, Catholic Church, Saint Andrew 's in Boulder City, Divisions between Catholics and Mormons in Southern Nevada, Saint Joan 's, Saint Christopher 's, Saint James ', Parochial Schools, Federal Housing and Senior Citizen groups, the need for a community college in Henderson, financing private education. People discussed during the interview: Monsignor John Lambe, Msg. Peter V. Moran, Msg. John Ryan, Fr. John Kenny, Fr. Bill Kenny, Msg. Empey, Mrs. Williams of Pioche, Bishop Lawrence Scanlan (Salt Lake City), Bishop Robert Dwyer, Fr. Vansky (St. Peter's Henderson), Fr. Fisher, Fr. James Sheehy, Fr. Elwood Le Voy, Fr. Toomey (St. Viator 's), Jim Gibson, Bob Richard, George Girard, Steve Nicholson. | no | 1 |
| Cavin, James S. | 05/09/2003 | Local Oral History Project-Roske | Education in Las Vegas, 1972-2003. Narrator was and teacher and Principal in Las Vegas. Philosophy of education and reasons for choosing a career in education. Changing attitudes and views of students: rewarding students; student motivation Qualities of a Principle. Educational leadership. CCSD Leadership Program. Standardized tests. Cultural diversity and shifting demographics of CCSD students. Pressures on a Principal. Training. Teacher evaluation. [Interview abruptly finishes] | no | 1 |
| Cecil, Helen Mott | 03/16/1978 | Local Oral History Project-Roske | Las Vegas history. Schools during the 1920s and 1930s. Occupations. Experiences as a telephone switchboard operator. Fremont Street. El Rancho and Sahara Hotels. Pre-development Las Vegas: streets; ranches; fruit peddlers. Hover (Boulder) City. Old/Stewart Ranch. Helen Stewart. “Friday night” family nights at “Strip” hotels. Reasons to live in Las Vegas. Cultural activities. | no | 1 |
| Cecil, Helen Mott | 04/24/2007 | Boyer Early Las Vegas Oral History Project | Las Vegas history. Growing up in Las Vegas. Westside. Helldorado parades. Hoover (Boulder Dam). Early Boulder City, NV.: dancing; prostitution and health cards. Las Vegas High School. Career history of the narrator. Farmers� Home Association. Medical care and entertainment in Las Vegas during the 1930s. Divorce. Utah during the 1930s. BMI and Henderson. Atomic bomb testing. Bus system. Downtown and Freemont Street. | yes | 2 |
| Chadwick, Verna | 02/24/1979 | Local Oral History Project-Roske | Descriptions of Las Vegas and Boulder City in 1947. Las Vegas utilities during the 1950s, particularly water. Las Vegas hospital. Growth of schools. Scouts. Mormon Church. Working in a voting booth. The city’s response to the death of JKF. Leisure activities. Changes and development: hotel-casinos on the “strip”; street names; increase in shop malls; young people; physical growth of the city; property taxes. [Abrupt end to the interview]. | no | 1 |
| Chambers, Dwight | 02/26/1981 | Local Oral History Project-Roske | Las Vegas history, between 1960 and 1981. Working in Las Vegas hotel-casinos: high rollers; establishing credit line; memory of a high roller. Caesar's Palace: fountains known locally as the "$25 million car wash." Unions. Mafia and casinos. House odds for table games. Hotel administration: house-keeping; customer service; hotel room theft; price of rooms; fire regulations and hotel safety. Duties of management. Plans for expansion of the Landmark Hotel. Gasoline prices. Impact of Atlantic City. [Helpful tape summary on file] | no | 1 |
| Chambers, Marilyn | 07/02/1980 | Arnold Shaw | Entertainment | no | 1 |
| Chandler, Allin O. | 12/09/2002 | Boyer Early Las Vegas Oral History Project | Interview part of Dr. Carlton's (UNLV) Oral History of Public School Principalships. Education and career history. Teacher and educational administrator in Las Vegas, 1968-1990. Clark County Association of School Administrators (CCASA). Instructional philosophy: Madeline Hunter’s method of teaching. Dr. Brian Cram (Superintendent of CCSD, 1989-2000). Robert E. Wentz (Superintendent of CCSD, 1982-1989). Developments in education. Philosophy and duties of a school principal. Development of personal writing and public speaking skills. Instructional leadership. Developments in school administration. Parental responsibilities. Daily pressures of a principal. Role of the Executive Director of CCASA. Nevada State legislators and lobbying in Carson City. Mentors. | no | 2 |
| Channing, Carol | 02/28/1980 | Arnold Shaw | Entertainment | no | 1 |
| Chapter, Richard "Dick" T. | 03/06/1979 | Local Oral History Project-Roske | Las Vegas history, 1940s and 1950s. Original hotel-casinos. Changes in the form of hotel-casinos. Transport: roads. Climate and humidity. Crime rate and law enforcement. Recreational activities at Lake Mead and the Las Vegas Wash. Floods (1955) and snow. Expansion of school construction. Atomic testing: “circus blasts.” Expansion of McCarran airport. Reflections on operating a small business. Stewart Ranch. | no | 1 |
| Charles, Ray | 11/20/1992 | Arnold Shaw | Entertainment. Interviewer: Joe Delaney | no | 1 |
| Charo | March 1984 | Arnold Shaw | Entertainment | no | 1 |
| Chase, Linda | 4/1/2008 | Boyer Early Las Vegas OHP | Lived in Bonanza Village, talked of NV Test Site and its impact on her writing and research, recreation as a child, and the changing attitude about gaming. | yes | 0 |
| Chase, Richard D. | 10/17/1972 | Local Oral History Project-Roske | History of Las Vegas, 1945-1972. Housing shortage during the 1940s. Location of housing. Bill Moore: Sliver Slipper; Last Frontier Village. Birdcage Theater. The Red Rooster: Grace Hayes. Bugsy Siegel. Downtown. Traffic lights. Banks. Sam Larson: owner of Vegas electrical and telephone companies. Decline of electrical and telephone service during the 1950s. Ira Goldring: Pioneer Construction Co. Atomic bomb testing: concrete bunkers. Labor Unions. Carol Lombard. Eisenhower and Nixon visits. Evaporated cooling. Social changes. Knife and Fork Club. Nevada Governors. Environment: dust; smog. Mormonism. | no | 1 |
| Checker, Chubby | Arnold Shaw | Entertainment. Interviewer: Arnold Shaw | no | 1 | |
| Cheel, Mrs. Chester | 02/20/1972 | Local Oral History Project-Roske | Las Vegas history. Church activism. Swamp cooler. Changes in Las Vegas: social; economic; environmental. Insight into 'white' approach towards minorities. Mormonism. | no | 1 |
| Cherry, Don | 7/1/2003 | Arnold Shaw | Entertainment. | no | 2 |
| Cherry, Don | 12/30/1991 | Arnold Shaw | Entertainment. Interviewer: Bill Willard | no | 1 |
| Cherry, J.C., M.D. | 06/17/1972 | Local Oral History Project: Roske | [Note: Transcript recounts only the second half of the interview] Recollection of an atomic bomb test. Environment: smog; water. Brief career history as a medical physician before arriving in Las Vegas. Goldfield. Scotty’s Castle. Arrived in Las Vegas in 1942. Career history as a medical doctor whilst in Vegas. | yes | 0 |
| Cherry, J.C., MD | 03/20/1978 | Local Oral History Project-Roske | Las Vegas history from the perspective of medical care. Senator Pat McCarran aiding patients. Water. Charleston Blvd underpass. Influx of specialists beginning in the 1950s. Expansion of valley hospitals beginning in the 1950s. Southern Nevada Memorial and Las Vegas hospitals. Working in the Clark County jail. Reflections on living in Reno, Goldfield, and Tonopah. Walker Scott and Scotty’s Castle. Sunday services during the construction of Scotty’s Castle. Comparison of medical care between Reno and Las Vegas. Local gaming. Bugsy Siegel’s mistress. Critic of ‘modern’ doctors. Reno medical school.[Interview summary on file] | no | 1 |
| Childers, Buddy | 11/16/1990 | Arnold Shaw | Entertainment. Interviewer: Bill Willard | no | 1 |
| Chrétien, Jeanne P. | 02/26/1979 | Local Oral History Project-Roske | Las Vegas history, 1939-1979. Nightlife. Buildings. Schools. Change in teenage student attitudes. Career history. Narrator’s husband served as an assistant to Senator James C. Scrugham. Activism in social organizations. Highways. Tule Springs. Helldorado Days festival. Leisure. Attraction of Las Vegas. Block 16 and prostitution. Dating. Atomic testing. Family during WWII. BMI and the growth of Henderson. Weather in Las Vegas: snow and flash floods (Nelson Landing, 1974). Forest fires on Mount Charleston. Religious activism. Student at UNLV. Environmental and climatic changes. Department stores. Raising children in Las Vegas. [Interview summary on file] [Side 2 of tape 1 inaudible]. | no | 2 |
| Christensen, Carrie (and "Buster" Stevens) | 02/04/1974 | Local Oral History Project-Roske | [Note: This entry comprises of two interviews conducted on the same day. Carre Christensen is present in both interviews. Her brother-in-law, Buster Stevens, contributes to the discussion in the first interview]. Both interviews provide observations of Las Vegas from an African American perspective. First Interview: Family history and migration to Las Vegas. Observations of living in Las Vegas before 1933. Segregation in Boulder city during the construction of the Hoover dam. No experience of segregation in Las Vegas until Hoover Dam was built. African America to a restaurant in Las Vegas. Grandfather was a scout for the US Calvery. Black Mormon heritage. Interaction with Native Americans. Life in the West during the early 20th century, focusing on cattle and horses. Religion and personal experiences of “finding” God. Westside and the Community. Union Pacific Railroad. Second Interview: Personal history and observations of life in Las Vegas. Religious beliefs. Influx of migrants during WWII changed the town. Drug activity in Las Vegas. Senior Citizen Action Group. Block 16. Changes in Las Vegas, 1933-74. Growth of the construction of churches, coinciding with WWII migration to the city. Condition of Westside before WWII. Grandmother born during slavery. Jim Crow and segregation. [Note: These interviews offer an insight as to where migrants to Las Vegas came from. There is a great deal of repetition during the first interview. Reading the transcript is recommended. The first interview has been transcribed on white paper and the second on yellow colored paper]. | yes | 6 |
| Christensen, Doris Mae | 02/16/1975 | Local Oral History Project-Roske | Family and career history. Economic, environmental and social changes in Las Vegas. WWII and the USO. Mormon Fort (Old Ranch, formerly the Stewart Ranch). | yes | 0 |
| Christensen, M.J. | 10/23/1974 | Local Oral History Project-Roske | Las Vegas history, 1941-1974. Career history: narrator established a jewelry store in Vegas that continues today (2012). Locations of the jewelry stores and abodes. Involvement within the LDS Church. Political activism: narrator was a state Assemblymen and Senator. Activity with social organizations. Leisure activities. Reflection of atomic testing. Economic change in Las Vegas. Gambling essential to Nevada. Mob influence in Vegas. Drawbacks of economic and population growth. Visit to Vegas of the President of Turkey. | no | 1 |
| Christensen, Paul J. | 02/19/2008 | Boyer Early Las Vegas Oral History Project | Personal history of Las Vegas through the eyes of a public servant. Growing up in Las Vegas during the 1940s. Education history and childhood memories. Downtown. Experiences in the US Air Force: flying B-47s loaded with nuclear bombs; training. NV Test Site. Family jewelry business in Las Vegas. Election to the board of the Las Vegas Chamber of Commerce. Election to the Las Vegas City Council and the beginning of a career in politics. “Jam auction.” Tussle with the Clark County Commission over wastewater in the valley: details of the dispute, extended to the state and Environmental Protection Agency. Move to the County Commission and why? The Mob during the 1950s and 60s. The Mormon community in Las Vegas. Howard Hughes. Experiences sitting on the County Commission. Chairman of the Convention Authority. Remarks on Las Vegas’ future water supply. Election defeat. Corruption on the County Commission (Erin Kenny). “Distinguished Nevadan” award. County Hospital. Quick Care Centers. Opinion on the growth of Las Vegas. Speedway Children’s Charities. Dina Titus. Experiences with African Americans. Lucy Stewart. Beaver, NV. | yes | 0 |
| Christian, Ray | 03/19/1978 | Local Oral History Project-Roske | Las Vegas history, 1940s-1978, from an African American perspective. Education of narrator. Schools in Las Vegas. Sunday school. Leisure activities. Utilities. Boy scouts. Cleaning job at El Portal. Race relations and racial conflict in Las Vegas with a focus on schools—a couple of stories from narrator. Westside. Relations between white and black baseball teams. Depression during 1947-1948 depression. Narrator was the first black mail carrier in Las Vegas. Philosophy of a successful marriage. Segregated theatres. According to the narrator, white and black veterans were influential in improving of race relations in Las Vegas. [No file] | no | 1 |
| Christiansen, Norman R. | 11/28/1986 | Local Oral History Project-Roske | Family history. Red Lodge, MT mining disaster in 1943. Philosophy of life. Transition from residing in Montana to living in Las Vegas. Changes in Las Vegas: highways; construction; schools; pollution. Teaching in Las Vegas. Change in the attitudes of students. Comparison between Montana and Las Vegas. Price of entertainment on the Strip. Comparison between the Las Vegas of the late 1950s and the city in the 1980s: teaching. Reminiscences of working at the Nevada Atomic Testing Site. Economic and environmental changes. Strengths of Las Vegas. | no | 1 |
| Christie, Gordon | 06/30/1975 | Local Oral History Project-Roske | Las Vegas history, 1959-1975. Narrator moved to Las Vegas from Los Angeles in 1959—too many people in southern California. Narrator was a carpenter, specializing in the crafting of high end furniture. Worked on the construction of the several high rise casinos including the original MGM hotel, Desert Inn, Frontier, and the Landmark. In the 1950s Las Vegas became a ghost town during the week, once Californians returned to their state. Meeting with Governor O’Callaghan. Reflections on atomic testing. Influence of Howard Hughes. Standard of living in Las Vegas. Northern Nevada. Narrator’s salary in 1959 compared with 1975. Leisure activities: fishing in the Colorado River; hunting in northern Nevada, for example the area around the town of Midas. El Rancho fire.[Interview summary on file] | no | 1 |