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Photograph of John Quincy Lisle at the edge of his reservoir, Las Vegas, circa 1930
Lisle stands at the edge of the reservoir fed by an artesian well on his homestead.
Transcribed Notes: Transcribed from photo sleeve: "John Quincy "Jack" Lisle at the edge of the reservoir on his homestead in the Las Vegas Valley, about 1930. The reservoir is located not far from the present intersection of Twain and Eastern streets and was one of the best artesian wells in the Las Vegas Valley. At the time it was necessary to make a winding road off the Boulder Highway to reach the homestead. Most people thought that Lisle was absolutely insane to locate a homestead in such a desolate place, but Lisle, and amateur geologist, staked his claim there because he figured that water would be abundant because the land was near the Flamingo Wash. At one time Lisle raised 40 acres of alfalfa on the property."
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Transcript of interview with Eugene Buford by Claytee D. White, September 12, 2006
Interview with Eugene Buford conducted by Claytee D. White on September 12, 2006. Buford came to Las Vegas as a child from Birmingham, Alabama. He held a variety of jobs, including washing dishes at the Last Frontier and delivering ice to casinos like the Flamingo and the Stardust, and ultimately retired after thirty-six years with the Post Office. Buford's great grandmother, Mary Nettles, was instrumental in the formation and growth of the NAACP chapter in Las Vegas, and he recalls meetings in her house and his own role as president of the Junior League NAACP. Buford shares memories of historical locations and events such as Helldorado, Block 16, and Carver Park, and several important figures in Las Vegas history, including James B. McMillan, Charles West, Jimmy Gay, Benny Binion, and the mafia.
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Transcript of interview with Jerry Engel by Barbara Tabach, March 1, 2016
Jerry Engel was born in 1930 in New Jersey and spent most of his early life in Long Beach, New York until the family moved westward to Las Angeles. Jerry is a retired Certified Public Accountant and loves to talk about the history of Las Vegas that he observed since arriving in 1953. That was the year that he moved to Las Vegas to join his older brothers, Morris and Phil, in their accounting firm. Their major client at the time was Desert Inn. Another personal connection with local history: the Engel brothers? mother, Esther Katz Engel, was among the early investors in the Moulin Rouge hotel/casino enterprise. Jerry graduated with honors from University of California, Los Angeles in 1951. His accounting career in Las Vegas is highly regarded and he continues to maintain a consulting practice. He remains active within the community and enjoys doing presentations based on his memories of Las Vegas history. Within this interview, Jerry highlights people, casinos and other observations of local history that he came into contact with over the decades. He provides insights about the role of an accountant in the gaming industry. He also discusses the influence of Jewish business leaders in and array of local gaming and non-gaming issues, including the retail world, Jim Crow era segregation, and the astonishing growth of the valley over six decades.
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Transcript of interview with Henry Clay Davis by Wendy Christian, March 5, 1978
On March 5, 1978, collector Wendy Christian interviewed truck driver Henry Clay Davis (born April 19, 1900 in Irondale, Virginia) in his home in Las Vegas, Nevada. This interview covers Henry Clay Davis’s personal life history as a resident of Las Vegas, which includes hunting and fishing. He also discusses employment, the railroad, old hotels, the Davis Dam, and Lake Mead. Additionally, he offers a detailed description of the Helldorado.
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Transcript of interview with Janet Savalli by Irene Rostine, September 21, 1996
Interviewed by Irene Rostine. Janet Savalli's family moved from Phoenix, Arizona, to Henderson, Nevada, in 1945 so her father could work at the Basic Magnesium plant. A few years later, when she was a junior in high school, Janet began her 46-plus years career at the Southern Nevada Telephone Company, which eventually became Sprint. During that period she held several positions, including operator, supervisor, schedule clerk, trainer, investigator, and community relations coordinator. Janet also talks about the atomic bomb testing at Camp Mercury and Camp Desert Rock near Las Vegas. Janet credits the atomic bomb testing with jump-starting the second wave of growth Las Vegas experienced following World War II. This growth had a particular influence on the telecommunications industry's need to expand in Las Vegas.
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Audio clip from interview with Bernie and Barbara Kaufman by Barbara Tabach, October 27, 2014
Part of an interview with Bernie (Bernard) and Barbara Kaufman on October 27, 2014. In this clip, the Kaufmans reflect upon their decision to move to Las Vegas.
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