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Myrtle Hancock oral history interview
Oral history interview with Myrtle Hancock conducted by Russell Oakes on February 26, 1980 for the Ralph Roske Oral History Project on Early Las Vegas. Hancock discusses her occupational experience as a wardrobe dresser in the entertainment industry in Las Vegas, Nevada. She also discusses family life, life on a ranch, Downtown Las Vegas, Helldorado, and Nevada’s hot weather.
Archival Collection
Mary E. Habbart oral history interview
Oral history interview with Mary E. Habbart conducted by Pamela Larkins on July 15, 1975 for the Ralph Roske Oral History Project on Early Las Vegas. The two discuss Habbart’s personal family history and her family’s reasons for moving to Las Vegas, Nevada. Habbart also describes social and economic changes to Las Vegas and her local dairy farm.
Archival Collection
Bernadine Schneider oral history interview
Oral history interview with Bernadine Schneider conducted by an unknown interviewer on an unknown date in 2006 for the Boyer Early Las Vegas Oral History Project. Schneider opens her interview by discussing her childhood in Iowa. She talks about growing up with an abusive, alcoholic father, and how that affected her family and her own development. Schneider then explains that her mother sent her to church, which she credits with ultimately saving and improving her live. She talks about how her job at a telephone company allowed her to escape her family, getting married in 1933, her job as a school teacher, and her husband's and brother-in-law's experiences during World War II. Schneider describes the challenges she faced in getting approval permits to start a domestic violence shelter, Safe Nest in Las Vegas, Nevada, and how she often feels left out of the history of the shelter. She then recalls moving to New Mexico in 1952 and Las Vegas, Nevada around 1962 where her husband worked at the Nevada Test Site and she worked for a telephone company. She recalls working as a stockbroker and real estate agent while living in Las Vegas. She discusses her attempt to gain more education and her husband's resistance to her efforts. Lastly she explains how she got her home in Mount Charleston, Nevada.
Archival Collection
John Wittwer oral history interview
Oral history interview with John Wittwer conducted by Perry Kaufman on May 17, 1972 for the Ralph Roske Oral History Project on Early Las Vegas. Kaufman discusses living in Santa Clara, Utah and describes families from Switzerland migrating there as converts to the Latter-Day Saints Church.
Archival Collection
Richard W. Dieleman oral history interview
Oral history interview with Richard W. Dieleman conducted by Claytee D. White and Stefani Evans on October 21, 2025 for the Boyer Early Las Vegas Oral History Project. In this interview, Dieleman describes his childhood and moving to Las Vegas, Nevada at age two so his father could work on building Hoover Dam. He recalls growing up in Boulder City, people watching on Fremont Street, and the yearly Helldorado parades. His father later started Jake's Crane and Rigging, which led Dieleman to work primarily in crane operation services. As a teenager and young adult, he recalls helping his father with work at Area 51. The work was top secret and Dieleman remembers seeing the SR-71 "Blackbird" flying in and out. After years of working for his father's company, Dieleman started his own crane company in the 1980s. He recalls helping work on the Sahara Hotel, Fremont Street, and Paris Hotel. He discusses some notable construction companies in Las Vegas, including Las Vegas Paving, Wells Cargo, and JA Tiberti. The interview concludes with Dieleman talking about the rapid expansion of Las Vegas. Digital audio available; no transcript available.
Archival Collection
Bertha Gresh oral history interview
Oral history interview with Bertha Gresh conducted by Gary Eagleson on November 30, 1974 for the Ralph Roske Oral History Project on Early Las Vegas. Gresh discusses the history of Las Vegas, Nevada. Gresh then talks about mining and offers details surrounding specific mines, such as the Black Hawk Consolidated or Ran [Rand] Mine, the Techatticup Mine, the Wall Street Mine, and the Duncan Mine. Gresh then discusses the early days of Boulder City, Nevada and Henderson, Nevada. She also briefly mentions Block 16.
Archival Collection
Dode Worsham oral history interview
Oral history interview with Dr. Dode Worsham conducted by Sheila Scarborough on June 28, 2007 for the Public School Principalship Oral History Project. In this interview, Dr. Worsham reflects upon her career as a teacher and administrator with Nevada’s Clark County School District (CCSD). She discusses the process by which she became an administrator, her working relationships with teachers and other administrators, and her approach to school administration at Ruth Fyfe Elementary School.
Archival Collection
Marion Earl oral history interview
Oral history interview with Marion Earl conducted by Robert Pearce on March 13, 1976 for the Ralph Roske Oral History Project on Early Las Vegas. Earl discusses relocating to Las Vegas, Nevada in 1923, serving as a member of the board of directors for the Chamber of Commerce, and then being elected president of the chamber in 1941. He also discusses being elected justice of the peace in 1934, and serving for two terms.
Archival Collection
Harry Block oral history interview
Oral history interview with Harry Block conducted by Mark McLane on February 24, 1977 for the Ralph Roske Oral History Project on Early Las Vegas. Block discusses recreational activities, his experience during World War II, early businesses and casinos in Las Vegas, Nevada, the Helldorado Parade, Block 16, atomic testing, changes in technology, and visiting Mount Charleston.
Archival Collection
Jacqueline Abell oral history interview
Oral history interview with Jackie Abell conducted by Robert Stuart on April 03, 1976 for the Ralph Roske Oral History Project on Early Las Vegas. Jackie Abell (b. 1924) discusses her experiences growing up in Virginia City, Reno, and Overton, Nevada. She specifically discusses her experiences growing up on a ranch, railroading, above ground atomic testing, flooding, and wild animals.
Archival Collection