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On March 6, 1977, Ronald Robinson interviewed Mary Ellen Campbell (born 1886 in Panaca, Nevada) about her life in Nevada. Campbell first talks about her parents’ move to the United States from England and her own life growing up in Panaca. She also talks about living in Pioche and the conditions of living in these two small Nevada towns. Also present during the interview is Mary’s grandson, Allen Campbell, who sometimes asks a few questions as well.

George was raised in Mattapan, a suburb of Boston, by his mother and father. George had four siblings and was the second youngest. George shares fond memories of growing up and playing softball and tennis in the neighborhood park with his numerous friends. George could listen to a song on the radio and play it on the piano by ear when he was as young as four years old. George had several jobs to earn money growing up, including working in a record store and as a busboy. Eventually George and his brother joined a trio with Steve Harrington and performed in clubs. In 1958, George joined his brother and Paulette Richards in Las Vegas where they had a contract to play at El Rancho Hotel & Casino where they played until it was destroyed by fire. Following the fire, George and his brother parted ways and each did their own thing. In the 1960s, George began playing with the band at Caesars Palace. George used his background in accounting to do some bookkeeping and payroll for some of the ban

Mark Hall-Patton, administrator of Clark County Museums and since 2008 a frequent guest on the popular cable television show Pawn Stars, was born in 1954 in San Diego, California. His mother was a registered nurse and his father served in the United States Navy. From early childhood, Mark’s interest in history and museums shaped his path in life. After graduating high school in Santa Ana, California, he earned his Bachelor’s degree in history at nearby University of California, Irvine. Degree in hand, Mark worked for Bowers Museum in Santa Ana and founded the Anaheim Museum in 1984. He moved to Las Vegas, Nevada in 1993 to create the Howard W. Cannon Aviation Museum in McCarran International Airport. By 2008, Mark had become administrator over all Clark County museums. In this interview, he explains the various ways his involvement with the popular Pawn Stars program has turned “the museum guy” into a brand, introduced production companies to the value of filming in Las Vegas, increased Clark County museum visits and donations, and raised popular awareness of the academic fields of history and museum studies.

Architect Paul Senzaki, and artist-illustrator Charlie White III recall their experiences of working in Las Vegas: Paul on Treasure Island, The Palms, Fremont Street Experience, and World Market Center and Charlie on Treasure Island and its successor, TI; New York New York. Architectural historian Alan Hess, who is an expert on Las Vegas architecture, offers historical context and asks pertinent questions. While this interview touches on several iconic Las Vegas buildings, the conversation mostly details why and how Steve Wynn's Treasure Island involved the labors of artists, illustrators, art directors, and designers of stage and screen as well as the those of architects, contractors, planners, and subcontractors.

With the explosive growth of the Las Vegas Valley over the past 30 years, it is rare to find someone who has deep battle born roots that go back to the early mining days of Nevada. Nancy Cummings-Schmidt is an example of that rare kind of gem. As a fourth generation Nevadan, her family came to the state in the 1800s form Ireland and England. Looking to capitalize off of the mining boom in Virginia City, they transitioned to ranching. She spent her first years in Reno and when her father went off to fight in the Second World War, her mother moved to Herlong, California and sent her to live with her grandparents. Upon moving to Vegas for fourth grade, her mother remarried and worked for the Las Vegas Sun while Nancy attended the Fifth Street Grammar School and later became a member Las Vegas High School’s first graduating class in 1956. After graduating from high school, Nancy invested in the spirit of wanderlust as it carried her to study theatre at Texas Christian University (which sh

The first part of this Shakespearean quote perfectly describes the deep admiration and love that Richard Leigon has for his father, International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) leader Ralph Leigon. The elder Leigon's major contributions include 39 various positions from the Nevada State American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL-CIO), Nevada State Democratic Party, and the Southern Nevada Building Trades Council. Richard speaks upon the early years of Las Vegas with the allure of atomic testing, going to school with future community leaders Jerome Mack, Shelley (Levine) Berkeley, and Beth Molasky as well as the role of the union in building Las Vegas. After graduating from Las Vegas High School, he attended Somona State University and obtained a degree in humanistic psychology where he furthered his father’s influence on becoming a ‘we’ person. He came back to Las Vegas to start his 40-year career as an active member of Local 357 as executive

Randy Garcia is the founder and CEO of the investment management-consulting firm, The Investment Counsel Company. Born in Los Angeles on Feb. 21, 1954, Garcia’s family moved to Las Vegas in 1957. The son of a World War II vet and a homemaker, Garcia’s ancestral roots come from Mexico, Italy, and Spain. He grew up in Las Vegas during segregation and expansion. He remembers a time when much of city included dirt lots and casinos that no longer stand. A champion in serving under privileged youth and communities across southern Nevada, Garcia lives by the philosophy, “give until it hurts.” Garcia uses his success as a wealth manager to promote, foster, and cultivate positive change for the Latinx community in Las Vegas. His story and dedication to his community is a pinnacle of hope and benevolence for current and future generations. Garcia became the first in his family to attend and graduate college. He graduated from UNLV in 1977 with honors, where he majored in business administratio