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BOULDER CITY, NEVADA
Home of the Eagles
Welcome to the Boulder City High School Alumni Website. This secure site is open to all Boulder City Alumni, whether graduated or not (including faculty and staff) who attended Boulder City High School begining with the first graduating class in 1942 through the Class of 1967. Guests can be allowed site access with approval of site administrators. The purpose of this site is to provide a easy and informative way to post reunion notices, items of interest about Boulder City, and to facilitate keeping in touch with each other. (Click on 'This WebSite' for more info).
Invitation to "In Memory" Listing - See Tab above.
You are invited to review a list of Classmate Obituaries or notices . Just go to the tab "In Memory". The listing is by year of passing, but, it is easy to list alphpbetically, with or without a class picture. You can also just click on your graduation year and see only that group.
I encourage you all to use your "Notify Me" tab in Member functions ... one of the choices activates an email so you can be notified of additions to the In Memory listing. So you won't miss a new obit added.
Last year, we brought you the story of Lynne Jordan (HERE), a local artist commissioned to create a metal sculpture for the entry sign into Boulder City. This sign would feature an eagle, the Boulder City High School mascot, and keep a running tally of the number of state championships won by the various individuals and teams from the school.
The City is inviting the public to attend the dedication for the sign. This ceremony will be held on Thursday, May 23 at 9:00AM. Parking will be permitted on the north side of Veterans Memorial Parkway, just west of US93.
Just to add to the memories .. here is a picute of the dedication of the BC Cemetery in 1952 . The 2 movers for this project were Tom Godbey and my dad Chet Widner .. Maybe you are in this picture?
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In Memory of Frank Shelton, Class of 42.
I just moved this item up to the top .. I guess because I finally saw the Oppenheimer movie this week. Jim W '58 You can also read a recap of his book by looking online for REFLECTIONS OF A NUCLEAR WEAPONEER
There are many kids who grew up in Boulder City who made a big impact on the world and became a success. Mary Jane Carter Smith (43) and Homer Olsen (42) have aquainted me d their classmate Frank Shelton from the first graduating Class of 42. I felt it was worth sharing their friendship and memories with you all. He passed away last month. His family posted a very nice obit which is in his Memory Page. Homer was his best friend for 80+ years and had some stories about him in a book Homer wrote. They are also on the Memory page.
Coinsidently someone from the BC Historic Assoc. very recently posted a pic of him on facebook when he was a young boy in McKeeversville. His father was a 31er and was an electrician on the Dam and died young.
Frank went on from BCHS to WWII then on to Cal Tech and Amherst and became a nuclear physicist. He went on to be the leading scientist on developement of atomic bombs, atomic testing and nuclear energy production. He authored many books and films about nuclear issues.
I just wanted to point out this wonderful story of a BC (McKeeversville) kid, with apparant spartan beginnings, and invite you to read his Memory page. A tab on the top left side of the home page. Jim W.
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We all have fond memories of our BC teachers .. here is a good example of why!
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Here is an interesting article about the early days of the Boulder Dam Hotel .. hope you enjoy it .. JW
I see BCHS Principle Ms. Wagner, on Facebook with that cheerful smile welcoming back students. .
It reminds me of my interaction with BCHS principles in the 1950s. First was Mr. Kelley ,
who welcomed me to his office and introduced me to his paddle for not much mischief.
Then one of my favorite memories was my exchange/ lecture with Mr. William McCormick in 1958. It was spring of 1958 and the Lake was warming up, so Kate Warner and I decided we would take an afternoon trip to the lake vs. school.. Problem was Ms. Mitchell saw us leave.. Well next day over loud speaker, will Jim Widner come to the principles office.
I got there and Mr. Mc gave a this stern and vulgar lecture +- “Jim you can't come and go to school when you want, you have a responsibility to live up to so you get ahead in life.. Then a long pause …. “OH how I wish I could have gone with you”
Nazi spies once plotted to blow up Hoover Dam, a catastrophe that would have altered the course of WWII
Their purpose was to cut off electricity to Southern California’s airplane factories
Intel from the US Embassy in Mexico and swift action from the federal government intervened
In November 1939, the US was warned about a Nazi plot to bomb Hoover Dam. Such a catastrophe would certainly have hastened our country’s entry into the war by two years.
These four intake towers feed Lake Mead water into the Hoover Dam’s 17 turbines. In 1939, back when the lake was 78%-80% full instead of just 32%, a boat could have approached any one of them high enough to insert explosive devices inside. (Image: usgs.gov)
The warning came from the US embassy in Mexico, which had learned that two German spies living in Las Vegas planned to rent a boat under the guise of a Lake Mead fishing trip. One of them, a munitions expert, would plant bombs inside one or more of the dam’s four intake towers.
This explained the mysterious German man a ranger had already reported taking a copious number of photos around the dam on more than 12 occasions in the previous month.
Hoover Dam as photographed in 1941. (Image: Ansel Adams via Wikipedia)
USBR responded by immediately banning private boats on Lake Mead, installing floodlights to illuminate the intake towers, and increasing the number of rangers patrolling the dam on foot. It even hung a steel mesh across the lake, right above the dam, preventing any boats from getting without 300 feet of the intake towers.
The new restrictions led to speculation among employees, public, and of course, the media. On December 7, 1939, A. E. Cahlan, a columnist for the Las Vegas Evening Review, described the plot to sabotage the dam in fairly accurate detail.
Because of the plot’s classified nature, however, USBR Commissioner John Page issued a press release in January 1940 stating that “there has been no ‘plot’ unearthed” and that “reports that the Bureau of Reclamation is fearful that someone will dynamite the dam are ridiculous.”
Continuing his lie in the name of national security, Page continued: “There is quite a suction near the intake towers and only experienced pilots, such as those of the regular sight-seeing boats and of the government boats, are permitted near this water.”
Pooping Their Dam Pants
Behind the scenes, the Bureau was terrified. Page was highly aware of the damage that crippling the Hoover Dam would inflict on the US war effort.
Shutting down the electricity produced by the dam would render the airplane factories of Lockheed, Douglas Aircraft and the rest of Southern California’s burgeoning aviation industry powerless for perhaps months.
Even after the precautions were enacted, strange activity persisted in the area. Shots were fired at a National Park Service patrol boat, and an unauthorized car was spotted driving away from a no-trespassing zone. A USBR warehouse at Parker Dam, 150 miles downstream from Hoover, was burned down in July 1940. (In the ruins, fragments of an explosive device were discovered — just like the one that exploded that same month at the World’s Fair grounds in New York, killing two cops.)
This 24-foot by 14-foot military bunker, with 13”-thick walls, was constructed high on a cliff on the Arizona side of Hoover Dam following the Pearl Harbor attack. Featuring six gun ports, the abandoned “pill box” still sits there today, silently guarding the dam against attackers who never arrived.
The panicked Bureau hired the services of a “color consultant,” who recommended painting the dam “bold, simple masses of colors” to camouflage it from planes overhead. Another proposal included building a decoy dam downstream.
The German effort was obviously thwarted without the approval of either of these proposals. And the German agents — whose names were never publicly revealed — most likely fled. (Details of their arrest are absent from public records.)
One day after the US entered WWII following the Dec. 7, 1941 Japanese bombing of Pearl Harbor, USBR closed Hoover Dam to all visitors except “those on official business.” A few weeks later, a secret military bunker was constructed on the dam’s Arizona side.
Hoover Dam didn’t completely reopen to the public until the war ended in 1945.
The Accidental Way We Found Out
We only know any of this thanks to Christine Pfaff. A USBR historian, Praff happened to be researching facts as part of what she figured would be a humdrum historical review marking her agency’s 100th anniversary in 2002.
Instead, in the National Archives, she stumbled across recently declassified documents in a series of plain brown files marked “confidential.” Pfaff detailed her discovery in this 2003 article for Prologue Magazine, a quarterly publication produced by the National Archives and Records Administration.
Yet the averted national tragedy remains a widely unknown part of Las Vegas history.
“Lost Vegas” is an occasional Casino.org series spotlighting Las Vegas’ forgotten history. Click here to read other entries in the series. Think you know a good Vegas story lost to history? Email corey@casino.org.
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The Boulder Bowl is going to close for good tomorrow .. that was the headline in the BC paper in May, 2011.
The city's only bowling alley was built in 1947 and was a source of fun and employment to a whole bunch of us BC Alumni. How many remember setting pins along side Kieth Pymm. But, one of your fellow alumni stepped in saying “ Kids and adults need this landmark saved “ . He bought the building, completely remodeled it, and re-negotiated the lease so the operator would continue.
Some of us stopped there after the reunion and it looks great, it almost looks like an extension of the museum with the great murals on the walls depicting the building of the Dam. Thank You Pepper Coombes for being such a loyal, sentimental Boulder City Kid.
Mural out front. (Jessica and Pepper + Pepper) One of the Murals added to the inside Alley Wall.
Greg Langley is now a conductor on the BC to Railroad Pass Train ride .. go see him.
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The return passenger train to Henderson, Nevada from Boulder City experienced a slight delay on Thursday—of 89 years.
At 5:30 p.m., a passenger train departed Boulder City, home of the Hoover Dam, carrying a couple dozen exuberant railway aficionados, Nevada State Railroad Museum volunteers, Henderson City Council members, and assorted other dignitaries. It marked the first passenger train from Boulder City to ever travel far enough into Henderson to see the Las Vegas Strip. The last time a passenger train made such a journey was in 1935, long before the Strip existed.
“I felt a tremendous sense of pride and accomplishment,” said museum director Christopher MacMahon. “This is something we’ve been trying to do since the museum was founded in 1989, and it helps us build a better museum for people to come and experience the history of our wonderful state.”
The Boulder City Line is a 22-mile rail spur opened in 1931 by the Union Pacific Railroad to transport workers, concrete, and heavy machinery to the Hoover Dam construction site. It branches off from the main Union Pacific line near Russell Road in Las Vegas and runs through Henderson. Passenger service on the spur ceased once dam construction was complete, and freight service stopped after the last generator was delivered in 1961. In 1962, the final four miles of track leading into the dam were removed and scrapped. The tunnels they traversed are now part of the Historic Railroad Hiking Trail.
In 2001, the Nevada State Railroad Museum began running tourist excursion trains in classic Union Pacific train cars along a 4.5-mile stretch of the Boulder City Line that it was granted the right to use. However, the museum’s trains arrived three years too late to make the trip into the heart of Henderson because the tracks were paved over to widen Railroad Pass Road in 1998. This road happens to be the location of the Railroad Pass Casino, Nevada’s oldest continuously operating gambling establishment.
When Interstate 11 was built in 2018, it included a railroad bridge that reconnected the two severed ends of the railroad spur. After years of red tape, negotiations, and waiting out the pandemic, Thursday evening’s train was finally able to make the first trip across that bridge. The crew celebrated upon reaching Paradise Hills Drive. Though the train travels only a mile or so farther into Henderson than it used to, it’s enough to see the lights of the Las Vegas Strip twinkle 25 miles in the distance.
“This has been our goal for a long time,” MacMahon said. “It’s been a long time in the making.”
The extra mile makes the round trip, at 20-25 mph, about 45 minutes in total, which is long enough for the museum to start considering dinner excursions, similar to those offered by most other U.S. train museums. The museum is currently restoring a dining car for that purpose.
“And we can always slow down to about 10 mph to make the trip last longer,” MacMahon added.
Looking ahead, MacMahon hopes the museum’s trains will one day make it farther up the line—perhaps as far as Russell Road in Las Vegas, where the spur begins. The tracks remain in use by Union Pacific freight trains, presenting regulatory challenges. “We’d have to get the City of Henderson and Union Pacific interested in having talks, and we’d need approval from the Federal Railroad Administration,” MacMahon said. “That’s not to say we can’t go further in the future, but this is the point where we’ll be for a while, and we’re happy to be here.”
The Nevada State Railroad Museum, located at 601 Yucca St. in Boulder City, offers public train rides on Saturdays and Sundays at 10 a.m., 12 noon, and 2 p.m. Admission is $12 for adults, $6 for children ages 4-11, and free for children 3 and younger.
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To my delight I found Bill last week after months of not hearing from him. Turns out he is in an assisted living faciltiy in Lancaster. His wife Mikie passed away early in 2024. He is 97 now and mowed his own yard in Crowley Lake, CA , up to a year ago. He is the last living member of the Class of 1945!!! He is doing good and his 3 kids look after him very well. jw 6/9/24
Over the years at the Reunions Bill Wisehart , class of 1945, would bring several wonderful Eagles, as door prizes and gifts.. Here is one of them Bill gave to me. I now have it guarding my patio. Jim W. '58
Jim Widner '58 , Greg Langley '64 and Alice Dodge Brumage '49 with their Wisehart Eagles.
Bill & Mickey Wisehart
P.S. Here is a pic of a beatiful Eagle given to me by Mary Jane Carter, class of 1943 .. she was a delight and she was a good friend of Bill Wisehart and everyone she ever met. Jim Widner, '58 Plus here is a pic of three pioneers of BCHS at the 2015 reunion. Bill Wisehart '45, Fred Holland '43, Mary Jane Carter Richey '43.
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I was scouting around my PC for a picture and ran across this video, that I had saved years ago. I know you will like it. It highlights the Segerbloom family .. photographer, teacher, kids . BCHS grads Robin '62, Tick '66. Jim W.
By the way , another BC family owned the bat guano mine in the article Mrs. Segerbloom wrote. Tom Donnelly and Swartz were the "mines" Tom also owned the Tavern at one time and had 2 BCHS kids. Vince '56 and Marilyn '58.r
Here is an article from the BC Review, about a new book by Tiane Marie, the manager of the BC museum, that highlights the history of BC. My favorite page is 27. The book is very enjoyable for BC oldtimers. JW
Here is a note I sent to Tiane .. Jim Widner 9/29/2021
Here is pic of Rangers & US Army includes Rudy LaCrois and Chet Widner (my dad).
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Here is a great article about the history of schools in BC
Here is a slide show I rediscovered today about the history of McKeeversville .. it is interesting and I know several alumni who have logged in lately are kids from there, including , Marvin Mayes 60, Denny Mayes 62, James Woods 58, Nell Mooney Guitierriz 65, Greg Lanley 64, xxxxxxxxxx 64, Jacque Haskett 67, .Jim Widner 58 , and Lavonne Brown Estes 58 is a current resident . Sorry if I left you off the list, let me know. Jim W 12/6/20. So enjoy. To watch slide show by Peter Huntoon and BC Hoover Dam Museum in 2011. Just click on the link below to play slide show.
Also I would encourage you to visit the "Memory" page of Frank Shelton 42 to see the history of an acheiver from McKeeversville.
To make this posting complete here are a couple of pics of the main players i.e. Connie and Martha , along with a bunch of old time teachers we had over the years at BCHS
We all remeber Mrs. Martha Pike King. Boy was she modest .. I would have surely bragged about my father getting the "Medal of Honor". Bless her sweet heart .. she was a guiding light for a lot of us. p.s. Pike's Peak is named after her grandfather. Go to her profile on this website for more Mrs. King history. Jim W.
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Here is a picture of the WWII plane the Elks bought and made into a Girl Scout Club House in the 1950s .. My what BC history.. it was across B St. from where the swimming pool is today .. Jim w.
Do you know the other 4 Girl Scouts in addition to Pat Turner and Edith Widner in the pic???
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The Cello Story
Here is a warm Boulder City story spanning 5 generations. To cut to the end Mary Jane Carter Richey Smith recently gifted her mom's cello to Maansi Kalra Widner. Seems simple but it involves a list of BC connections. The key figure is Mary Jane, a 1943 BCHS grad, I think one of the oldest surviving grads , 77 years ago. Mary Jane moved to BC (Rag Town) in 1931 along with her mom, Eliza and her dad, Sam. . Her dad worked on the Dam and was killed there in 1934, her mom worked at Central Market and started the first newspaper in BC. Eliza passed away young in 1946. Eliza played “the Cello” during her high school years 1905-08 +- Mary Jane has kept it all these years, through many a move. The picture to the left was taken by Johnnie Manis at the 1939 Veterans Parade. Eliza is kind of in the middle with dark jacket.. She was active in the American Legion. When I found this pic on the UNLV website and sent it to MJ she was ecstatic , since she did not have any pics of her mom. Mary Jan used to play the piano at the American Legion Hall, all during her Jr. & Sr. high days. She is 94 now and still plays the piano twice every Sunday. at her son's church.
I met Mary Jane at a BCHS Reunion a few years ago. .. We became fast friends and avid pen pals. That lead to her hearing about my new 6 year old, granddaughter Maansi,, who is 9 yrs old now. Then she met Maansi by phone and of course was charmed. She learned Maansi had taken piano lessons, guitar lessons, and violin lessons. The latter leading up to her goal of learning the cello. Over the last few years Mary Jane and Maansi talk by phone. often and have become very attached. Then Mary Jane declared she was going to give her mom's 100 year old cello to Maansi. None of her grandkids had shown an interest and she wanted it preserved and used. MJ is now getting it ready to send back to Baltimore for Maansi to start her cello lessons. A lot separates Mary Jane and Maansi: 2900 miles and 85 years. Also a lot binds them together: love for music, purely charming to know, their devotion to friends and family. ... Jim Widner, Class of 1958
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Here is a sentimental Boulder City story that spans 4 or 5 generations. It starts with Anna Parks who started Palm Mortuary in 1926 in Las Vegas. It involves several BCHS Alumni and families .. But it is really about Mary Jane's dad.
Here are some great videos of the pics from BCHS Annuals (?) by Amy Wagner, Principal of BCHS. that she posted on Facebook. Here is a pic from 2016 Reunion with 2 grad from 1943 .. Fred Holland and Mary Jane Carter.
Just click on the word Facebook to open. ( fiddle with the clicking of Facebook until it is underlined) jw 6-17-24
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Who remembers going to the lobby of the Sahara and watching their Lounge Act ??
Camp Williston (1941-1944) - A U.S. Army Military Police Camp established in 1941 as Camp Sibert during World War II in Boulder City, Clark County, Nevada. Renamed Camp Williston in G.O. 47, 21 Sep 1942, after Brigadier General Edward B. Williston, recipient of the Medal of Honor during the U.S. Civil War. The Camp was abandoned in 1944.
Boulder City High School on Site of Camp Williston
Originally named Camp Siebert but, when that name conflicted with an existing Camp Sibert in Alabama, the name was changed to Camp Williston. The post was established just before the beginning of World War II to provide MP training and protection for Boulder Dam facilities and local industries. The post was garrisoned by some 800 military police and support troops.
The U.S. Army abandoned Camp Williston in 1944 after the troops departed on 9 Mar 1944 for Fort Custer (2), Michigan. The Camp was put up for sale in October 1944 and the buildings were eventually sold and moved away.
Current Status
No remains of the camp. Boulder City, Clark County, Nevada.
Photograph of teenagers renovating an abandoned Camp Williston barracks to serve as the Polka Dot Haven, the Boulder City teenager's club, 1953.
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15 Best Things To Do in Boulder City
One glance and you just know that Boulder City is special. It’s got that small town charm and oodles of history because after all, Boulder City is known for being the city that built the dam. Yes, that dam – the one of a kind Hoover Dam.
If you love southern Nevada like I do, then these best things to do in Boulder City offers you a chance to learn about the dam construction and how that one event shaped the future of the desert. Put it on your travel list because a visit to Boulder City is a must-do for anyone vacationing in Las Vegas or road tripping to the Grand Canyon from Vegas. Let’s go!
Flash Back - Growing up in Boulder City .. things we might remember 1. Snake dance through town after bond fire kicking off football season. 2. bike parade on the 4th 3. . parade downtown in Halloween costumes 4. . swimming lessons at the lake 5. . going barefoot all summer and extracting “stickers” from our feet 6. . going shirtless all summer and getting sun burned again 7. . playing baseball (before LL) teams selected by streets Thanks Mr. Whalen 8. . rice and gravy at Harry's for 25cents 9. . buying cinnamon from drug store for cinnamon sticks 10..chocolate/cherry shakes from Frostie 11..“Country Store” every fall at Grace Comm. Church 12..Boy Scout camp at Camp Bonanza in Mt. Charleston 13..Girl Scout meetings in the unique clubhouse – a WWII plane 14..Hikes to the river 15..exploring the drainage tunnels at the dam, at night 16..rolling down the hill at the big park 17..going to the movie for 2 used milk containers 18.. meeting your date in the lobby of the theater, so you didn't pay I guess 19..parties at Moby's Cove 20..assemblies with Liberace, his mother & brother. 21..Marge and Cower Champion dance lessons at assemblies 22..sports winning streaks 23..lining up for vaccinations at the school office 24..clearing the field of rocks at the grade/high school 25..soap box derby down the hill to McKeeversville 26. .playing marbles in the playground 27..sneaking into show 28..going to the movie about the Dam at Johnnie Manis' Visitor Center to get cooled off. 29..Going to the dump for bicycle and car parts 30..getting stuck in the sand on the power line roads 3 31..jumping the fence at the new pool and getting arrested 32..playing pool and dancing at Polka Dot Haven, playing pin pong in the back of the Tavern. 33..riding our bikes, or hitchhiking, down to the lake, hoping to get a ride home 34..sliding down the stairs at the post office 35..career day when you were the police chief or dam engineer 36..pictures on the fence and picnic in the park on the last day of school 37..summer bible school at Grace Community Church 38..driving endlessly around town at night 39..making a lamp in Mr. Gidden's shop class. 40..Pitching pennies in front of the drug store. 41..Jumping on pogo sticks up and down steps and up on landings. 42..Football games at the big park from early morning until late afternoon – 43..Practicing the trumpet with the windows open, until the neighbors yelled enough 44..Singing on the bus ride home from football and basketball away games. 45 .Following the water truck that watered trees. Standing under the flow of water. 46 .Flash floods, surfing and riding in tubs down the streets. 47.Building dams in the desert to make a swimming pool during the flooding 48.Getting in tires and rolling down California Street. 49.. Starting landslides down the canyons going to the river. 50.. Singing on the bus ride to the lake 51.. Watching the "Bomb" in bleachers at the school. 52.. Guarding the fire wood for the big rally bonfire. 53..Freshman Initiations, eating raw eggs, swats,polishing shoes,eating onions 54.. Golfing at the 3 hole dirt course, and finding balls that had exploded due to the sun. 55.. Collecting tomatoes below the sewer plant by "B" hill. 56.. Chasing donkeys below the sewer run off. 57.. Having China Berry Fights 58.. Playing Frisbee with old discarded records at the old radio station 59.. Eating a burger and ice cream at the Sweet Shop 60.. Getting a burger at Dossett's Hamburger Stand for 15 cents 61.. Setting pins at the bowling alley for 10 cents a line 62.. Making our own skate boards out of discarded roller skates and an orange crate 63.. Helping build the Polka Dot Haven 64.. Climbing the Greased Pole on the 4th of July to get the $5 on top. 65.. Running through the sprinklers at the big park 66.. Letting off firecrackers and cherry bombs. 67.. Marching with Whelan's Drum and Bugle Corp Band on California Street. 68..Collecting horny toads, turtles,snakes, lizards, Gila monsters 69.. Watching the Army Tanks drive by on New Mexico St on Camp Williston 70. Learning how to box at the jail 71.. Saturday Night Boxing Matches at Peterson Field 72.. Watching TWA planes land 73.. Seeing Movie Stars when them came to town, Frank Sinatra, 74.. Going to Floor Shows in Vegas that were free, but one bought a Shirley Temple 75.. Sleeping outside every night in the summer 76.. Dogs that chased us... Jupiter. Jinks, Taddy, and bit at our pant legs while riding bikes 77.. Walking to pick up a date 78.. Jumping on running boards of cars for a ride up the street. 79.. Rolling Toilet Paper down the face of the Dam 80..Putting our cars in neutral to see how far we could go to the Lake 81..Swimming at night at Lake Mead 82.. Playing mumble peg with knives 83.. Learning to water ski by friends parents who had a boat and would take us. 84.. Swimming under the large diving rafts in the Lake to see fish. 85..Attempting to swim out to the far rafts the first time without drowning. 86.. Playing kick the can at night under the street lights. 87.. Sitting on fenders for a ride. 88.. The Boy Scout section at Manix Dept. store (? Jerry Merrill, Sutherland, Jim Widner, David Hoover) 89.. Letting out school early for the Helldorado parade. 90.. Marching in the Helldorado parade when it was way over 100 degrees. Here is a pic of Tom Donnelly he is the father of 2 BCHS grads, Vince 56 and Marylyn '58, when he owned the Tavern in early 50s
Compiled By. Jim Widner '58 and Roy Atkin '56 a few years ago .. ran across it today 8/31/2024
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Do it before Summer is here. On my visit to BC last year I walked the Railroad Trail .. it was spectacular. I recommend it for every BCHS kid who visits BC. Here is a great video by the Park Service about the trail. I started at the rear of the parking lot of the Gold Strike (now Hoover Dam Hotel) . Jim W 5/1/2021
Ron Eland/Boulder City Review About 60 residents of all ages turned out Saturday morning to repaint the BC on Radar Mountain. A mixture of lime, paint and water was used to touch up the city landmark which saw the B first painted in 1985 and two years later the C by BCHS students. It had been 10 years since the last time it was touched up. Event organizer Bret Runion said he was pleased with the turnout and hopes to see even more assist in future years.
Those who turned out braved the steep hill in which the BC is painted on. It had been 10 years since it was last touched up.
Carrie (Haraway) Boehlecke and Dawne (Vanasse) Gibson, both members of the BCHS class of 1986, showed their school pride Saturday along with many other Boulder City graduates.
The BC on Radar Mountain, seen here about two hours into its repainting Saturday, has been in that location for nearly four decades.
In all, it took volunteers about three hours to repaint the BC on Radar Mountain.
By Ron Eland Boulder City Review
A mixture of lime, paint and water was used to touch up the city landmark, which saw the B first painted in 1985 and two years later the C by BCHS students. It had been 10 years since the last time it was touched up. Event organizer Bret Runion said he was pleased with the turnout and hopes to see even more assist in future years.
Some pics from OUR BHILL BCHS 42-67 .. jw
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BCHS Sports History .. Jim W "58 .. Here is a picture of the BCHS basketball warmup jacket from the late 40s and early 50s. I have stored it and moved it with me for 64 years. I am returning it back to BCHS and the Athlectic Director has agreed to find a good place for it in the gym. I added the pictures here that are framed with the jacket , I found them online in the 51 and 52 annuals. Some of those team members, in the pics, still attend our reunions. .
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Hi again from BCHS on behalf of Gracie ! ..
First let me thank those that donated. I am proud to report that we BCHS kids pitched in $7000 toward helping Gracie. Gracie is attending BCHS from home ,
If inclined to help Gracie with some expensive, difficult challanges you can still donate with a credit card on this BCHS website (on left side tab 'Donations') or send any amount directly to the "Gracie Sauer Fund" at the Boulder Dam Credit Union .. Thanks Jim W. '58 - 2/5/24
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PS Gracie just graduated from BCHS 2024 .. Ms. Wagner and Gracie jw 5/30/24
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Jim Widner's refresh on Mary Jane Carter '43 and the "high scalers" and others with their families in those early days triggered this response.
I am currently reading "Colossus" a book by Michael Hiltzik (pub: Free Press, div of Simon & Schuster, 2010). It details the building of "Hoover" Dam. This book should be required reading for all of us Boulder City'ites.
I am not done yet, reading it word by word, but what an amazing research job he has done on the building of our Dam. All the early difficulties with flooding, Imperial Valley in CA, desolation in the desert and all the financial and political dealings leading up to the funding and building of the Dam. The sad part of all this were the depressing living conditions and deaths among those families having to go through the construction phase (1931-36). I only knew Dam workers through my classmates in BC whose dads did that tough and dangerous work and the moms who raised the kids, worked and taught school with just living being such a struggle.
My family did not go through all of that since we moved there after housing had been built, first to a house on Wyoming St. and then "L street." My recently married dad and mom came to BC in 1936 after the dam was finished to work for the park service, the B. of Reclamation and then the Bureau of Mines. My dad came to Las Vegas in about 1908 with his mom, dad and sister so he grew up through his schooling there and then a couple of years at U. of Nevada and various jobs throughout the Nevada "Wilderness" doing survey work. My dad recollects living in a tent when they first came to Vegas, playing with his Indian friends across the road, Boy Scout outings and his mom shoeing away the burros from the hanging laundry. Sounds like the construction days before the BC town was built. My grandfather who lived in LV talked about working down at the dam as a painter but eventually quitting due to the poor work conditions and tools provided by "the company."
This is an engrossing read with a few photos included. Donald Schuyler '54
The timing of Don's announcement couldn't have been better. On this day, July 7 in 1930 construction began on "Hoover" Dam.
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Outdoor Nevada S4 Ep8 Clip | Boulder City Art Walk.. this enjoyable video highlights BC art and the masterpieces that Connie Burnett Ferraro has shared with all us BC fans.
Here is a personal BCHS story involving RR Pass. In our senior year at BCHS the Rotary Club would invite students to their lunch and be sponsered by a member. To instill some civic pride in us, I guess. Well as a kid I looked a bit older than many, so I got in the habit of going to Klinger's Liquor store to buy beer, to the point Art and I were on a first name basis. Well guess who was my sponser at Rotary , Art Klinger. He looked at me and me at him and gasped , I am not sure which of us wanted to leave asap. Just another BC memory trigger by this video. Jim Widner '58
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Here is a video from Facebook recounting the history of the BC Hospital. FDR was here. A documentary by Ray Turner documenting the demolition of the Historic Boulder City Hospital in 2015.
Here is a pic of the Hospital and the Welsh home .. 3 of our alumni grew up there .. Jim '49, Don '55, Myron '57.
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BC Cemetery History ..
Pic from Boy Scout project ( Chet, Betty, Edith Widner + Agnes, & Bob McCelland).
I went to BC a couple of weeks ago .. and of course I went to the BC Cemetery to visit my parents Chet & Betty and my sister Edith , BCHS '55... I saw a familiar classmate I have seen on earlier visits crying and sitting in front of her husband's grave stone laying down flowers. As it always seems to happen , she walked away from the head stone "Backwards" with tears in her eyes .. I did ask her why she walks backwards when she leaves?
She went on to tell me her late husband once told her " You have such a cute butt , you could bring a dead man back to life" "So I am not taking any chances"
Bringing up the BC Cemeteery would not be complete if I didn't brag about my dads role in building / improving it in 1950. It was an Elks project , the 2 main movers were Chet Widner and Tom Godby .. here is a pic of the dedication.
Also I recommend you look above for the website that lists those internned in BC Cemetery. Jim Widner BCHS '58
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Here are some great old pics from our early years..
Thanks to Bob Patterson '55 for sending this to me, so I could post for all to enjoy. JW
This week I was reminded of a chapter in the life of Mary Jane Carter , our oldest living BCHS alumni. The reason for her move back to BC was the death of her pilot husband Lee Richey , during the Korean War, in 1953. Here is the letter I wrote to her a year of so after I meet her at an earlier Reunion. The Binocular Story. The pic of the Elks (1950+-) has a bunch of early BC pioneers, maybe your dad too? I see some; Merrill, Lappin, Dieleman, Widner, Bywater, Ashbaugh. jw
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OK , it is time for some BC history . I suggest you watch this video for kind of a history story about the beginnings of BC. It is about a loyal reunion goer , one of the original pioneers of BC and BCHS..... Mary Jane Carter Smith , class of 1943 (the 2nd class at BCHS). I ran across this video about Mary Jane and thought some of you would like to see it. Her dad was a high scaler and died helping to build the Dam , her mom started the first paper in BC and she was just a delighful lady. Sorry we lost that tie to BC history in 2020 , she was 95.
Copy this link , it into your browser, to watch the video. Done as kind of an obit piece but it has a lot of BC history in it too!! There is more info and stories about MJ on her "Memory Page" on this website. Just hit 'Alumni Search" and enter Mary Jane.
Mary Jane Carter, Class of '43, told me the highscaler 2nd from top was thought to be her Dad. He was one of the lives lost building BD.
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I just watched the NBC special about the Atomic Bomb development and Oppenheimers role. .. below is info and link to the TV program. BUT the reason I am putting this reference here is to point out the extensive, important role a kid from BCHS '42 (who grew up in McKeeversville) had in Atomic Enerby and Atomic Bombs. You can go to his Memory Page and learn about Frank Shelton . jw '58
On Labor Day, we like to post photographs of the men and women who helped build this city. Continuing this tradition today, Mr Jim Widner sent us this photograph of Mr Bruce Eaton, an early community resident. Mr Eaton worked at Hoover Dam. In this pic, he and a group of volunteers begin construction on the football field of Boulder City High School in 1951. Years later, the field would be named in his honor. In this photograph, he is the man pictured third from the right.
About the Eaton family, Jim had this to say:
“The Eatons were a family that helped build Boulder City history. The pic was of Bruce who worked at the Dam and was a wonderful volunteer. Mrs. Mary Eaton was a teacher and an important part of the Rainbow Club (for young women). And their 2 kids were BCHS standouts. Their son, Gary Eaton, passed away in 2014, but the real Boulder City historian of the family was Kay Eaton Hettingger. She had such a great memory of Boulder City events and in fact Nevada events, since she too was a teacher in Southern Nevada and Northern Nevada. She passed away in October 2021.”
Thanks, Jim, for sending along the pic. We do enjoy the history of our beautiful town and respect those who came before us to make it the desert oasis that we’ve all come to love!
Have a safe and happy Labor Day.
Do any of you know the other volunteers or related to them? If so let me know thru "message center" on BCHS website. JW
The man in white kneeling down in the middle of the picture is my Dad, Fred Holland. When I first saw this picture I printed it out and showed it my Dad and the rest of family. He remember most people's faces but not all names. He said they were the swing shift crew and he was the supervisor. They were working on the football field.
Note by Jim Widner .. Fred Holland came to all the Reunions we held and was a popular friend of those early alumni. Here is a pic of some of the old timers. Fred '43, Principle Wagner, Mary Jane '43 --- Jim '58 , Mary Jane '43 , Fred H '43, --- oldtimers. Fred still lives in BC !!!!!
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I just had a nice trip back in BCHS history by going to 1-Home Page 2-Picture Galleries 3-Previous Pics of te Week. Do that or click on link below to join in on the trip. Jim W. class of 1958
The BCHS 42/66 Alumni Group just made a $250 donation to the Boulder City/ Hoover Dam Museum .. they do a lot to keep BC History alive. Our BCHS website has a few members who grace us with periodic donations .. We appreciate them and this cause seemed like a good one. Jim Just sent another $250 on 8/11/2022
It is easy to send a donatation to BCHS 42/66 .. there is a tab on the left "Donations" ... And if you are a donor and want to help pick our causes , let me know.
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Be sure and go to the tab on the left "photo galleries" to see a list of things we did growing up in BC .. compiled by Jim Widner '58 and Roy Atkin '56. And we got a bunch of added memories by other BCHS Alumni. Or just click on this link.
I just put this story on the BCHS Facebook page and wanted to share with "You All" too. Jim W.
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Here is a my video I ran across today from the 2016 All Class Reunion. Lots of BCHS history, I know you will like it. Jim W '58 Just click on the link below to play it.
Here is the committee that so loyally organized the reunions we used to have. Maybe this will spur some alumni into volunteering to set one up in 2022 ??
You must be logged in to submit this survey. Please use the login box in the upper right corner.
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Here is a neat web page highlighting the virtues of visiting Boulder City. Mike Merrill '55 sent it to us . Thanks it is great. And thanks to "Nevada Travel" for the web page.
Be sure and visit the page "Alumni Authors" once in a while. I just added a new book by Gene Ainsworth. There are many chronicaled on this page. Just click on the tab to the left.
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Here is a neat video from the BCHS Facebook Page. .. lots of current pictures but our times start at about 14:00 minutes into it. Hope you enjoy.
Here is a great video interviewing Tara Leon-Bertoliabout her wonderful historical project to transform an old tired "Men's Store" into the new "Boulder City Company Store"
Mr. Gillette BCHS Band Director gratefully accepts a $800. donation to defray costs of renting bus to transport band to competitions and invitational performances. If not students have to cover this cost. Here is a picture of Sandy and Lavonne (Donations Committee members, along with Denny) presenting the donation to Mr. Gillette. Three happy faces.
If you have a soft spot for your days in the BCHS band under Mrs. Garrett, Mr. Peckingham or others, you can make a small donation using the website. Just click on the Donations Tab on the left. The BCHS alumni can be proud of the ongoing donations we have been able to make. See the Donors Tab for a list of previous generous BCHS Donors.
Boulder City High School Band Director James Gillette is being recognized for leading the Eagles to four top-five finishes in the Nevada Marching Band Open Series competitions this year. Principal Amy Wagner told the Boulder City Review, “They’ve been working hard and improving these last two or three years. It’s a niche for a lot of our kids and it’s great when they’re doing well.”
Just to add a positive note, the band is holding fund raisers to help themselves too. See ad for their event that was on Facebook.
Here is a nice Thank You note received from the BCHS Band.
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WWII B-29bomber at the bottom of Lake Mead .. 1948. Do you remember? Thanks to The Nevada Independant News for publishing this story .. Just click on this link to read the great story.
Here are a couple of old time pictures posted on BCHS Facebook page by Principal Amy Wagner. The were taken during a World War IIBond Drive. My guess, they were from Class of 1944 +-. Do any of you recognized anyone in the pics, maybe your mom or dad or maybe a grandparent ??
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Here is a great photo I ran across today. It has a bunch of our classmates from the mid 50s. Hope you all enjoy. It is especially poignant since Hank Davis is in the front row. Jim
One added name , front row 4th from left = Hank Patterson. .. would welcome help in other names not shown.
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Here is a great project for Boulder City and McKeeversville .. This article is from the website Boulder City Social .. Thank You Jean.
Here is summary and website to access the article.
“St. Jude’s Ranch for Children’s Healing Center will sit on 15 acres of land with a series of individual therapeutic homes to help a growing victim population that has been enslaved and has nowhere else to turn. For more than a half century, the charity has been providing services to abused, neglected and homeless children and youth. This residential program is a natural extension of its programs and will provide a nurturing environment, survivor advocates and other critical services to child victims of sex trafficking. It will be the only residential treatment center, with these specific treatment housing options and services, in the country.“
Supplies, people passed through Nevada’s ‘seaport’
Here is an interesting article in the BC News about Callville Bay. Note the acknowlegment of BC's Don Ashbaugh for the origin of the article . Any oldtimers will remember Mr. Ashbaugh who was an author and news reporter for the RJ in the 40s and 50s
Walter Beeler '53 told me they fixed it up and flew it off in the mid 50s .can anyone confirm that account. Jim Widner
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Now for some BC nostalgia .. here is a pic of the remodeled Smee House. Home of 3 of our favorite BCHS Alumni. Mildred class of 49, Louise class of 57 , Charlie class of 58. It was a LADWP house. Do you agree this is the Smee's house?
It is now at the Clark Co. Museum in Henderson.
Stop by the Museum sometime at:
1830 S Boulder Hwy, Henderson, NV 89002 ·
Well I never heard from anyone about the Smee house, oh well. Today my son sent me a tourists video about BC RR museum and CC Museum in Henderson .. it had a pic of a Babcock/Wilcox house that I now think was the Smee house , here are some pics .. Do you agree???
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Lots of good Dam history in this video .. and So. Nevada info.
Clark County Museum
1830 S. Boulder Highway, Henderson, NV 89002-8502 - MAP
(702) 455-7955 - CCParks@Clarkcountynv.gov
Center Hours:
Open Daily 9 a.m. - 4:30 p.m
CLOSED Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s Day
General Admission: adults $2.00, seniors and children $1.
Group Tours, please call for reservations and special rates.
Museum memberships are also available.
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BC Historic Preservation Month Begins Today!
The City of Boulder City has announced that this month, October (2020), will become Historic Preservation Month, and to celebrate that, they will be featuring four separate ‘virtual tours’ of historic properties in Boulder City!
Normally, we know that our Historic Preservation Day happens each May, but naturally with Covid and the closures we were all facing this spring the event was postponed.
You can find out information on the City’s web site HERE. The first video will be recorded on this coming Sunday, October 4th of the Winner of this year’s annual Historic Preservation Award. The release date on the video is still TBD, but we’ll try to stay on top of that. The home, pictured above is at 1342 Denver Street, (pictured above) and you can see the list of all four historic properties that will be toured, HERE.
We want to give a big shout out of ‘Thanks!’ to the City Staff involved on this project, not to mention all of the volunteers and members of the Boulder City Historic Preservation Committee who do all the work to make this event and others like them, possible. And ‘Congrats!’ to the winners and the owners of the other properties being featured! We hope you all enjoy these presentations!
This article courtesy of BC Social from their website/newsletter on October 1 by Jean Widner. .. you can sign up and receive the wonderful newsletter by going to: www.bouldercity.com
p.s. Jean Widner is not related to the two Widner BCHS grads, but she sure is a BC supporter.
An 86-year old piece of equipment used in the building of Hoover Dam came home on Friday to the Nevada State Railroad Museum in Boulder City. This lovely old rail car was brought in by truck and off-loaded at the railway and we got to be there to see it! Even better, we thought you’d like to see what happens in that process – as it’s actually pretty cool, even for a ‘non-train expert’ kind of gal. We also think you’ll like learning more about this historically interesting beauty of a car…
To see whole article and a short video, click on this link:
Your DAM fact of the day: On September 2, 1945 the Dam reopened to the public! Prior to the United States entry into WWII, the federal government established Hoover Dam as a military training camp because the hydroelectric power it generated was essential to manufacturing plants on the West Coast. In March 1941, Camp Williston was established in Boulder City with approximately 800 soldiers, rangers, watchmen, and boat pilots to patrol Hoover Dam’s perimeter. Gates were established on the highway in both Nevada and Arizona to control all public access across the dam, as well as stationary guards and roving patrols to protect key areas. When the United States officially entered the war, the dam and surrounding areas were closed to visitation. The original exhibit building, located in the Nevada Spillway lot, became the headquarters and home for the soldiers guarding the dam. Even tour guides helped in the effort by becoming part of the ranger force. To increase security, all exterior lighting at the dam, power plant and switch yards was turned off except during periods of inspection or repair; windows in the power plant were blacked out with paint; and machine gun posts were constructed around the dam. All measures remained in place until the war ended and on September 2, 1945 all normal security measures and activities resumed!
Provided by Boulder City/Hoover Dam Musuem
What a wonderful surprise I ran across a few months ago while looking at some USBR history website .. I came across my Dad , Chet Widner, who was a Ranger and was one of the guards at the Dam during WWII.
The popular article about Growing up in BC and Alumni additions , was kind of long, so it has been moved from the home page to the "Photo Galleries"
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Polka Dot Haven .. Inspiration of Teddy Fenton, building was an old barrack from Camp Williston, students and volunteers helped fixed it up and we all enjoyed it.
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Will You Marry Me? Here is a heart warming story about Reunion Romance .. thanks to Larry Hardy '59 for sharing this story.
Just click on this link to view the story. On my PC the file sprung up at bottom/left of screen, and I just clicked on that link to view. In a pinch you could just copy the Link into a browser window.. :
Here is a short video of the USAF Thunderbirds doing a fly over in BC. Thanks to Jean W. at Boulder City Social website. Here is link , so you can check out BC News once in a while.
Boulder City has been added to the Thunderbirds flyover happening April 11th at 2:30pm. The F-16 Fighting Falcons will be flying over the Boulder City Hospital and the Veterans Nursing Dept. as part of the USAF's way to honor all of our first responders in the Las Vegas valley.
Here is a picture collage with an intereting tie to basket ball history at BCHS. Top pic shows Pepper coombes presenting to Jim Widner winning a picture frame at the Reunion drawing. Jim thought what better ending for that frame than David Shay. p.s. frame was made by Jenks Ranor. When framing the pic Jim selected a BB Jacket from the 40s and a few pics of David role in BC basketball.
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Here are a few pics of Mr. Nelson, et al .. He was an inspirational teacher and so loyal to BCHS Alumni.
Note says "Edith .. I was glad you took Advanced Algebra this year. How did you like being the only girl in class. James Nelson
Here is a great video tribute to Mrs. Gene Segerblom from her Celebration of Life gathering in 2013 .. highlighting her contributions to BCHS students. Thanks to Penny Lappin Lester '64 for posting it on Facebook and special thanks to Philip Esser for posting it years ago, so we can call enjoy seeing it. jw
Drum & Bugle Corps: pic from 1944 .. -- lots of old timers mentioned in description.
From the Tom and Erma Godbey Photograph Collection (PH-00262) -- The Drum & Bugel Corps pose together at the Elks Hall, Las Vegas. Written on the back of the photograph, "Front row, L-R: Skipper Small, Patty Whalen, Evelyn Hamm. Second row, L-R: Barry Whalen, David MacLaughlin, Bruce MacLaughlin, Alice Mae Godbey. Third row, L-R: Jeanne Heddins, Ila Margaret Godbey, Bill Helms, Bryan Whalen, John Shipp. Fourth row, L-R: Donald Whalen, Billy Engle, Dennis Whalen, Luke Whalen, Laura Godbey, Frances MacLaughlin. Drum & Bugle Corps during WWII older boys all in service. Taken in front of Elks Hall Las Vegas, NV, August 18, 1944. American Legion Convention Dept. of Nevada." Drum & Bugle Corps during WWII
Plus I added a couple of neat pics from Godbey collection to Photo galleries .. early class 1943. Check them out too.
They called them "powder monkeys"...the men who handled the dynamite for the blasting work on the dam.
And here it is...the house made from dynamite boxes in McKeeversville, thank you, Shirl Ray Naegle!
Here also is a pic of my sister Edith Widner, BCHS class of 1955 playing with a Dyno Box .. from 1938-39 in Chloride AZ Life was not luxurious but simple things were enjoyed. Plus my mom Betty and sister Edith ,. Relaxing on the patio furniture - a Hercules Dyno Box. jw
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Here is a great picture of Boulder Beach .. and comments from Facebook.
Patricia Naegle Close This is how I remember Boulder Beach in the 60's, with the exception of the wooden bench. The summer I was 9, my brother Shirl Ray Naegle was a lifeguard, and I would get my Mom to drive me down in the afternoon and leave me there! I would spend the rest of the day swimming and playing on the rafts and ropes. It was heaven...but I wish I we had sunscreen back then~
Penny Lappin Lester Me too. I remember the first time I swam out to the far raft. Such good times
Katrina Jo Vanderwaal I think all three of my older siblings worked at Boulder Beach as well. I loved swimming there!
Susie Resler-traasdahl I loved the beaches in the 60’s and 70’s. My husband was a lifeguard in the 70’s.
Patricia Naegle Close and on the last day of lessons, we would have a "watermelon bust" and sit in the shallow water eating melon and spitting seeds~
Brock Davis I remember towing Jody Roland all the way around the outside buoys and back because they decided it was too rough to go out in a straight line. There were 2' seas when passing our WSI class and I didn't realize I kicked her in the thigh every time I stroked the whole way. Her leg was bruised for a long time.?￢ﾀﾍ♂️
Jim Widner I think the driving force behind the smim lessons at the Lake was Alice Berry .. mother to several BCHS grads in 50s & 60s. Thank you Alice.
Ray Clark You are absolutely correct. She organized not only the lake swimming lessons but the ones at the pool. It was a big deal to graduate from the pool to the lake. Alice was quite a lady for many reasons.
Susie Resler-traasdahl Got my Lifeguard Diploma from Alice Berry at the lake, hard teacher fun class .
Katie Lang Lawrence Ah, yes, the Big Raft and the Little Raft. It was a big deal to swim out to the big one! It’s where I almost drowned in life saving class, trying to bring Mrs. Berry back in a cross-chest carry!
Vickie Smith Parker I remember taking those same lessons from Mrs. Berry and when she quite teaching I started teach life saving. She was a great role model for me. Great memories.
Ray Clark Imagine hitch hiking down to the lake (with mom's permission no less) spending the day in the sun then catching a ride home.
Ray Clark I would have a heart attack if my grand kids did that today.
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Remember when it was a challenge toslide down the sides of the stairs at the Post Office?
Here is a video that made me remember that challange. Boy have times changed when a dog can do it. And kids today do impossible stuff on skate boards.
Here are some pics of Early Golf in BC .. Thanks to Johnnie Manis, UNLV and BC Museum for the pics. The course was all sand ,, hit and rake .. It was pretty much gone by the mid 40s , except for the artful tee boxes built up with big rocks and raised grout, like that at the Dam.
Here is a great addition to this posting, from Dean Kine. 10/17/19
My father (Joe Kine) got ask to fix up the old golf greens that were mad of sand. He had my brother ( Joe Kine Jr.) and Me ( Dean Kine ) to help him re-furbish the Greens ( or sands ). We went to Shell gas station and got 50 gal oil barrels of used motor oil and took it out to the greens and mixed it with the sand and then smoothed them out ( the greens ) and then went to the next one until we had them all re done. Then the golf course was ready for play. Maybe you could add this to the statement on the old golf course?
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Thanks to a fundraising effort by the Clark County Museum Guild, renovations on the historic Grand Canyon Airlines Ticketing Office and Bradley House are nearing completion, and the Clark County Museum will soon have a new addition to its collection of buildings on Heritage Street.
Check out the video inviting everyone to the grand openings
I remember this snow day on Jan. 7, 1949 very well .. had to walk to school from McKeeversville , along with my dad on his way to work at Central Market. Pic taken from left of Conner's Shell station.. Jim Widner anymore snow stories from BCHS kids? If so email to me on the website. Pic from Facebook posting.
Note from Cornelia about snow storm .. But first:. The cello story adds so much to my love for Mary Jane. The cello is my favorite string instrument to play.
Now my snow story:. I am so happy to have the date of the big snow I saw out of our Mckeeversville kitchen window. But my sister, Jeanne, and I couldn't go out in it, because we had the measles(: We couldn't even go outside to step in it or taste it. Our granny went outside and made a snowman for us to see though. I especially appreciate seeing your picture of our first experience with snow in Mckeeversville.
Thank you, Cornelia Bates (Madsen) 2/9/2020
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For you BC star watchers.
The Hoover Dam hides an intriguing secret connecting sky to ground and past to present, using very much the same “as above, so below” system of measuring time deployed at Giza around the Great Pyramid of Egypt.
To learn more, take a read of this intriguing article by Wally Motloch.
I noticed that you referenced my article and wondered if there may be someone there that might have more informations or wants to talk about the Star map. I will be in Bolder City Wed. May 29, 2019. and would love to meet such a person. Kind regards, Wally
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Wow! Check out this time lapse of the construction of our favorite modern marvel, the Boulder Dam..
Here is a great slide show, About McKeeversville, from 2011 at the BC Hotel Museum by Peter Hoonton .. Brings back lots of memories for a lot of us. Here is a list of kids I remember living in McKeeversville: Nicks, Widner, Langley, Hatfield, Mayes, Pymm, Fiscus, Lyba, Cline, Rants, McBride, Mooney, Woods. Enjoy by clicking on this link: Plus here is pic of basketball in McK in the 40s.
We have added several more Aquilas to the Tab "Aquilas BCHS Yearbooks". .. 1963, 1964, 1965 .. thanks to David Hamdorf., class of 66. Added the 1943 version .. ' , from gift of Aquilas by the daughter of Deloris Cain , class of 46.., and 1949 gifted by Al Lynch , class of 49. .
Also we added a link to 51, 52, 60, 61 62. Aquilas from the Classmates website.
Any one else who can and will scan other years , let us know.
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Today with the help of UNLV library , I made one of our BC alumni friends .. VERY HAPPY .. I have spent quite a bit of time on the UNLV Library's great website of historical pictures and info.. They have been gifted photo collections from a vast array of BC & LV ledgends . such as Johnnie Manis, Elbert Edwards, Madalyn and Elton Garrett, Teddy fenton and USRB.
In recent weeks I struck up an email exchange with a 1952 grad. I had some pics of her mom and dad from the UNLV sources, I sent them, She was happy. Today it occurred to me I saw reference to some historical interviews with her dad and mom , well I went back and found it again and sent to her .. she was thrilled this time!!
The alumni is Hellen Hettinger, class of 52, who we all know as Kay Eaton .. the transcript of a video is about her mom, Mary a BC school teacher and her dad Bruce a USBR worker. They moved to BC in the 30s and remained an important part of BC for decades. If you want to join the trip down memory lane just click on this link. Jim Widner, class of 58
Be sure and check out some great grade school pics from several classes. They are in the the tab "Photo Galleries", "Early Class pics". They are grouped by decade!
Here is a pic of Biddulph Ford on Nevada Hiway across from former Airport, now the Elks Club. Also there is a newspaper ad from 1956 . .. I bought my first car there, for $95, a 1948 Chevy. in 1956. , it lasted for a decade. ... Jim W.
We have added some great pics from the 2016 Reunion were taken by our classmate Ben Arp Class of '66 .. go to the tabs on the left "Photo Galleries" "Reunion 2016" .. We are working on the pics from the very enjoyable and sucessful 2017 Reunion and we will add them soon.
BCHS reunion Committee
Sandy, Mike, Greg, Lail, Jim, Pepper.
The tab "Photo Galleries" "Pic of Week".
Better yet, here is a copy of the Slideshow I did for the 2016 Reunion highlighting the past Pics. Jim W.
Following are some of the previous information clips that were on this Home Page and became out-dated, but may still be of interest to some Alumni and new users. I thought of just copying them to a Picture alubum .. but, that was a lot of work, when or if interested you can see them here. I reactivated a bunch more of the older postings. Jim W.
The new Principal of BCHS came to the Reunion Friday night along with some of her teachers and a bevy of cheerful, bright students. Mrs. Wagner, Amy to most I'll bet, sure displayed her enthusiasm and school spirit. Here is a pic of her with two of the early BCHS grads from the Class of 1943. Fred Holland and Mary Jane Carter Smith. Both of their fathers helped build Boulder Dam and both have a rich part to play in the history of BC. Fred still lives in Boulder City and mentioned his family is now in its 5th generation of students in Boulder City. Mary Jane had a colorful, interesting start in BC and returned for a few years in mid life to raise her kids.
We send our thanks for "Amy's" efforts ... I think BCHS is in good hands . jw 2017 pic
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Here is a pic from Facebook .. Clark Co. Areo Squad in 1955. NOTICE the fellow on the right has a BCHS letter sweater on .. Does anyone know him ??
BCHS is in good hands with Principal Amy Wagner .. here is a local pod cast interviewing Amy at the Coffee Cup .. better known by old timers as New China Cafe and Green Hut.
Picture of 1955 football team Thanks to Adrienne Coombes Gonzales , daughter of Jerry Coombes '54, and Collete Cole Coombes '59 .. she found it cleaning out old drawers of her mom. She kindly posted it on Facebook..
The football seasons of BCHS in mid 50s are a ledgend
1955-56 10 wins 0 losses ,, 1956-57 9 wins and 0 , losses .. The class of '58 season fixed that with a 5/3 record.
Adrienne also sent this pic of Damboree Contest with lots of BCHS almni from 57, 58, 59. in the pic.
The discussion in the video about the oleanders at the park near school playground, reminds me of this story. My mom and dad ran the Sweet Shop in the late 40s and one day Charlie Smee came in and got an ice cream cone .. he paid with a $20 bill .. believe me no kid had a $20 bill in those days. Betty, my mom called Dorthy , Charlies mom and asked if she knew Charlie had a $20 bill .. well NO , turns out he lifted it from her purse and buried the change in those oleanders .. the story goes that he could not find the buried treasure after confronted, maybe he forgot where, maybe someone else took .. still remains a mystery .. the sad part of the story, time has taken away the witnesses for the answers.Here is a pic (from UNLV/Edwards collection) of the school playground, the bushes were off to the left , the Smee's home is in the pic
Here is a pic of those bushes in the park looking toward Admin. Bldg.
Plus a vintage pic of Charlie Smee, Jimmy,Widner and David Stanley
and the Sweet Shop in the mid 40s
Jim Widner , BCHS class of '58 .
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Well good news, at Chistmas time, the new uniforms arrived and were put to immedate use. Here is pic of the girls, and we received warm Thank You notes from Coach Estes and the girls. This all makes one feel good about helping .. Thanks for your loyalty to BCHS. Jim
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Here is the list of direct Donors and school year, additional funds were raised by a group of Alumni thru a raffle at our SoCal Party on 10/20/2018, and the General Fund pitched in also. It may be embarrasing to some to be on the list but, I think they deserve the recogintion.
Yr.
Donor
Yr.
Donor
Yr.
Donor
62
Janet Beck Lewis
59
Sandy Hamdorf
57/58
Nevada Raney Davis + Hank
60
Pepper Coombes
62
Robin Segerblom Liggett
60
Peter Lyons
58
Jim Widner
43
Mary Jane Smith
56
Frank Scussel
55
Bob Patterson
60
Dorthy Ainsworth
65
Jeannie Batchlor Miller
56
Roy Atkin
61
Sharon Rogers
64
Katie Lang Lawrence
57
Eugene Mitchell
62
Jim Lang
63
Walt Larsen
58
Lavonne Brown Estes
66
David Hamdorf
60
David Shay
42-67
Website & raffle
60
Marvin Mayes
54
62
Tom Lopas
Bill Lawellin
Living in Boulder City
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Just a short note to Thank everyone who made the fund raiser for the Girls BB uniforms a success. The goal was to raise the estimated uniform costs of $2,100 BUT with many donations from a cross section of Class Years (1943 to 1964), and the raffle held at Marvin Mayes home, WE raised $2,300. Boy does this show that "Eagle Spirit" . Jim Widner & LaVonne Brown Estes.
Take a look at photos from SoCal get together 10/20/2018 .. use Tab "Photo Galleris" then "Reunions" then "Reunion 2018" hope you enjoy.
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American Pie (1971) is an allegorical song by Don McLean that starts on the death of Buddy Holly in an airplane crash in February, 3rd 1959, the day the music died... What a moving video for you music and history buffs.
We all owe a thanks to Johnny Manis and his family for their Photo Collection of Boulder City and Boulder Dam. There are 3200 pictures on the UNLV website that Johnny took. Surely his daughters are largely responsible in passing on his pics to UNLV. So many thanks to them. Both his daughters are alumni of BCHS and are shown below. I have made use of many of them on this BCHS website.
According to the biographical data sheet, on file with the George Eastman House, “Lloyd Franklin “Johnny” Manis worked for Earl Brothers (curio king and owner of theatre) as a photographer from about 1935 till the late 1950’s.
Suzy Manis Hoffman, Class of 1964 and Pat Manis, Class of 1958.
Pat was quiet and moved to Calif. and I lost track of her .. turns out she lived 10 miles up the freeway before her passing in 1989 I can't think about Pat without including her father Johnnie Manis. We can all thank him for recording BC history by thousands of pics and thank Pat and her family for turning them over to UNLV to be scanned and made available to all of us.
We could not locate info about Suzy . I enlisted others from her class but, we have lost track of her. and web searches did not produce a good result.
P.S. I must also add that we have gratefully used other great UNLV Photo Collectionbs of other BC families, including: Edwards, Belnap, Garrett, & Knighton.
Here is a video done for our 50th class reunion, a short 10 years ago. I watched this morning and thought it was worth a look again, especially to those in the Class of 58 .. but, I will post it here for anyone else who may be interested, some pics include classes of 54, 55, 56, 57, 59, 60. Hit this long link to view : Jim W.
Here is a pic of some BC Damboree Queens from the 1976 Program .. lots of familar names !
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Here is a great picture of 4 generations of BCHS grads in the Broadbent/Swarts family, starting with Sue Swarts, class of 1952.
In addition here is a group pic of the Rants/Kine family , another pioneer of BC.
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I sent this pic to Roy Atkin '56 , as usual he regaled us with a wonderful look at BC history . here you go.
Jim, Thank you for the photo of the old church. I spent my growing up years in that church. We later when I was a senior completed a new church on 5th street.
I have a photo somewhere of the congregation in front of the church 1932 at the dedication. Several of those in the photo I came to know.
There were no pews but only folding chairs. The main room had a stage also. There were two small class rooms, a very small kitchen and restrooms. When I was about 11 years old, the church was jacked up and a basement was made. In the basement there were two large rooms for a Junior Sunday School, and Boy Scout Meeting Room, and a class room. On occasion the folding chairs in the main upstairs room were moved to the sides and we had dance lessons.
At one time the church caught on fire. During the time of repairs, the Episcopal Minister offered the use of the Episcopal church for our services. When our church was rebuilt, it was re-dedicated. The Episcopal Minister came for the re-dedication and was honored by his generosity.
During the hot summers, we had large overhead fans to attempt to cool the church. Not very successful as I recall, so ladies brought hand fans and tried to keep them and the children cool. Great memories. Thank you. Roy
Here is one more pic I have, that is relevant from 1958 era. jw
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By Celia Shortt Goodyear Boulder City Review jw
Several pieces of Boulder City High School’s old building have been given a new life.
When it was being torn down about 2½ years ago, then-yearbook teacher Canaan Petersen noticed some items, including windows, doors and theater seats, that were going to be thrown out.
“My heart was broken when the old school was torn down,” he said. “I felt compelled to save something for alumni, future alumni and those who consider it home.” The moving force for this project was Kirk Estes.
July 11, 2018 - 4:16 pm See the full article at this Link:
p.s. There is another touch of BCHS history to this story. Kirk Estes is the son of BCHS, Class of 58 grad Lavonne Brown Estes. She went on to become an elementry school teacher in BC for decades. Yes decades. j.w.
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Here is a link to the Memorial Events in BC in 2018 ...
Since it’s football season I thought you might enjoy this true story about a coach from my High School. It’s related by my brother, Roy. I am posting it because I needed a smile, and thought you might like to have one, too.
If you haven’t had the pleasure of meeting Connie Burnett-Ferraro then you are missing out on a local treasure! Connie has been the artist behind the creation of several murals here in town, including the latest freize on the BCHS Theater.
But now, she’s been commissioned by Elena Medo, the CEO of Medolac to create a mural for the entire side wall, of their upcoming location at the former Von’s store. The mural will face Boulder City Parkway, and when finished will be 116 wide by 16 feet tall! See the full article in Boulder City Socail by Jean Widner at:
This would be a great way for all of us active with BCHS to help keep the wonderful history of BC alive for us to enjoy. They post some wonderful old pictures, check out their website.
The Boulder City/Hoover Dam Museum tells the story of the Boulder Canyon Project as it was experienced by the men and women who braved the desolation of the Southern Nevada desert to build Hoover Dam and Boulder City.
Support the Boulder City/Hoover Dam Museum by becoming a member. Individual memberships start at $20. A Family membership is $40, Organization $60, Business $80. Basic members receive a 10% discount at the Museum Store, a 15% discount at the Boulder Dam Hotel, as well as complimentary admission to the Museum. You can join at the museum, or on their website. Check out their website for some pics: www.BCMHA.org
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Can you helpidentify some of these Girl Scouts?
Front row: ?, Edith Widner, ? Back row ?, ?, Pat Turner
suggestions: Beth Akers, Louise Smee, Dianne Earl ??????
Walter Beeler told me they fixed it up and flew it off in the mid 50s Jim Widner
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Here is a list of BCHS Authors .. For more info go to the tab "Alumni Authors" where there is a recap of their books.
Dorothy Ainsworth, Class of 1960. The House that Dorothy Built
Phyllis Nelson Traeger, Class of 1961 - How I got Cultured - A Nevada Memoir
Homer Olsen, Class of 1942 - Skidmarks along the Highway of Life
Karen Rosenbaum , Class of 1958 Mothers, Daughters, Sisters, Wives. and
A Safe Place , Boulder City (you can read in Alumni Authors Tab)
Sally Denton, Class of '70 - "The Profiteers: Bechtel and the Men Who Built the World"
Ricky Tilman, Class of 1957 - See list
Ken Frejlach, class of 1956 Take No Memories
Ralph Magee Class of 1957 - The Woman Board and From Sand to Sea and Distant Shores.
Mable Mitchell - Beloved English teacher BCHS - Gloria: A Downwind Saga
Frank Shelton - Class of 1942 - He authored numerous books pertaining to nuclear weapons and genealogy.
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2016 Donation -- This year the Donation Comittee chose to help the BCHS Girls softball team by "pitching in" to purchase their helmets. As a THANK YOU they made a banner and posted it at Whalen Field.
The Reunion Committe also sends out our thanks to those Alumni who have made donations. There is a tab on the home page for those who may want to join in and one listing the generous donors.
New welcome sign to Boulder City, highlighting "Historic Downtown". It is patterned after the Figures of the Republic at the Dam. The arch was put in place in December 2013. It is at the intersection of Buchanon and Nevada Hwy, heading East. For you oldtimers, the sign is just before you get to the site of the former Lake Auto Court and Little Store. Also shown is a pic showing a former Welcome Banner from the 30s, in almost in the same exact spot as the new welcome sign.
pic from the UNLV Johnnie Manis Collecion,
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Hanging out the wash !
New statue in Frank T. Crowe Memorial Park. The way the the laundry is hanging up in mid-air is done well, so I thought I’d grab a photo for ya!
Narrative & Photo provided by "Boulder City Social" a great website with BC info.
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Hoover Dam Megastructures Video by National Geographic.
Here are a couple of articles in two great BC news outlets about the pending demolition and renovation of Boulder City High School. You can access the articles by clicking on the following 2 websites:
Boulder City’s Gene Segerblom, a former Nevada assemblywoman, teacher and friend dies at 94.
See full obit in the Teachers Tab.
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BOULDERCITYREVIEWTuesday, October 28, 2014
Wondering where all those years go
By HALI BERNSTEIN SAYLOR
BOULDER CITY REVIEW
It has often been said that the older you get, the quicker time passes. In my experience, I have found this to be true.
Life has been a whirlwind lately.
This week marks the fifth anniversary of the Boulder City Review. And, in just a few short weeks, I will mark my one-year anniversary as editor.
I remember that week five years ago when the Boulder City News closed its doors and the Review opened. It was crazy, scrambling to find an editor and staff, while creating a flag/logo and look for the paper in just a few days.
I had done some redesign work on a sister paper, and adapting these styles for the Boulder City Review was easy. At the time, I didn’t even consider the possibility that I would one day be editor and at the helm of the paper.
It seems like just yesterday that this happened. Sure, my kids are older and I have spotted a few gray hairs, but I don’t know where the time went.
I can only imagine how the past 50 or 60 years have flown by for graduates of Boulder City High School. Judging by the stories they shared with me Friday night during the annual reunion for those who have graduated 50 or more years ago, it seems as if time barely blinked since they walked the hallowed halls of their beloved high school.
The very informal group is open to anyone who graduated from Boulder City High at least 50 years ago. They have a reunion every October where they swap stories, share a few laughs and drinks, and renew their friendships.
Their lives have taken many paths. Some have stayed in Boulder City, some have moved just over the hill and a few have ventured out of state. But no matter where they live or what they have done with their lives, one thing remains constant: a love for Boulder City and the people who call — or have called — it home.
“It’s just magical — an ideal place to grow up,” Jim Widner from the class of 1958 told me. “Everyone had two parents. We walked to school and walked home for lunch.”
“It’s just a beautiful, unique city to be raised in,” agreed Diane Nelson Earl, also from the class of 1958. “We were so blessed. We all knew each other, our teachers, our neighbors.”
Because the graduating classes were so small, and everything in town was so close together, there was less distinction between the classes and friendships spanned the years, said Richard Roper, who graduated in 1957.
They became so close that they can practically tell each other’s stories and life histories.
That closeness also extended to the school’s football field, he said. Growing up, neighborhood boys would get together to play so by the time they got to high school they already had a solid foundation for their coach to build on.
“Nobody could beat us,” he said.
Fred Holland, a member of the class of 1943 and one of the oldest people attending, said he wouldn’t miss the reunion “for all the world.”
A resident of Boulder City for most of his life, Holland said he is happy to be a part of the community. He felt so strongly about his experiences here that he persuaded his granddaughter to move her family from Reno so she could raise her children in the city.
The alumni also do some casual fundraising with prize drawings, with proceeds benefiting BCHS. Just recently, for example, they donated $2,000 to purchase a new sound system for the school.
Roy Atkin from the class of 1956, said the group’s seed money was a scholarship fund started in 1956. Today, however, BCHS seniors have ample opportunities to obtain scholarships, so about eight years ago the group decided to stop giving scholarships and use the money for things the school needs.
Members of the current student council were on hand at the reunion to thank the group and help with check in and a raffle.
And though they still have a few years to go until they are eligible to join the group, the soon-to-be graduates saw how good friends and special memories can melt away time.
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Happy 4th of July
Here are some pics from the BC Damboree celebrations in 1953 borrowed from the Boulder City Musuem webpage .. you can see at their great website at http://www.bcmha.org/Damboree.html
1943 .. Civil Defense, volunteer firemen
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Ferraro Murals
Photo provided by "Boulder City Social" a great website with BC info. For the Mural Tour click on their link:
Here is a great WWII pic of BC, I got from Facebook by a user "Vintage Vegas". It shows Camp Williston and it's barracks, which came into play in our days as a Mormon Church, National Guard meeting place and Polka Dot Haven. jw
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1st BC Schools in 1932 .. organized by the community.
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Dead Roses and Blooming Deserts: The Medical History of a New Deal Icon1
by: Michelle Follette Turk
“They died to make the desert bloom. The United States of America will continue to remember that many who toiled here found their final rest while engaged in the building of this dam. The United States of America will continue to remember the services of all who labored to clothe with substance the plans of those who first visioned the building of this dam.” 2
Although a memorial plaque at the Hoover Dam sets the number of workers killed during its construction at ninety-six, the real figure was nearly double.3
You can acces the whole artice/paper from the "In & Around BC" tab.
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Remember those dust devils at dry lake. .. Here is interesting article and video.
Yep! Boulder City, Nevada now has its own flower — it’s officially called the “Boulder City 31ers Heirloom Hollyhock” and it’s a pretty one, too!
The Boulder City/Hoover Dam Museum, with support from the 31ers and the Historic Preservation Committee, requested that the City adopt the hollyhock as the official flower for Boulder City in Resolution 5914, which was unanimously passed at the May 8th, 2012 City Council Meeting.
Below is an excerpt from the Museum’s official letter that gives a little history about the hollyhock plant and why it’s a recognizable piece of Boulder City history.
And if you would like to purchase seed packets of the Boulder City 31ers Heirloom Hollyhock, you can do that at the Boulder City/Hoover Dam Museum (located in the Boulder Dam Hotel at 1305 Arizona St.) for $5 per packet!
And a big thanks to Patty Sullivan for the great photos below of our new official flower…check out the whole plant image below!
Ila Clements-Davey and Laura Smith are two women who grew up in early Boulder City during the 1930s. Their father, Tom Godbey, was a Hoover Dam construction worker who built the first privately owned home on Avenue L. Taken from the oral histories of these women is a story about the first hollyhock seeds brought to Boulder City by their neighbor, Grandma Pickett. In the spring of 1932, the first hollyhock plants grew from little sprouts to tall, blossoming plants at Grandma Pickett’s house. The hollyhocks provided protection for the children playing outside in the hot desert sun. Laura Smith specifically remembers the effect the plants had on her as a small child, “As a little one I thought that was my best friend in all the world,” she said, “because it was shade.” Grandma Pickett shared her seeds with her neighbors, and shortly many homes on Avenue L had their very own hollyhocks on display.
Throughout the decades, the seeds from those first Boulder City hollyhock plants have been passed down through the generations of Boulder City families and throughout the community, as they can be seen blooming all throughout town this spring. The Boulder City/Hoover Dam Museum’s 31ers Educational Outreach Program also uses the hollyhock oral history as a tool to educate children about environment, agriculture, and (through the oral histories) use of primary sources as valuable research material.
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Boulder Dam Hotel
There have been numerous books written about the construction of Boulder Dam (subsequently renamed Hoover Dam) but I stumbled onto one very simple book about it. This Zane Grey novel, Boulder Dam, published in 1963, years after Grey died. In it, Grey's hero, Biff, works at eleven different jobs on the construction site. I recommend it just for a view of construction work and Boulder City in the 1930s.
And a lot of pictures have been taken of the dam and of its construction. If you see a picture of workers toiling away on Boulder Dam, there's a pretty good chance that it was taken by Ben Glaha who was hired to document the project. Glaha was a very talented and artistic photographer and a book of his work at the dam was published in 1999 by Santa Barbara art professor, Barbara Vilander.
About four years ago, we were passing through the desert Southwest again, and happened upon the Boulder Dam Hotel in Boulder City. Well, that's not quite accurate. Linda's sister lives in Boulder City and she knew that this was they kind of hotel that we would love. It's on the National Register of Historic Places and has an elegant lobby with lots of historic photos. She was right. This was our room.
Notice that picture on the wall? It is the Boulder Dam Hotel at an earlier date. I went out and took a current picture for comparison.
Now, last January, we were browsing through an antique mall in the Pensacola, Florida, area and I came upon issue number two of U.S. Camera from January, 1939. Inside is a feature article on Boulder Dam by Ben Glaha. It has a couple of Glaha's well-known pictures but also has this one titled simply, "Dan."
I sent the magazine along to sister-in-law Cindy who promptly told me that there is a statue of Dan in Boulder City. Well, I missed it when we were there. But just a few blocks from the Boulder Dam Hotel, there is indeed a statue of Dan by sculptor, Steven Liguori. He has taken a bit of liberty with the name but that's Dan, don't you think?
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There are a couple of1950 Football Programs of the Golden Eagles in the "Reunion Photos" section. They were provided by Richard Workman '62, he said his mom and dad saved everything.
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How many remember setting pins along side Kieth Pymm. But, one of your fellow alumni stepped in saying “ Kids and adults need this landmark saved “ . He bought the building, completely remodeled it, and re-negotiated the lease so the operator would continue.
museum with the great murals on the walls depicting the building of the Dam. Thank You Pepper Coombes for being such a loyal, sentimental Boulder City Kid.
way aficionados, Nevada State Railroad Museum volunteers, Henderson City Council members, and assorted other dignitaries. It marked the first passenger train from Boulder City to ever travel far enough into Henderson to see the Las Vegas Strip. The last time a passenger train made such a journey was in 1935, long before the Strip existed.
isit the "Memory" page of Frank Shelton 42 to see the history of an acheiver from McKeeversville. 
We all remeber Mrs. Martha Pike King. Boy was she modest .. I would have surely bragged about my father getting the "Medal of Honor". Bless her sweet heart .. she was a guiding light for a lot of us. p.s. Pike's Peak is named after her grandfather. Go to her profile on this website for more Mrs. King history. Jim W.
re is a warm Boulder City story spanning 5 generat
ions. To cut to the end Mary Jane Carter Richey Smith recently gifted her mom's cello to Maansi Kalra Widner. Seems simple but it involves a list of BC connections. The key figure is Mary Jane, a 1943 BCHS grad, I think one of the oldest surviving grads , 77 years ago. Mary Jane moved to BC (Rag Town) in 1931 along with her mom, Eliza and her dad, Sam. . Her dad worked on the Dam and was killed there in 1934, her mom worked at Central Market and started the first newspaper in BC. Eliza passed away young in 1946. Eliza played “the Cello” during her high school years 1905-08 +- Mary Jane has kept it all these years, through many a move. The picture to the left was taken by Johnnie Manis at the 1939 Veterans Par
ade. Eliza is kind of in the middle with dark jacket.. She was active in the American Legion. When I found this pic on the UNLV website and sent it to MJ she was ecstatic , since she did not have any pics of her mom. Mary Jan used to play the piano at the American Legion Hall, all during her Jr. & Sr. high days. She is 94 now and still plays the piano twice every Sunday. at her son's church.
had taken piano lessons, guitar lessons, and violin lessons. The latter leading up to her goal of learning the cello. Over the last few years Mary Jane and Maansi talk by phone. often and have become very attached. Then Mary Jane declared she was going to give her mom's 100 ye
or 5 generations. It starts with Anna Parks who started Palm Mortuary in 1926 in Las Vegas. It involves several BCHS Alumni and families .. But it is really about Mary Jane's dad.
40s
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Flash Back - Growing up in Boulder City .. things we might remember 1. Snake dance through town after bond fire kicking off football season. 2. bike parade on the 4th 3. . parade downtown in Halloween costumes 4. . swimming lessons at the lake 5. . going barefoot all summer and extracting “stickers” from our feet 6. . going shirtless all summer and getting sun burned again 7. . playing baseball (before LL) teams selected by streets Thanks Mr. Whalen 8. . rice and gravy at Harry's for 25cents 9. . buying cinnamon from drug store for cinnamon sticks.jpg)
10..chocolate/cherry shakes from Frostie 11..“Country Store” every fall at Grace Comm. Church 12..Boy Scout camp at Camp Bonanza in Mt. Charleston 13..Girl Scout meetings in the unique clubhouse – a WWII plane 14..Hikes to the river 15..exploring the drainage tunnels at the dam, at night 16..rolling down the hill at the big park 17..going to the movie for 2 used milk containers 18.. meeting your date in the lobby of the theater, so you didn't pay I guess 19..parties at Moby's Cove 20..assemblies with Liberace, his mother & brother. .JPG)
21..Marge and Cower Champion dance lessons at assemblies 22..sports winning streaks 23..lining up for vaccinations at the school office 24..clearing the field of rocks at the grade/high school 25..soap box derby down the hill to McKeeversville 26. .playing marbles in the playground 27..sneaking into show 28..going to the movie about the Dam at Johnnie Manis' Visitor Center to get cooled off. 29..Going to the dump for bicycle and car parts 30..getting stuck in the sand on the power line roads 3 31..jumping the fence at the new pool and getting arrested 32..playing pool and dancing at Polka Dot Haven, playing pin pong in the back of the Tavern. 33..riding our bikes, or hitchhiking, down to the lake, hoping to get a ride home 34..sliding down the stairs at the post office 35..career day when you were the police chief or dam engineer 36..pictures on the fence and picnic in the park on the last day of school 37..summer bible school at Grace Community Church 38..driving endlessly around town at night 39..making a lamp in Mr. Gidden's shop class. 40..Pitching pennies in front of the drug store. 41..Jumping on pogo sticks up and down steps and up on landings. 42..Football games at the big park from early morning until late afternoon – 43..Practicing the trumpet with the windows open, until the neighbors yelled enough 44..Singing on the bus ride home from football an
d basketball away games. 45 .Following the water truck that watered trees. Standing under the flow of water. 46 .Flash floods, surfing and riding in tubs down the streets. 47.Building dams in the desert to make a swimming pool during the flooding 48.Getting in tires and rolling down California Street. 49.. Starting landslides down the canyons going to the river. 50.. Singing on the bus ride to the lake 51.. Watching the "Bomb" in bleachers at the school. 52.. Guarding the fire wood for the big rally bonfire. 53..Freshman Initiations, eating raw eggs, swats,polishing shoes,eating onions 54.. Golfing at the 3 hole dirt course, and finding balls that had exploded due to the sun. 55.. Collecting tomatoes below the sewer plant by "B" hill. 56.. Chasing donkeys below the sewer run off. 57.. Having China Berry Fights 58.. Playing Frisbee with old discarded records at the old radio station 59.. Eating a burger and ice cream at the Sweet Shop 60.. Get
ting a burger at Dossett's Hamburger Stand for 15 cents 61.. Setting pins at the bowling alley for 10 cents a line 62.. Making our own skate boards out of discarded roller skates and an orange crate 63.. Helping build the Polka Dot Haven 64.. Climbing the Greased Pole on the 4th of July to get the $5 on top. 65.. Running through the sprinklers at the big park 66.. Letting off firecrackers and cherry bombs. 67.. Marching with Whelan's Drum and Bugle Corp Band on California Street. 68..Collecting horny toads, turtles,snakes, lizards, Gila m.JPG)
onsters 69.. Watching the Army Tanks drive by on New Mexico St on Camp Williston 70. Learning how to box at the jail 71.. Saturday Night Boxing Matches at Peterson Field 72.. Watching TWA planes land 73.. Seeing Movie Stars when them came to town, Frank Sinatra, 74.. Going to Floor Shows in Vegas that were free, but one bought a Shirley Temple 75.. Sleeping outside every night in the summer 76.. Dogs that chased us... Jupiter. Jinks, Taddy, and bit at our pant legs while riding bikes 77.. Walking to pick up a date 78.. Jumping on running boards of cars for a ride up the street. 79.. Rolling Toilet Paper down the face of the Dam 80..Putting our cars in neutral to see how far we could go to the Lake 81..Swimm
ing at night at Lake Mead 82.. Playing mumble peg with knives 83.. Learning to water ski by friends parents who had a boat and would take us. 84.. Swimming under the large diving rafts in the Lake to see fish. 85..
we BCHS kids pitched in $7000 toward helping Gracie. Gracie is attending BCHS from home , 
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Here is a pic of the Hospital and the Welsh home .. 3 of our alumni grew up there .. Jim '49, Don '55, Myron '57. 
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nions and picutre with two OLD TIMERS Fred Holland '43 and Mary Jane Carter '43
d Lavonne (Donations Committee members, along with Denny) presenting the donation to Mr. Gillette. Three happy faces. 
Director James Gillette is being recognized for leading the Eagles to four top-five finishes in the Nevada Marching Band Open Series competitions this year. Principal Amy Wagner told the 
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d to visitation. The original exhibit building, located in the Nevada Spillway lot, became the headquarters and home for the soldiers guarding the dam. Even tour guides helped in the effort by becoming part of the ranger force. To increase security, all exterior lighting at the dam, power plant and switch yards was turned off except during periods of inspection or repair; windows in the power plant were blacked out with paint; and machine gun posts were constructed around the dam. All measures remained in place until the war ended and on September 2, 1945 all normal security measures and activities resumed!
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Here is a picture collage with an intereting tie to basket ball history at BCHS. Top pic shows Pepper coombes presenting to Jim Widner winning a picture frame at the Reunion drawing. Jim thought what better ending for that frame than David Shay. p.s. frame was made by Jenks Ranor. When framing the pic Jim selected a BB Jacket from the 40s and a few pics of David role in BC basketball. 
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rs from the Youtube page that loads. 
one day Charlie Smee came in and got an ice cream cone .. he paid with a $20 bill .. believe me no kid had a $20 bill in those days. Betty, my mom called Dorthy , Charlies mom and asked if she knew Charlie had a $20 bill .. well 
ee's home is in the pic
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including her father Johnnie Manis. We can all thank him for recording BC history by thousands of pics and thank Pat and her family for turning them over to UNLV to be scanned and made available to all of us. 
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If you haven’t had the pleasure of meeting Connie Burnett-Ferraro then you are missing out on a local treasure! Connie has been the artist behind the creation of several murals here in town, including the latest freize on the BCHS Theater. 
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Ila Clements-Davey and Laura Smith are two women who grew up in early Boulder City during the 1930s. Their father, Tom Godbey, was a Hoover Dam construction worker who built the first privately owned home on Avenue L. Taken from the oral histories of these women is a story about the first hollyhock seeds brought to Boulder City by their neighbor, Grandma Pickett. In the spring of 1932, the first hollyhock plants grew from little sprouts to tall, blossoming plants at Grandma Pickett’s house. The hollyhocks provided protection for the children playing outside in the hot desert sun. Laura Smith specifically remembers the effect the plants had on her as a small child, “As a little one I thought that was my best friend in all the world,” she said, “because it was shade.” Grandma Pickett shared her seeds with her neighbors, and shortly many homes on Avenue L had their very own hollyhocks on display.
