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Nevada Women's Archives

As part of the Special Collections of UNLV Libraries, the Nevada Women's Archives project began in September 1994 to collect, preserve, and provide access to primary source materials documenting women's history in Southern Nevada.

Materials resulting from women's activities in political, social, cultural, religious, commercial and economic life are the focus of the collection. The Archives collection includes legal papers, business and personal correspondence, family memorabilia, and family photo albums. Once collections are processed and cataloged, information is accessible through the library's catalog and online to researchers not only in the community but also internationally.

Special Collections at the University of Nevada, Reno began its Nevada Women's Archives Project in 1992. With the participation of the UNLV Libraries, the Nevada Women's Archives Project became truly a statewide effort to collect, to catalog, to preserve, and to make accessible the records and the papers of Nevada women and women's organizations.

The papers and photographs of Helen J. Stewart, "First Lady of Las Vegas" are part of the Nevada Women's Archives in Special Collections
The Jean Ford Papers focus on the work of this influential politician and activist who was one of the founders of the Nevada Women's Archives
The Nevada Women's Archives holds the Florence and John Cahlan Collection which contains the papers of Florence Lee Jones Cahlan, one of the first female journalists in Las Vegas.

Collection Directory and Highlights

The Collection Directory provides a list of over 200 collections that make up the Nevada Women's Archives at UNLV Special Collections. They are listed alphabetically by collection name, and those with online collection guides are linked to the individual guides.

The Nevada Women's Archives features the papers of women active in a variety of fields from gaming to politics to entertainment to community activism. Here are just a few of the collections that form the Nevada Women's Archives in UNLV Special Collections:

Pioneers

Gaming

Politicians and Elected Officials

Political and Community Activists

Women's Organizations

Collecting Efforts

The Nevada Women's Archives in UNLV Special Collections actively seeks the papers and records of women and organizations that have made significant contributions to Las Vegas and Southern Nevada. The following lists provide information on the types of materials we collect and the types of collections that we are seeking for the NWA. Please contact us if you would like to discuss donating a collection to the Nevada Women's Archives. 

Types of materials collected

  • Correspondence and diaries
  • Minutes and proceedings of organizations
  • Printed materials, such as newsletters, pamphlets, brochures, flyers, and programs
  • Financial records - ledgers, journals, bills, receipts
  • Legal Documents, such as deeds, contracts, wills and mortgages
  • Literary materials - research notes, manuscripts, memoirs, reports, speeches
  • Scrapbooks
  • Photographs, photo albums, film, videos
  • Audio and video recordings
  • Maps, charts, diagrams, graphs, lists

Common sources of materials on women in Southern Nevada

  • Civic and community organizations and clubs
  • Business records
  • Personal papers
  • Church groups and clubs
  • Business and professional organizations:
  • Leisure & recreational groups
  • Military organizations
  • Labor organizations
  • Political activities and organizations
  • School-related organizations (e.g., sororities)

For more information

Contact Su Kim Chung, Head Special Collections Public Services and Curator of the Nevada Woman's Archives.

The Nevada Women's Archives works with the Women's Research Institute of Nevada to collect materials documenting women’s history in Southern Nevada.