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 Robert List was born on September 1, 1936 in Visalia, California, and raised in Carson City, Nevada. He received his B.S. from Utah State University in 1959 and his law degree from the Hastings College of Law in San Francisco in 1962. As a practicing attorney in Carson City List was active in a variety of local, state and national Republican organizations and served as Ormsby County District Attorney from 1966-1970. List was elected as Nevada's Attorney General in 1970 and re-elected in 1974.
In 1978 Bob List ran as a Republican against Lieutenant Governor Robert Rose and won a four-year term as governor, 1979-1982. In 1982 he was defeated in a bid for a second term by Attorney General Richard Bryan. List lives in Las Vegas and is chief executive officer of the Robert List Company.
Bob List was married to Kathryn Sue Geary in 1962; they had three children, Suzanne Kathryn, Franklin Mack, and Michelle Alice.
RECORDS
1959-1982; bulk 1979-1982. 67 cubic feet. Index to records
The records of Governor Robert List were created prior to the 1983 Legislative law declaring all Nevada governors' records to be public records belonging to the state and not to the governor who created them. Prior to 1983, governors were not required to turn their records over to the Nevada State Archives although many did so. Governors Paul Laxalt, Mike O'Callaghan, and Robert List were exempt from the 1983 statuatory requirements. O'Callaghan deposited his records with the Archives upon leaving office, specifing some restrictions on immediate access but opening them fully fairly soon; Laxalt and List chose to deposit their records in the Nevada State Archives but restricted access for 25 years from the last date of state service. Both the Laxalt and List records are now open for public access: see Statement on Access to Governor's Records.
At the time Governor List left office, he retained possession of several dozen boxes of material but later deposited those as well with the State Archives. This smaller group of records has been identified as "personal papers" although they are a mix of both personal and official records. Photographs and ephemera are included in the personal papers. These papers have been kept separately from List's official records and there is a separate finding aid for them.
The official records of the List governorship are arranged in the order created by the governor's staff. Generally that arrangement is alphabetical by subject or name; all the A-Z files for each year were kept as one unit and a set of new A-Z files were created each year. There are a number of inconsistancies in folder labeling; for example, "Nuclear" may stand alone as a subject but also be listed under an agency name, "Energy, Nuclear" or "Health, Nuclear." Boards and commission files are likewise somewhat inconsistant, with "commissions" and "committees" applied indiscriminatly. Very little reconciliation of those misnoemers have been applied by the Archives staff.
Some of the topics more completely represented are issues List faced as governor: the MX Missile system, nuclear waste disposal, crime and crime prevention, taxation, and the reorganization and reduction of state government as a result of the Glen Dubois' work on the Governor's Management Task Force.
The information that may be found in these records includes the following formats. Not all types or contents are in each category.
Agency Files may contain correspondence, memos, minutes of meetings, reports, manuals, books, brochures, informational flyers, state forms, proposals, studies, audit reports and papers.
Appointments and Resume Files are used to document and reference appointments of persons by the governor to boards, commissions, and similar bodies. The records may contain correspondence, resumes, letters of recommendation, notes and similar material.
Association Files are used to reference the national or regional associations (e.g., National Governors' Association) of which the governor is a member or has an interest. The files may contain correspondence, notes, agendas, minutes and reports.
Boards and Commission Minute Files contain copies of minutes of the boards and commissions of which the governor serves as chairman as well as boards on which he does not serve. The contents may include agendas, exhibits, appendices, transcripts, and reports.
Correspondence Files include correspondence sent or received by the governor or employees of his office in the performance of governmental duties concerning constituent issues and federal correspondence.
Extradition Files contain a copy of the application for issuance of requisition, with the indication of the governor's action, certified copy of the indictment, complaint, information and affidavits or the judgement of conviction.
Legislative Files are used as a work reference file for the activities of the legislature during the session. The files may consist of copies of legislative documents, correspondence, memos, notes, position papers, reports, statistical studies, and newspaper and magazine articles.
Mansion Files document the activities and history of the mansion. The files may contain memorabilia of historical significance.
Message Files contain the original or copy of governor's messages to the Legislature delivered at every regular session on the condition of the State and with the recommended measures he deems expedient. Also included are addresses delivered in even-numbered years.
News Release Files contain copies of the news releases issued from the governor's office. The files may also include correspondence, notes, charts, and related informational flyers.
Presentation and Speech Files contain copies of speeches delivered by the governor or his employees in the performance of governmental duties and are used to document public appearances, speeches, and presentations. The files may contain copies or originals of speeches, notes, agendas, and support materials.
Proclamation Files contain the proclamations issued by the governor. The files consist of copies of the proclamations, general correspondence, requests for proclamations, notes, reports and similar material.
Subject Files are used to document and reference correspondence to and from the governor concerning national and international organizations, federal and local governments, plus other organizations of interest. The files may contain correspondence, notes, flyers, newsletters, news articles, brochures, press clippings, and similar material.
PERSONAL PAPERS 1958-1987; bulk 1970-1982. 28 cubic feet plus 3 flat ephemera boxes and 2,446 photographs.
RECORDS:
At the time Governor List left office, he retained possession of several dozen boxes of material but later deposited those as well with the State Archives. This smaller group of records has been identified as "personal papers" although they are a mix of both personal and official records. They have been kept separately from List's official papers.
The List personal papers consist largely of election and re-election campaign materials (two Attorney General and two gubernatorial campaigns); speeches of both Robert and Kathy List; newspaper clippings; press releases; materials documenting List's involvement with the American Council of Young Political Leaders, the National Governors' Association, and the U.S. Air Force Board of Visitors; List's inaugural address and inaugural ball records; correspondence and invitations; photographs; and ephemera. Also included are some files on subjects or individuals such as the Air force Thunderbird accident at Nellis Air Force Base in 1982, gubernatorial office staff, the MX Missile system, disposition of the Harrah's Automobile Collection, and the Governor's Task Force on Crime.
These records are arranged alphabetically by folder title; folders were named by List staff and tend to be inconsistant. A folder list of contents is available.
PHOTOGRAPHS: 2,446 photographs, ca 1970-1984
 The List photo collection consists of black and white and color images and formal and informal subjects, from professional and amateur photographers. The collection was cataloged into an in-house Archives database. The subjects include Governor List, his wife Kathy, and their three children; election and re-election campaign activities, various Nevada geographical sites; inaugurations of governors Mike O'Callaghan and Robert List; state government officials and employees; former Nevada governors Paul Laxalt, Mike O'Callaghan, Grant Sawyer, and Charles Russell; U.S. Secretary of the Interior James Watt; U.S. presidents Richard Nixon, Gerald Ford, Jimmie Carter, and Ronald Reagan; and many show business celebrities.
EPHEMERA: 4 flat boxes, ca 1971-1982
This series consists largely of commemorative pieces given to Governor List on special occasions. There are plaques (selected), lucite-encased historic objects such as coins, collages of memorabelia such as those issued after the first mission of the spaceship Columbia, ribbon badges, political button badges, souvenir programs such as those for presidential inaugurations, National Governors' Association souvenir gifts, medals honoring anniversaries of special events, and certificates. These items are included in the collection folder list.
Photo credits:
Top: photographic portrait of Robert List, ca 1979-1982, LIS-0494, from the Nevada State Archives.
Bottom: Las Vegas entertainers Siegfried (r) and Roy (l) with Governor List and a rare white tiger, White Gold. White Gold's first public appearance was with Governor List, Feb. 6, 1980. LIS-1501, from the Nevada State Archives.
(Processed September 23, 2008)
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