https://blogs.chapman.edu/huell-howser-archives/2011/09/30/las-vegas-road-trip-with-huell-howser-156/ It started with water! Las Vegas – Road Trip with Huell Howser (156) 30 Sep 2011 Road Trip Huell heads for the hustle and bustle of Las Vegas to find some of the “hidden” gold in this historic town. From the Old Las Vegas Mormon Fort State Historic Park to the Atomic Testing Museum, there’s a lot to see and do. Atomic Testing Museum Las Vegas Mormon Fort State Historic Park I really like this show from 2011 - staying off The Strip of Vegas 0) Las Vegas sign 5100 Las Vegas Boulevard, southern end of Las Vegas Strip, in the median https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Welcome_to_Fabulous_Las_Vegas_sign 1) Starts at https://parks.nv.gov/parks/old-las-vegas-mormon-fort Old Las Vegas Mormon Fort State Historic Park Talking with NV state ranger, make point Vegas = Meadows Old Las Vegas Mormon Fort, the first permanent, non-native settlement in the Las Vegas Valley, features the historic remains of an adobe fort built by Mormon missionaries along a spring-fed creek in 1855. The creek, the only free-flowing water for miles around, provided irrigation for fields and orchards and the 22,000 square foot outpost served as a way station for travelers. Today the park is located in what is now Downtown Las Vegas. In addition to the fort, which contains a multitude of historic artifacts, a Visitor Center contains exhibits and photos that illustrate the history of the site. Next came the steam RR, for the water. Then the "wedding industry" https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Las_Vegas_weddings 26March1984 Glen & Kris Stewart were married here, at City Hall The London Daily Herald described Las Vegas as the "Marriage Capital of the World" in 1953, a title which has remained since.[1] It has held the title because of the ease of acquiring a marriage license and the minimal costs involved in having a wedding in Las Vegas. The city continues to be known as a popular wedding destination for the same reasons, but also as a result of the various types of weddings available. Next in ranger's history story was Boulder City and the building of Hoover Dam https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hoover_Dam The Hoover Dam is a concrete arch-gravity dam in the Black Canyon of the Colorado River, on the border between the U.S. states of Nevada and Arizona. Constructed between 1931 and 1936, during the Great Depression, it was dedicated on September 30, 1935, by President Franklin D. Roosevelt. Its construction was the result of a massive effort involving thousands of workers, and cost over 100 lives. Bills passed by Congress during its construction referred to it as Hoover Dam (after President Herbert Hoover), but the Roosevelt administration named it Boulder Dam. In 1947, Congress restored the name Hoover Dam. 2) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Atomic_Testing_Museum The National Atomic Testing Museum in Las Vegas, Nevada, documents the history of nuclear testing at the Nevada Test Site (NTS) in the Mojave Desert about 65 miles (105 km) northwest of Las Vegas. The museum operates as an affiliate of the Smithsonian Institution. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nevada_Test_Site The Nevada National Security Sites (N2S2[1] or NNSS), popularized as the Nevada Test Site (NTS) until 2010,[2] is a reservation of the United States Department of Energy located in the southeastern portion of Nye County, Nevada, about 65 mi (105 km) northwest of the city of Las Vegas. Formerly known as the Nevada Proving Grounds of the United States Army, the site was acquired in 1951 to be the testing venue for the American nuclear devices. The first atmospheric test was conducted at the site's Frenchman Flat area by the United States Atomic Energy Commission (USAEC) on January 27, 1951. About 928 nuclear tests were conducted here through 1994, when the United States stopped its underground nuclear testing. - became a marketing tool for Las Vegas, come watch the next test! 60 miles away from The Strip. Then went to underground tests, nothing to see but craters in the earth. 3)Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red_Rock_Canyon_National_Conservation_Area The Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area in Clark County, Nevada, United States, is an area managed by the Bureau of Land Management as part of its National Landscape Conservation System, and protected as a National Conservation Area. It is about 15 miles (24 km) west of Las Vegas. More than three million people visit the area each year.[2] The conservation area showcases a set of large red rock formations: a set of sandstone peaks and walls that were formed by thrust faults including the Keystone Thrust. The walls are up to 3,000 feet (910 m) high, making them a popular hiking and rock climbing destination. The highest point is La Madre Mountain, at 8,154 feet (2,485 m). A one-way, loop road, 13 miles (21 km) long, provides vehicle access to many of the features in the area. Several side roads and parking areas allow access to many of the area trails. A visitor center is at the start of the loop road. The loop road is also popular for bicycle touring; it begins with a moderate climb, then is mostly downhill or flat. 4) Springs Preserve https://www.springspreserve.org/ 333 W Valley View Blvd, Las Vegas NV 89107 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Springs_Preserve Las Vegas Springs Preserve consists of 180 acres (73 ha) dedicated to nature walks and displays and is owned and operated by the Las Vegas Valley Water District. The Preserve is located approximately three miles west of downtown Las Vegas, Nevada. The Preserve is built around the original water source for Las Vegas, the Las Vegas Springs. The Springs Preserve includes colorful desert botanical gardens, museum galleries, outdoor concert and event venues, an indoor theater, historic photo gallery and a series of walking trails that meander through a wetland habitat. The Gardens at the Las Vegas Springs Preserve, previously known as the Desert Demonstration Gardens opened in 1980 at another location. The gardens now occupy 8 acres (3.2 ha) within the Springs Preserve site. History While construction on the preserve began in 2005, the custom designed sound wall separating the site from U.S. Route 95 had been erected earlier. There also was work over the years to maintain and restore the springs, the waterworks and infrastructure of the springs. The Preserve opened on June 8, 2007. - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Las_Vegas_Springs The Las Vegas Springs or Big Springs[2] is the site of a natural oasis, known traditionally as a cienega. For more than 15,000 years, springs broke through the desert floor, creating grassy meadows (called las vegas by Spanish New-Mexican explorers).[3] The bubbling springs were a source of water for Native Americans living here at least 5,000 years ago.[4] Known as The Birthplace of Las Vegas it sustained travelers of the Old Spanish Trail and Mormons who came to settle the West.[2] The springs' source is the Las Vegas aquifer.[5] The springs are now a part of the Las Vegas Springs Preserve. Las Vegas Springs was once the site of three springs, running into two large pools of water. It is a site historically known for a gathering of pioneers and Native Americans and early settlers in the Las Vegas Valley. In 1905, it provided the water source to the budding town and railroad. Once pipe lines were laid and wells were drilled, the water table dropped, and the springs stopped flowing to the surface in 1962. The site is currently undergoing rehabilitation to protect what remains architecturally and archaeologically.[6] Now, it is 180 acres of historic land located just west of Downtown Las Vegas. It is open to the public. History The first non-Native American crossing Las Vegas Springs was Raphael Rivera in 1829. He was the Mexican scout for the expedition of Antonio Armijo who pioneered the Old Spanish Trail between New Mexico and California.[7] Later, American traveler John C. Fremont and Kit Carson camped at the springs in 1844.[2] The springs stopped flowing to the surface in 1962[8] as the water table dropped as more water was pumped out to meet the demands of a growing population than was being replaced by rainfall and snow melt. Uncontrolled use of private wells and wasted water contributed to the early depletion of the aquifer. This forced the Las Vegas Land and Water Company to drill 'Well No. 1' in 1923[9] to supply the demands for water. The springs and associated infrastructure have been listed on the National Register of Historic Places since 1978[10] and are marked as Nevada Historical Marker 40. - https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperience/features/lasvegas-early/ --------------- additional info --------------- 1) https://parks.nv.gov/learn/park-histories/old-las-vegas-mormon-fort-history History of Old Las Vegas Mormon Fort State Historic Park Old Fort illustration by Thaddeus Kenderdine, 1858 More than 150 years ago, a spring-fed creek flowed through the Las Vegas Valley, creating an oasis in the desert. With the only free-flowing water and grass for miles around, the site attracted the native Paiute as well as traders, emigrants and gold seekers traveling the Old Spanish Trail to California. The Spaniards called the place las vegas, which is Spanish for the meadows. Archeological excavations of the fort site revealed pottery shards, stone tools and projectile points of both Anasazi and Paiute origin. A high concentration of artifacts was uncovered directly north of the northeastern fort bastion, suggesting the presence of a campsite that was intermittently used for centuries prior to the arrival of Euro-Americans. By the 1830s the meadows of Las Vegas had become an important stop on the Old Spanish Trail, the notoriously treacherous route broken in by yearly mule caravans that traded between two far flung outposts on Mexico’s northern frontier: Santa Fe and Los Angeles. The Las Vegas springs and creek, which flowed along the southern boundary of the modern site, proved to be a very welcome amenity for the traders, mountain men and horse thieves passing through on the trail. The Mexican-American War, as well as the Mormon settlement of Salt Lake City in 1847, caused a reorientation of the Old Spanish Trail’s eastern terminus from Santa Fe to Salt Lake City. Mormon travelers began passing through the meadows of Las Vegas almost immediately after settling northern Utah due to the need to procure supplies from southern California. With the sudden increase in freight and emigrant traffic on this trail, and the need for security on this vital trade route, the settlement of Las Vegas became a practical step for the expanding Mormon state. In June of 1855 thirty Mormon settlers led by President William Bringhurst arrived at the meadows and with the assistance of the local Paiute population began construction of a fort structure along the creek. The fort was made of adobe bricks and, when completed, consisted of four walls 150 feet long, two bastions and a row of two-story interior buildings. Parts of the original eastern wall and the southeast bastion remain preserved on the site today. The settlers diverted water from the creek to irrigate farmland and constructed an adobe corral directly north of the fort. However, crop failures, disappointing yields in nearby lead mining efforts and dissension among the group’s leaders caused the settlers to abandon the fort in March of 1857. While the Mormon settlement of Las Vegas proved unsuccessful, their legacy continued in the adobe buildings they constructed. In 1861 the fort was used as a store for travelers by Albert Knapp, and in 1865 Octavius Decatur Gass acquired the site of the fort to be used as a ranch. Gass became an important figure in the region, serving four annual terms in the Arizona Territorial Legislature and selling food and supplies to the miners at El Dorado Canyon and the Mormon settlers of St. Thomas. Gass lost the ranch in 1881 after failing to repay a loan to rancher Archibald Stewart. Stewart moved his children and wife, Helen, from Pioche to Las Vegas in 1883. Archibald Stewart’s time spent running the ranch was cut short in 1884, when he was killed in a gunfight at the nearby Kiel Ranch, leaving his wife in charge of the property. Helen Stewart successfully ran the ranch for nearly two decades until she sold the ranch and the land that would become downtown Las Vegas to the San Pedro, Los Angeles & Salt Lake Railroad in 1902. When the railroad tracks came through downtown Las Vegas in 1905, a new era in the city’s history was born. Helen Stewart’s importance in the region’s history, as well as her continued involvement in the affairs of the young community, earned her the sobriquet “The First Lady of Las Vegas.” The operation of the ranch was continued for a time under the railroad company. From 1929 to 1931 the site played a part in the construction of Hoover Dam when the Bureau of Reclamation leased the adobe building and used it as a concrete testing laboratory. For a time the remaining fort buildings served as residences for several families until being acquired by the Las Vegas Elks, who operated a restaurant on the site. Efforts to preserve the site, headed by the Daughters of Utah Pioneers, proved successful when the City of Las Vegas purchased the property in 1971. The Nevada Division of State Parks acquired the site from the City in 1991 and developed the grounds to include a partial reconstruction of the fort, a modern visitor center and a re-creation of the Las Vegas Creek. The Old Las Vegas Mormon Fort State Historic park remains committed to preserving and sharing the birthplace of Las Vegas with visitors now and into the future. 4) https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperience/features/lasvegas-early/#:~:text=The%20artesian%20springs%2C%20at%20the,by%20Paiute%20or%20Ute%20peoples. Las Vegas: An Unconventional History | Article Early Las Vegas https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperience/films/lasvegas/ https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperience/features/lasvegas-early/ lasvegas_early.jpg McWilliams' Townsite. Courtesy: UNLV Special Collections The artesian springs, at the site of present day Las Vegas, had been used by humans for about 15,000 years when in 1829 a band of New Mexican traders en route to Los Angeles came upon it. Chances are they had been directed there by Paiute or Ute peoples. The lush valley containing freshwater springs that they found was described in their native Spanish as las vegas. Fremont Passes Through The vegas remained largely unknown to the general public until May 1844, when explorer John C. Fremont made note in his travel log of camping at the springs with his expedition party. Though only about a half a dozen people followed in his footsteps to the spring, Fremont's impact on the area would be remembered in the naming of Las Vegas' main downtown street, Fremont Street. The Mormons Build a Settlement The first permanent settlement of the area did not occur until 1855, when about 30 Mormon missionaries, journeying from Salt Lake City, constructed a 150 square foot adobe fort to establish a mail stop between Salt Lake City and Los Angeles. The missionaries watched over the mail route, planted trees and gardens, and mined lead in nearby Potosi Mountain. Disagreements arose among them about the role of mining to their mission, and then it turned out that the lead was not pure, so in 1858, the mission was abandoned. The Widowed Helen Stewart In 1863 an Ohioan named Octavius Decatur Gass, also honored with a Las Vegas street, began acquiring land and ranching on it. At first a success, he soon fell into financial disaster, and mortgaged his land to Archibald Stewart. The ranch prospered for five years under his hand, but Stewart died in 1884 leaving the land to his wife Helen. The widowed Stewart remained on the land, working it with hired hands and providing rest for travellers and postal services for the area. The Railroad Comes Through The foundation for modern day Las Vegas was laid in 1902, when U.S. Senator William Clark of Montana bought the rights to the former Mormon settlement from Helen Stewart. For $55,000, Clark purchased 2,000 acres worth of land and water rights in hopes of developing a town around his burgeoning San Pedro, Los Angeles & Salt Lake Railroad. Land Auction As workers arrived in the summer of 1904 to begin construction on his railroad, Clark announced that in May 1905 he would be auctioning off lots, priced between $150 and $750, which he had divided from his 2,000-acre plot, east of the planned tracks. McWilliams Townsite In anticipation of the construction of Clark's railroad, another surveyor, J.T. McWilliams, had purchased 80 acres west of the planned railroad tracks. McWilliams began selling lots for $100 each at the end of 1904. By the time Clark's railroad was complete in January of 1905, McWilliams' town boasted more than one hundred buildings, including barbers, hotels and stores. Luring Buyers Spurred by the development of McWilliams' competing town site, Clark embarked on an aggressive campaign to lure prospective buyers to the area, promising those who bought land in the auctions a full refund on their $16 train fare. Newspaper advertisements for Clark's Las Vegas Townsite urged prospectors to "Get into line early. Buy now, double your money in 60 days." Water Rights Furthermore, to outdo McWilliams, Clark formed the Las Vegas Land and Water Company, assuring prospective buyers that once lots were purchased, the company would provide road, sewer and water maintenance. He also refused to provide water to the McWilliams Townsite. In negotiating his purchase from Helen Stewart, Clark had bought all water rights for the area. Failed Townsite McWilliams' Original Las Vegas Townsite, although bustling, lacked any promise of sanitation maintenance. The buildings, made from wood and canvas, caught fire frequently. Stockyards brimming with livestock brought hordes of flies. Most importantly, without access to water in the Nevada heat, McWilliams simply could not compete with Clark. 3,000 Buyers Clark's plan paid off. Prospective buyers flocked to the area, building encampments along the Las Vegas Creek weeks in advance of the auction. By May 14, 1905, over 3,000 people had arrived in the area. Fever Pitch On May 15, 1905, in front of the makeshift train depot -- a parlor car parked at the end of Fremont Street -- investors began bidding for the coveted Fremont Street lots. Over the course of the day, the auction became increasingly intense. The heat and close quarters, coupled with the land-hungry atmosphere, caused the auctions to reach a fever pitch. Bidding Wars By the end of the day, the going price for some of the lots had reached twice their initial value. Some of the bidders, frustrated and angry at the skyrocketing prices, began to protest. The possibility of riots forced Clark to cancel the next day's auction; he sold the remaining lots the next day for market price. A Good Profit The auction, typical for its time, had yielded more than $265,000 for Clark. In total, Clark sold more than 600 lots, at an almost 500 percent profit. Many businesses and civilians who had resided on McWilliams Townsite transferred to Clark's side of the tracks. By the end of the auctions, scores of canvas tents that housed businesses on the west side of the tracks had relocated to the east and were setting up shop by the end of the day. Duped Once the frenzied atmosphere of Clark's auctions died down, however, many of the investors who had purchased lots became impatient with the town's seemingly slow growth. A month-and-a-half after Clark's auction, two dozen of the investors had abandoned their lots, convinced that Clark had duped them into buying worthless land. Block 16 Still, many stayed. The railroad maintenance shop employed between 400 and 800 workers at various times. Eventually, more permanent forms of construction cropped up; brick and stone establishments, schools and pharmacies, were built. One of the biggest draws in the town was Block 16, where liquor, prostitution and gambling were legal. Block 16 catered to the repair yard workers, but weary travelers and miners also flocked to the saloons for refreshment while their trains stopped in the town for maintenance. Soon, Las Vegas became a popular and bustling place. Uncertain Future With the end of World War I, however, the need for Nevada's mining industry diminished. In 1922, the city joined the national railroad strike; in 1927 the Union Pacific left town as payback. The majority of Las Vegans worked for the railroad. When the railroad shut down, so did the town. The once busy Fremont Street grew quiet and many businesses went bankrupt. Still in its infancy, Las Vegas's future was uncertain.