Tag Archives: Nevada

St. Thomas, Nevada

15 Sunday Nov 2020

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St. Thomas is an interesting ghost town because it was abandoned two different times. It was settled by Thomas Smith in 1865 and grew to over 500 people but six years later a new survey moved the state line and made it so St. Thomas was in Nevada – Nevada ordered the payment of back taxes which the people could not afford and they left. Others came in and took up living there but in the 1930’s the Hoover Dam was built and raised the water line to cover the town, causing it to be abandoned again. Later the waters receded and the ruins were uncovered.

Kyle (Kiel) Ranch

06 Thursday Aug 2020

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Kyle (Kiel) Ranch

Established by Conrad Kiel in 1875, this was one of the only two major ranches in Las Vegas Valley throughout the 19th century. The Kiel tenure was marked by violence. Neighboring rancher Archibald Stewart was killed in a gunfight here in 1884. Edwin and William Kiel were found murdered on the ranch in October 1900.

The San Pedro, Los Angeles and Salt Lake Railroad purchased the ranch in 1903 and later sold it to Las Vegas banker John S. Park, who built the elegant white mansion.

Subsequent owners included Edwin Taylor (1924-39), whose cowboy ranch hands competed in national rodeos, and Edwin Losee (1939-58), who developed the Boulderado Dude Ranch here, a popular residence for divorce seekers.

In the late 1950’s, business declined and the ranch was sold. In 1976, 26 acres of the original ranch were purchased jointly by the City of North Las Vegas and its Bicentennial Committee as a historic project.

Nevada State Historic Marker # 224

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Jean, Nevada

06 Thursday Aug 2020

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A historic marker about Jean, Nevada located in Jean, Nevada.

Founded in 1904 as Goodsprings Junction, a station on the San Pedro, Los Angeles and Salt Lake Railroad, Jean received its current name in 1905 when the post office was opened. It was named in honor of Jean Fayle, the wife of George Fayle who had built a mercantile business and had the post office in his store.

The town enjoyed some growth with the building of the Yellow Pine Mining Company Railroad from Goodsprings to connect with the railroad here in 1911. By the time the Yellow Pine railroad was torn up in 1930, Jean was a stop for travelers on Highway 91 (today’s I-15).

Peter A. “Pop” Simon created a new motel-store-gas station- casino complex here called Pop’s Oasis in 1947. It was a favorite stop for many and lasted until 1988. In 1987, the Gold Strike Hotel and Gambling Hall opened, and continues to serve the traveling public.

Potosi

03 Monday Aug 2020

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The desire of local Mormon settlers for economic self-sufficiency led to mining by missionaries for lead at Potosi. In 1858, Nathaniel V. Jones was sent to recover ore from the “mountain of lead” 30 miles southwest of the mission at Las Vegas Springs. About 9,000 lbs. were recovered before smelting difficulties forced the remote mine to be abandoned in 1857. Potosi became the first abandoned mine in Nevada.

In 1861, California mining interests reopened the mine, and a smelter and rock cabins for 100 miners made up the camp of Potosi. Even more extensive operations resulted after the transcontinental Salt Lake and San Pedro R.R. (now the union pacific) was built through the county in 1905.

During World War I, Potosi was an important source of zinc.

Nevada Historic Marker #115

The Old Spanish Trail

03 Monday Aug 2020

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The Old Spanish Trail

1829-1850

Stretching for 130 miles across Clark County, this historic horse trail became Nevada’s first route of commerce in 1829 when trade was initiated between Santa Fe and Los Angeles. The trail was later used by the wagons of the “49ers” and Mormon pioneers. Concrete posts marking the trail were erected in 1965.

Nevada Historical Marker No. 34

The Old Spanish Trail

29 Wednesday Jul 2020

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The Old Spanish Trail

1829-1850

Stretching for 130 miles across Clark County, this historic horse trail became Nevada’s first route of commerce in 1829 when trade was initiated between Santa Fe and Los Angeles. The trail was later used by the wagons of the “49ers” and Mormon pioneers. Concrete posts marking the trail were erected in 1965.

Nevada Historical Marker No. 33

Located in Blue Diamond in front of the Village Market Mercantile at:
N 36.04684 W 115.40651

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The Last Spike

07 Tuesday Jul 2020

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This site is near where workers drove the last spike which completed the railroad between Salt Lake City, Utah, and Los Angeles, California. It was driven on January 30, 1905. This was the last “transcontinental” line to Southern California and one of the last lines built to the Pacific Coast. There was no formal celebration at the time of the last spike. The men on the spot gave some recognition to the event.

Las Vegas owes its existence to the railroad, then known as the San Pedro, Los Angeles and Salt Lake Railroad, as the men in charge laid out the town and established a division point there, taking advantage of a good supply of water.

Located at N 35.82381 W 115.28747

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  • Nevada State Historic Markers

Another historic marker about the same thing located nearby, from what I can tell at the actual location is this one:

The Last Spike

Track crews constructing west from Salt Lake City met track crews constructing east from Los Angeles January 30, 1905.

Located at N 35.84096 W 115.27352