Category: Points of Interest

Arrowhead Trail (1914-1924)

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The Arrowhead Trail (1914-1924) was an early attempt to connect Salt Lake City with Los Angeles, and is Nevada State Historic Marker 168 located in Valley of Fire State Park, Clark County, Nevada.

Vehicle on Arrowhead Trail (1914-1924) circa 1920s
Vehicle on Arrowhead Road circa 1920s

A rough road was built through this area in 1912 as part of the Arrowhead Trail, connecting Salt Lake City with Los Angeles. This road allowed people to travel through what became known as Valley of Fire.  In the 1920s the name was coined by an AAA official traveling through the park at sunset.  This person purportedly said that the entire valley looked like it was on fire; hence the name.

Nevada State Historical Markers identify significant places of interest in Nevada’s history. The Nevada State Legislature started the program in 1967 to bring the state’s heritage to the public’s attention with on-site markers. These roadside markers bring attention to the places, people, and events that make up Nevada’s heritage. They are as diverse as the counties they are located within and range from the typical mining boom and bust town to the largest and most accessible petroglyph sites in Northern Nevada Budget cuts to the program caused the program to become dormant in 2009. Many of the markers are lost or damaged.

Nevada State Historic Marker Text

Las Vegas promoters claimed to be the originators of this all-weather route between Los Angeles and Salt Lake City.  From the beginning, the Arrowhead Trail was a “grass roots” effort, including promotion by various chambers of commerce and volunteer construction by local citizens.  However, it was Charles H. Bigelow, from Los Angeles, who gave the trail publicity.  Between 1915 & 1916, he drove the entire route many times in the twin-six Packard he named “Cactus Kate.”

The trail, which extends near here, was built in 1915 and completed the section between St. Thomas and Las Vegas.  In its day it denoted a milestone of progress.

STATE HISTORICAL MARKER No. 168
STATE HISTORIC PRESERVATION OFFICE

Nevada State Historic Marker Summary

NameArrowhead Trail (1914-1924)
LocationValley of Fire, Clark County, Nevada
Latitude, Longitude36.4261, -114.4628
Nevada State Historic Marker Number168

Nevada State Historic Marker Trail Map

The Arrowhead Trail (1914-1924) state historic marker is along highway 168 in the valley of fire near Elephant Rock.

References

Nevada’s First State Park

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Nevada’s First State Park is Valley of Fire State Park and Nevada State Historic Marker number 150. The Valley of Fire derives its name from red sandstone formations, formed from great shifting sand dunes during the age of dinosaurs, 150 million years ago. Complex uplifting and faulting of the region, followed by extensive erosion, have created the present landscape.

Nevada's First State Park is Valley of Fire State Park and Nevada State Historic Marker 150
Nevada’s First State Park is Valley of Fire State Park and Nevada State Historic Marker 150

Other important rock formations include limestones, shales, and conglomerates. Prehistoric users of the Valley of Fire included the Basket Maker people and later the Anasazi Pueblo farmers from the nearby fertile Moapa Valley. The span of approximate occupation has been dated from 300 B.C. to 1150 A.D. Their visits probably involved hunting, food gathering, and religious ceremonies, although scarcity of water would have limited the length of their stay. Fine examples of rock art left by these ancient peoples can be found at several sites within the park.

Nevada State Historical Markers identify significant places of interest in Nevada’s history. The Nevada State Legislature started the program in 1967 to bring the state’s heritage to the public’s attention with on-site markers. These roadside markers bring attention to the places, people, and events that make up Nevada’s heritage. They are as diverse as the counties they are located within and range from the typical mining boom and bust town to the largest and most accessible petroglyph sites in Northern Nevada Budget cuts to the program caused the program to become dormant in 2009. Many of the markers are lost or damaged.

Nevada Start Marker Text

Along with most Americans, Nevadans by the 1920’s began to demand greater access to the outdoors, precipitating early efforts on the part of the legislature to designate state lands for recreational use.  Building on those efforts, a 1931 land exchange transferred 8760 acres of federal land to the state at Nevada.

In 1934, that land was officially dedicated as Valley of Fire, Nevada’s first state park.  The following year, Nevada’s legislature established this and three other parks at Beaver Dam, Cathedral Gorge and Kershaw-Ryan.  These parks owe much of their early infrastructure to the work of Civilian Conservation Corps crews led by Thomas W. Miller of Reno, who also served as the first chairman of the State Parks Commission. 

By 2015, Valley of Fire State had grown fourfold, and is recognized internationally for its outstanding scenic, geologic, and archaeological features.

STATE HISTORICAL MARKER NO.  150
STATE HISTORIC PRESERVATION OFFICE

Nevada State Historic Marker Summary

NameNevada’s First State Park
LocationValley of Fire State Park, Clark County, Nevada
Latitude, Longitude36.4303, -114.5140
Nevada State Historic Marker No150

Nevada State Historic Marker Trail Map

Nevada State Historic Marker number 150 is located at the visitors center in the Valley of Fire State Park.

References

Crystal Springs

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Crystal Springs, Lincoln County, Nevada is an old watering stop, townsite and Nevada State Historic Marker number 205. The Nevada State Marker is location just west of the junction between Nevada State Highway 93 and Nevada State Highway 375, also known as “The Extraterrestrial Highway.”

Crystal Springs, Nevada State Marker 205 is found just west of the junction between Nevada State Highway 93 and Nevada State Highway 375, also known as "The Extraterrestrial Highway."
Crystal Springs, Nevada State Marker 205 is found just west of the junction between Nevada State Highway 93 and Nevada State Highway 375, also known as “The Extraterrestrial Highway.”

Prior to settlement of Crystal Springs in 1865, the springs served as a valuable water source for a nearby Native American village for generations. Beginning in the middle of the 1800s, the site becomes a watering stop for western travelers before traversing the hot desert climates to the south west.

In 1865, silver discovery in the Pahranagat Valley caused the formation of Lincoln County and Crystal Springs is designated the county seat in 1866. Nevada’s first elected governor, Henry G. Blasdel, nearly lost in life in efforts to establish Lincoln County. To reach Pahranagat, the governor travelled to the location by way of Death Valley. This route was not common at the time, the the expedition soon found themselves running low on supplies after passing through Ash Meadows. Lacking the supplies to complete his journey, Blasdel and the State Geologist, a man named White, rushed into Logan City to obtain additional supplies. Blasdel and White organized a wagon train to resupply the expedition foundering in the desert to the south east. One man did die during this expedition, the travelers exist on lizards and other small animals while waiting for a resupply.

The Extraterrestrial Highway, Nevada State Route 375 is located in Lincoln County, Nevada
The Extraterrestrial Highway sign. Nevada State Historic Marker 205 can been seen in the distance on the left side of the highway.

When the Blasdel expedition eventually arrived in Crystal Springs, he learned that the town did not have the population of voters to support the organization of Lincoln County Seat. This event happened the following year in Hiko, Nevada. The town of Crystal Springs is only in existence for about five or six years.

Today, the town of Crystal Springs is little more than a footnote in Nevada’s history. No remains of the town exist.

Nevada State Historic Marker Text

Crystal Spring was used as a watering place and campsite on an alternate route of the Mormon Trail in the mid-nineteenth century.  The town site was designated as the provisional County Seat for Lincoln County in 1866.  With the intention of organizing the new county, Governor Henry G. Blasdel left Carson City in April 1866, accompanied by over 20 people.  After a perilous journey through Death Valley, California, they ran out of supplies and food.  One man died; the others survived on lizards and other desert animals.  The Governor and another man raced to Logan City to obtain supplies and returned lathe party so they reached Crystal Spring.  The Governor found that the region lacked the number of voters necessary to meet the requirements to become a county.  A year later the county government was organized at Hiko.

STATE HISTORICAL MARKER NO.  205
STATE HISTORIC PRESERVATION OFFICE

Site Summary

NameCrystal Springs
LocationLincoln County, Nevada
Latitude, Longitude37.5317, -115.2338
Elevation6,161 Feet
GNIS858593
Nevada State Historic Marker 205

Crystal Springs Trail Map

The Nevada State Marker is location just west of the junction between Nevada State Highway 93 and Nevada State Highway 375, also known as “The Extraterrestrial Highway.” The marker is located on the south side of Highway 375.

References

Two Gun Bill’s Saloon

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Located at stop 3 along the Gold Fever Off Road trail is the supposed location of Two Gun Bill’s Saloon in Holcomb Valley, California. The Gold Fever Off Road Trail is a back country drive by some historical sites in Holcomb Valley, in the San Bernardino Mountains. Holcomb Valley located just west of Big Bear, California is the site of the largest gold rush in Southern California.

The trail head for Two Gun Bill's Saloon along the Gold Fever Off Road Trail in Holcomb Valley, San Bernardino County, California
The trail head for Two Gun Bill’s Saloon along the Gold Fever Off Road Trail in Holcomb Valley, San Bernardino County, California

Two Gun Bill’s Saloon was a famous saloon, dance hall and bordello which offered a place to relax and unwind in the Holcomb Valley during the gold rush. The saloon exists off the wages from a population of about 2000 people during its hey day. The trailhead starts a very short 100 yard hike to the location of a very large cabin which is known to be occupied as late as the 1930s.

The “white lie” which is explained the Gold Fever Trail self guided auto tour pamphlet, is that the cabin at the destination of this hike is not the actual site of the notorious saloon. The actual site of the saloon is found about 1.5 miles to the west, if the south east corner of the junction of 3N16 and 3N12.

Summary

NameTwo Gun Bill’s Saloon
LocationHolcomb Valley, San Bernardino County, California
Latitude, Longitude34.3055, -116.8970
Gold Fever Orr Road Trail Marker3

Trail Map

Jonathon Tibbets Grasshopper Quartz Mill

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Stop number four along the Gold Fever Off Road Trail is Holcomb Valley, is Jonathon Tibbets Grasshopper Quartz Mill. The Gold Fever Off Road Trail is a back country drive by some historical sites in Holcomb Valley, in the San Bernardino Mountains. Holcomb Valley located just west of Big Bear, California is the site of the largest gold rush in Southern California.

Jonathon Tibbets Grasshopper Quartz Mill is stop number four on the Gold Fever Off Road Trail in Holcomb Valley, California.
Jonathon Tibbets Grasshopper Quartz Mill is stop number four on the Gold Fever Off Road Trail in Holcomb Valley, California.

The location marker is the start of a short hike of about 300 yards past mounds of sand and the remains of a water pump. There is nothing remaining of the mill itself.

Located in the “center of activity” was a high piece of ground known as “Chinamen’s Knoll” in Holcomb Valley. Here Tibbetts operated a Pico Steam Engine powered stamp mill. Heavy iron heads rose and fell pulverizing ore from John Bull’s seven mammoth ledges of honeycombed quartz. The sand mound are old tailings from processing of gold ore by the mill.

Grasshopper Quartz Mill Summary

NameJonathon Tibbets Grasshopper Quartz Mill
LocationHolcomb Valley, San Bernardino County, California
Latitude, Longitude34.3041, -116.8924
Gold Fever Off Road Trail Marker4

Trail Map

References