Tag: Clark County

Clark County, Nevada, encompasses the vibrant heart of Las Vegas, one of the world’s most renowned entertainment and resort destinations. Stretching beyond the glitz of the Las Vegas Strip, the area boasts diverse landscapes that range from the Mojave Desert’s arid expanses to the towering peaks of the Spring Mountains. Its county seat, Las Vegas, pulsates with a dynamic nightlife, iconic casinos, and a multitude of entertainment options. Beyond the urban sprawl, the county offers natural wonders like Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area, showcasing stunning geological formations and outdoor recreational opportunities. Clark County blends the allure of a bustling metropolis with the tranquility of its desert surroundings, making it a unique and multifaceted destination in the American Southwest.

The Old Spanish Trail 1829-1850 – Nevada State Historic Marker 33

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Old Spanish Trail 1829-1850 is Nevada State Historic Marker Number 33, located in the town of Blue Diamond, in Clark County, Nevada.

The Old Spanish Trail 1829-1850 - Nevada State Historic Marker 33
The Old Spanish Trail 1829-1850 – Nevada State Historic Marker 33

The Old Spanish Trail is a 700 mile long historical trade route that connected the northern New Mexico settlements near Santa Fe, New Mexico with those of Los Angeles, California. The trail’s rugged terrain discouraged the use of wagons. It was always a pack route, mainly used by men and mules.

The routes and trails link California, Nevada, Arizona, Utah and Colorado. The Old Spanish Trail consists of a series and different trails and routes some of which are in service today.

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. Budget cuts to the program caused the program to become dormant in 2009. Many of the markers are lost of damaged.

Nevada State Historic Marker Text

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 by Mormon pioneers.  Concrete posts marking the trail were erected in 1965.

NEVADA STATE HISTORICAL MARKER No. 33

Nevada State Historic Marker Summary

NameOld Spanish Trail 1829-1850
LocationBlue Diamond, Clark County, Nevada
Nevada State Historic Marker33
Latitude, Longitude36.0469, -115.4062

Nevada State Historic Marker Location

This Nevada State Historic Marker can be found by exiting Highway 159 in Red Rock Canyon at Castilla Street into Blue Diamond. Followed the road past the baseball diamond and turn left onto Diamond Street. The marker is located near to corner of Village Street and Diamon Street next to the Village Marker convenience Store.

References

The Old Spanish Trail 1829-1850 – Nevada State Historic Marker 34

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Old Spanish Trail 1829-1850 is Nevada State Historic Marker Number 33, located in the town of Mountain Springs, in Clark County, Nevada.

Old Spanish Trail 1829-1850 - Nevada State Historic Marker #34 located in Mountain Springs, Nevada
Old Spanish Trail 1829-1850 – Nevada State Historic Marker #34 located in Mountain Springs, Nevada

The Old Spanish Trail is a 700 mile long historical trade route that connected the northern New Mexico settlements near Santa Fe, New Mexico with those of Los Angeles, California. The trail’s rugged terrain discouraged the use of wagons. It was always a pack route, mainly used by men and mules.

The routes and trails link California, Nevada, Arizona, Utah and Colorado. The Old Spanish Trail consists of a series and different trails and routes some of which are in service today.

Old Spanish Trail 1829-1850 - Nevada State Historic Marker #34 Sign
Old Spanish Trail 1829-1850 – Nevada State Historic Marker #34 Sign

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. Budget cuts to the program caused the program to become dormant in 2009. Many of the markers are lost of damaged.

Nevada State Historic Marker Text

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 by Mormon pioneers.  Concrete posts marking the trail were erected in 1965.

NEVADA STATE HISTORICAL MARKER No. 34

Nevada State Historic Marker Summary

NameOld Spanish Trail 1829-1850
LocationMountain Springs, Clark County, Nevada
Nevada State Historic Marker34
Latitude, Longitude36.0163, -115.5055

Nevada State Historic Marker Location

This marker is located in Mountains Springs, Nevada and the top of the Hump to Pahrump. To Located the marker, exit Highway 160 at Pinion Street and take an immediate left turn on Benedict Dr. The marker is about 150 down on the left side of the road near some mail boxes.

References

Old Spanish Trail

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The Old Spanish Trail was a historic trade route that linked Santa Fe, New Mexico to Los Angeles, California. The trail was established in the early 19th century and was primarily used for the transportation of goods, such as furs, horses, and mules.

The Told Spanish Trail BLM Sign
The Told Spanish Trail BLM Sign

The trail began as a network of routes used by Native American tribes, who traded goods such as salt, obsidian, and turquoise. In the late 18th century, Spanish traders began to use these routes to transport goods between Santa Fe and California. These traders were known as the “Comancheros” and were primarily focused on trading with the Ute and Navajo tribes in the area.

The route became known as the Old Spanish Trail in the early 19th century, when American traders began using the trail to transport furs and other goods to California. The trail was difficult to traverse, with harsh deserts, steep mountains, and treacherous canyons, but it was a vital link between the Southwest and the West Coast.

The trail was not a single route, but rather a network of different paths that crossed the desert and mountains of the Southwest. The most popular route followed the Virgin River in Utah, crossed the Colorado River at the mouth of the Virgin River, and then passed through the Mojave Desert to Los Angeles. Another route followed the Gila River in Arizona and crossed the Sonoran Desert to California.

The Old Spanish Trail played an important role in the development of the American West, as it provided a direct link between the remote and isolated communities of the Southwest and the growing cities of California. The trail was also a source of conflict, as American traders often clashed with Native American tribes over access to resources and trading rights.

In the mid-19th century, the discovery of gold in California brought thousands of settlers to the West Coast, and the Old Spanish Trail became a major thoroughfare for travelers and goods. The trail was also used by the Mormon pioneers, who traveled to California in the late 1840s and early 1850s.

In the late 19th century, the construction of railroads and highways made the Old Spanish Trail less important as a trade route. However, the trail remained an important part of the cultural history of the American Southwest, and efforts were made to preserve the trail and its landmarks.

Today, several sections of the Old Spanish Trail have been designated as National Historic Trails by the National Park Service, including sections in Utah, Colorado, New Mexico, and California. These trails allow visitors to experience the beauty and history of the Old Spanish Trail and to appreciate the legacy of the traders, Native Americans, and settlers who traveled its rugged terrain.

Old Spanish Trail Routes

All routes came together at Fork of Roads, east of present-day Barstow in the Mojave desert, and then crossed Cajon Pass between the San Gabriel and San Bernadino Mountains to Coastal California. After negotiating the pass, traders had an easy two to three days travel to the San Gabriel Mission and beyond to Los Angeles.

Armijo Route

Exterior, south facade of Mission San Gabriel Arcangel - 1878
Exterior, south facade of Mission San Gabriel Arcangel – 1878

The first complete trip across the trail began in Abiquiú, northwest of Santa Fe. The Armijo party followed well-known trails northwest to the San Juan River, then nearly due west to the Virgin River. They used the Crossing of the Fathers, cut into rock canyon wall some 75 years earlier by the Domínguez-Escalante party. Armijo’s caravan went down the Muddy River and across
the Mojave Desert to the Amargosa and Mojave Rivers, through Cajon Pass and down to Mission San Gabriel.

The Armijo and Northern Route diverge from each other on the east bound trail near the town of Tecopa, California.

Main Northern Route

First blazed by William Wolfskill and George C. Yount in 1831, this route veered northwest from Abiquiú through Southern Colorado and central Utah. It avoided the rugged canyons of the Colorado River that the Armijo party had encountered and took advantage of the better water and pasture resources across central Utah before returning to the Colorado River and Armijo’s route not far from Las Vegas.

Northern Branch

This route followed well-known trapper and trade routes north through the Rio Grande gorge to Taos and into southern Colorado. It then went west through Cochetopa Pass, largely open during the winter when other passes were snowed in and up the Gunnison River valley, rejoining the Northern Route near present-day Green River, Utah.

Mojave Road

Afton Canyon in the Mojave National Preserve.
Afton Canyon in the Mojave National Preserve.

The Mojave Road is a 188-mile crossing of the Mojave Desert long used by area Indians and by Spanish explorers and missionaries, it was first traveled by Jedediah Smith, an American trapper, in 1826.

Old Spanish Trail Locations

Government Holes in the central section of the Old Mojave Road.

Old Mojave Road

The Old Mojave Road (Government Road) is an east-west route that enters the Mojave National Preserve off the highway 95 in Nevada, and Afton Canyon…
The Told Spanish Trail BLM Sign

Old Spanish Trail

The Old Spanish Trail was a historic trade route that linked Santa Fe, New Mexico to Los Angeles, California. The trail was established in the…
Francisco Hermenegildo Tomás Garcés O.F.M. (April 12, 1738 – July 18, 1781)

Old Spanish Trail (Garces Expedition)

Old Spanish Trail (Garces Expedition) is a Nevada State Historic Marker Number 140 located in Clark County, Nevada. This marker is one of several which…
Captain John C. Frémont, explorer first mapped Diamond Valley Nevada

Old Spanish Trail (Journey of the Dead Man)

Old Spanish Trail (Journey of the Dead Man) is a Nevada State Historic Marker Number 139 located in Clark County, Nevada. This marker is one…

Old Spanish Trail Mountain Springs Pass – Nevada State Historic Marker

Old Spanish Trail Mountain Springs Pass is located along highway 160 and Nevada State Historic Marker No. 142 in Clark County, Nevada. The Old Spanish…
Old Tecopa house at smelter on Willow Creek, Amargosa Valley. Dr. Noble, Mrs. Noble. Inyo County, CA. 1922 - Photo from Herbert E. Gregory Book 8: 1915 - 1924.

Tecopa Inyo County

Tecopa is a small town located in the southeastern part of California, United States and its named for Chief Tecopa. The town is situated in…
The Old Spanish Trail 1829-1850 - Nevada State Historic Marker 33

The Old Spanish Trail 1829-1850 – Nevada State Historic Marker 33

Old Spanish Trail 1829-1850 is Nevada State Historic Marker Number 33, located in the town of Blue Diamond, in Clark County, Nevada. The Old Spanish…
Old Spanish Trail 1829-1850 - Nevada State Historic Marker #34 located in Mountain Springs, Nevada

The Old Spanish Trail 1829-1850 – Nevada State Historic Marker 34

Old Spanish Trail 1829-1850 is Nevada State Historic Marker Number 33, located in the town of Mountain Springs, in Clark County, Nevada. Old Spanish Trail…

References

Old Spanish Trail Mountain Springs Pass – Nevada State Historic Marker

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Old Spanish Trail Mountain Springs Pass is located along highway 160 and Nevada State Historic Marker No. 142 in Clark County, Nevada. The Old Spanish Trail is a 700 mile long historical trade route that connected the northern New Mexico settlements near Santa Fe, New Mexico with those of Los Angeles, California.

Old Spanish Trail Mountain Springs Pass Historic Marker

The trail began as a network of routes used by Native American tribes, who traded goods such as salt, obsidian, and turquoise. In the late 18th century, Spanish traders began to use these routes to transport goods between Santa Fe and California. These traders were known as the “Comancheros” and were primarily focused on trading with the Ute and Navajo tribes in the area.

The route became known as the Old Spanish Trail in the early 19th century, when American traders began using the trail to transport furs and other goods to California. The trail was difficult to traverse, with harsh deserts, steep mountains, and treacherous canyons, but it was a vital link between the Southwest and the West Coast.

The Old Spanish Trail played an important role in the development of the American West, as it provided a direct link between the remote and isolated communities of the Southwest and the growing cities of California. The trail was also a source of conflict, as American traders often clashed with Native American tribes over access to resources and trading rights.

Nevada State Historic Marker Text

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. Budget cuts to the program caused the program to become dormant in 2009. Many of the markers are lost of damaged.

This portion of the Old Spanish Trail was discovered in January 1830, by Antonio Armijo during his first trip from Santa Fe to Los Angeles.  The springs just north of this marker provided excellent water and fed meadows of luxuriant grass for draft animals.  Two days were required to travel between Las Vegas and Mountain Springs Pass.  The trip was broken at Cottonwood Springs, the site of Blue Diamond, where an early start was usually made in order to climb the pass by nightfall.  Early travelers often referred to the area as Piute Springs, but the present title has been used for over a century.  The altitude made Mountain Springs one of the favorite camping spots on the trail.

STATE HISTORICAL MARKER No. 142
NEVADA STATE PARK SYSTEM
NORTHERN NEVADA HISTORICAL SOCIETY

Nevada State Historic Marker Summary

NameOld Spanish Trail – Mountain Springs Pass
LocationHighway 160, Clark County, Nevada
Nevada State Historic Marker142
Latitude, Longitude35.9983, -115.4484

Nevada State Historic Marker Location

References

Potosi Nevada State Historic Marker 115

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Potosi Nevada state historic marker 115 is located along highway 160 between Las Vegas and Pahrump in Clark County. The marker is located off the offramp for Mount Potosi Canyon Road (582). Marker 115 is one of several historic markers located along a very short stretch of highway 160. As you exit highway 160, the marker is tucked away off the main road and turned to the side, so it is semi hidden. Due to the highway devide in this location, the exit is only available when travelling eastbound along Highway 160 towards Las Vegas.

Potosi Nevada State Historic Marker 115
Potosi Nevada State Historic Marker 115

Potosi is one of the first mining ventures in the state of Nevada.

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. Budget cuts to the program caused the program to become dormant in 2009. Many of the markers are lost of damaged.

Marker Text

The desire of local Mormon settlers for economic self-sufficiency led to mining by missionaries for lead at Potosí.  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.

STATE HISTORICAL MARKER No. 115
STATE HISTORIC PRESERVATION OFFICE

Marker Location

Marker Summary

NamePotosi, Nevada State Historic Marker 115
LocationClark County, Nevada
Nevada State Historic Marker115
Latitude, Longitude35.9954, -115.4866

References