Old Las Vegas Mormon State Historic Park
Encyclopedia
Old Las Vegas Mormon State Historic Park is a state park
of Nevada
, USA, containing the Old Mormon Fort, the first structure built by people of European blood in what would become Las Vegas
fifty years later.
In present day Las Vegas, the site is just east of Las Vegas Boulevard
and slightly north of the downtown
area and Fremont Street
. This is the only U.S. state park located in a city that actually houses the first building ever built in that city.
A visitor center
is available to help explain the history of the fort. The fort is listed on the National Register of Historic Places
. The site is marked as Nevada Historical Marker
#35.
missionaries, arrived on June 14, 1855 and selected a site, along one of the creeks that flowed from the Las Vegas springs
, on which they would build the fort. The fort served as the mid-point on the trail from Salt Lake City, Utah
and Los Angeles, California
.
The fort was surrounded by 14 feet (4.3 m) high adobe
walls that extended for 150 feet (45.7 m). While called a fort, it was never home to any military troops but like many Mormon forts provided a defense for the local settlers against an Indian attack. As a result of the beginning of the Utah War
the Mormons abandoned the fort.
Around 1860, a small detachment of U.S. Army troops was assigned to protect the settlers at the fort.
The fort was called Fort Baker during the Civil War
, named after Edward Dickinson Baker
. According to a letter from Col. James Henry Carleton
written to Pacific Department headquarters, December 23, 1861. Carleton mentions his plan to send an advance party of seven companies from Fort Yuma
to reoccupy Fort Mojave
and reestablish the ferry there. Carleton then intended to send on from there, three cavalry companies and one of infantry to the Mormon fort at Las Vegas, and establish a post called Fort Baker. This was in preparation for an advance to Salt Lake City the following year. The move to reoccupy Fort Mojave never occurred as planned because Carleton's California Column
at Fort Yuma were sent instead into Arizona
and New Mexico
to evict the Confederates there the next year. However Fort Mojave was later reoccupied in 1863 by Union troops from California. In 1864, a road survey party led by Captain Price, Company M, 2nd California Cavalry traveled on the route from Fort Douglas to Fort Mojave passing through Las Vegas, stopping for water there on June 10. No mention is made of any garrison there. Presumably the post was never garrisoned during the Civil War.
In 1865, Octavius Gass re-occupied the fort, and started the irrigation works renaming the area to Los Vegas Rancho.
Ownership of the fort and the land around it changed hands many times and it had several close calls with destruction.
The building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on February 1, 1972. Additional land surrounding the building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on December 12, 1978.
At some point, the now defunct Las Vegas Land and Water Company acquired the property. In 1955 the land was acquired by the Las Vegas Elks
. With support of the Daughters of Utah Pioneers, the city of Las Vegas acquired the fort in 1989. Long-term protection was gained when the state acquired the site as a state park in 1991. A $4.5 million renovation was completed in 2005.
, where it is a base for The Followers of the Apocalypse.
State park
State parks are parks or other protected areas managed at the federated state level within those nations which use "state" as a political subdivision. State parks are typically established by a state to preserve a location on account of its natural beauty, historic interest, or recreational...
of Nevada
Nevada
Nevada is a state in the western, mountain west, and southwestern regions of the United States. With an area of and a population of about 2.7 million, it is the 7th-largest and 35th-most populous state. Over two-thirds of Nevada's people live in the Las Vegas metropolitan area, which contains its...
, USA, containing the Old Mormon Fort, the first structure built by people of European blood in what would become Las Vegas
Las Vegas, Nevada
Las Vegas is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Nevada and is also the county seat of Clark County, Nevada. Las Vegas is an internationally renowned major resort city for gambling, shopping, and fine dining. The city bills itself as The Entertainment Capital of the World, and is famous...
fifty years later.
In present day Las Vegas, the site is just east of Las Vegas Boulevard
Las Vegas Boulevard
State Route 604 is the route number designation for parts of Las Vegas Boulevard, a major north–south road in the Las Vegas metropolitan area of Nevada in the United States best known for the Las Vegas Strip and its casinos. Formerly carrying U.S...
and slightly north of the downtown
Downtown
Downtown is a term primarily used in North America by English speakers to refer to a city's core or central business district ....
area and Fremont Street
Fremont Street
Fremont Street is a street in Las Vegas, Nevada, and is the second most famous street in the Las Vegas metropolitan area after the Las Vegas Strip...
. This is the only U.S. state park located in a city that actually houses the first building ever built in that city.
A visitor center
Visitor center
A visitor center or centre , visitor information center, tourist information center, is a physical location that provides tourist information to the visitors who tour the place or area locally...
is available to help explain the history of the fort. The fort is listed on the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
. The site is marked as Nevada Historical Marker
Nevada Historical Markers
Nevada Historical Markers identify significant places of interest in Nevada's history. The Historic Marker Program was initiated by the Nevada State Legislature in 1967 to bring the state's heritage to the public's attention with on-site markers...
#35.
History
The first settlers, MormonMormon
The term Mormon most commonly denotes an adherent, practitioner, follower, or constituent of Mormonism, which is the largest branch of the Latter Day Saint movement in restorationist Christianity...
missionaries, arrived on June 14, 1855 and selected a site, along one of the creeks that flowed from the Las Vegas springs
Las Vegas Springs
The Las Vegas Springs or Big Springs 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 . The bubbling springs were a source of water for Native Americans living here at least 5,000 years ago...
, on which they would build the fort. The fort served as the mid-point on the trail from Salt Lake City, Utah
Salt Lake City, Utah
Salt Lake City is the capital and the most populous city of the U.S. state of Utah. The name of the city is often shortened to Salt Lake or SLC. With a population of 186,440 as of the 2010 Census, the city lies in the Salt Lake City metropolitan area, which has a total population of 1,124,197...
and Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...
.
The fort was surrounded by 14 feet (4.3 m) high adobe
Adobe
Adobe is a natural building material made from sand, clay, water, and some kind of fibrous or organic material , which the builders shape into bricks using frames and dry in the sun. Adobe buildings are similar to cob and mudbrick buildings. Adobe structures are extremely durable, and account for...
walls that extended for 150 feet (45.7 m). While called a fort, it was never home to any military troops but like many Mormon forts provided a defense for the local settlers against an Indian attack. As a result of the beginning of the Utah War
Utah War
The Utah War, also known as the Utah Expedition, Buchanan's Blunder, the Mormon War, or the Mormon Rebellion was an armed confrontation between LDS settlers in the Utah Territory and the armed forces of the United States government. The confrontation lasted from May 1857 until July 1858...
the Mormons abandoned the fort.
Around 1860, a small detachment of U.S. Army troops was assigned to protect the settlers at the fort.
The fort was called Fort Baker during the Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
, named after Edward Dickinson Baker
Edward Dickinson Baker
Edward Dickinson Baker was an English-born American politician, lawyer, military leader. In his political career, Baker served in the U.S. House of Representatives from Illinois and later as a U.S. Senator from Oregon. A long-time close friend of U.S. President Abraham Lincoln, Baker served as U.S...
. According to a letter from Col. James Henry Carleton
James Henry Carleton
James Henry Carleton was an officer in the Union army during the American Civil War. Carleton is most well known as an Indian fighter in the southwestern United States.-Biography:...
written to Pacific Department headquarters, December 23, 1861. Carleton mentions his plan to send an advance party of seven companies from Fort Yuma
Fort Yuma
Fort Yuma is a fort in California that is located in Imperial County, across the Colorado River from Yuma, Arizona. It was on the Butterfield Overland Mail route from 1858 until 1861 and was abandoned May 16, 1883, and transferred to the Department of the Interior. The Fort Yuma Indian School and a...
to reoccupy Fort Mojave
Fort Mojave
Fort Mohave was originally named Camp Colorado when it was established on April 19, 1859 by Lieutenant Colonel William Hoffman during the Mohave War...
and reestablish the ferry there. Carleton then intended to send on from there, three cavalry companies and one of infantry to the Mormon fort at Las Vegas, and establish a post called Fort Baker. This was in preparation for an advance to Salt Lake City the following year. The move to reoccupy Fort Mojave never occurred as planned because Carleton's California Column
California Column
The California Column, a force of Union volunteers, marched from April to August 1862 over 900 miles from California, across the southern New Mexico Territory to the Rio Grande and then into western Texas during the American Civil War. At the time, this was the longest trek through desert terrain...
at Fort Yuma were sent instead into Arizona
Arizona
Arizona ; is a state located in the southwestern region of the United States. It is also part of the western United States and the mountain west. The capital and largest city is Phoenix...
and New Mexico
New Mexico
New Mexico is a state located in the southwest and western regions of the United States. New Mexico is also usually considered one of the Mountain States. With a population density of 16 per square mile, New Mexico is the sixth-most sparsely inhabited U.S...
to evict the Confederates there the next year. However Fort Mojave was later reoccupied in 1863 by Union troops from California. In 1864, a road survey party led by Captain Price, Company M, 2nd California Cavalry traveled on the route from Fort Douglas to Fort Mojave passing through Las Vegas, stopping for water there on June 10. No mention is made of any garrison there. Presumably the post was never garrisoned during the Civil War.
In 1865, Octavius Gass re-occupied the fort, and started the irrigation works renaming the area to Los Vegas Rancho.
Ownership of the fort and the land around it changed hands many times and it had several close calls with destruction.
The building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on February 1, 1972. Additional land surrounding the building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on December 12, 1978.
At some point, the now defunct Las Vegas Land and Water Company acquired the property. In 1955 the land was acquired by the Las Vegas Elks
Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks
The Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks is an American fraternal order and social club founded in 1868...
. With support of the Daughters of Utah Pioneers, the city of Las Vegas acquired the fort in 1989. Long-term protection was gained when the state acquired the site as a state park in 1991. A $4.5 million renovation was completed in 2005.
In popular culture
The Mormon Fort is featured in the video game Fallout: New VegasFallout: New Vegas
Fallout: New Vegas is a first person action role-playing video game in the Fallout series developed by Obsidian Entertainment, and published by Bethesda Softworks. The game is based in a post-apocalyptic environment in and around Las Vegas, Nevada...
, where it is a base for The Followers of the Apocalypse.
External links
- Old Las Vegas Mormon State Historic Park
- The Old Mormon Fort: Birthplace of Las Vegas, Nevada a National Park Service Teaching with Historic Places (TwHP) lesson plan