National Register Listing

Spanish Trail, Old-Mormon Road Historic District

a.k.a. 26CK3848

From California border to Arizona across southern Nevada, through Las Vegas, Las Vegas, NV
Local significance of the district:
Transportation; Exploration/settlement; Historic - Non-aboriginal

Listed in National Register of Historic Places in 2001.

The National Register of Historic Places is the official list of the Nation’s historic places worthy of preservation. Authorized by the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966, the National Park Service’s National Register of Historic Places is part of a national program to coordinate and support public and private efforts to identify, evaluate, and protect America’s historic and archeological resources.

Audiobooks about the history of Nevada.
Nevada became a state during the American Civil War: Nevada was admitted to the Union on October 31, 1864, making it the 36th state. It was the first state to be admitted during Abraham Lincoln's presidency and was created to support the Union cause during the Civil War.
Nevada random facts
Clark County, Nevada is located in the southernmost part of the state and has a rich and fascinating history. The area that is now Clark County was first inhabited by Native American tribes, including the Paiute people, who established settlements along the Colorado River.

In the mid-19th century, Mormon pioneers settled in the Las Vegas Valley, establishing a fort and bringing irrigation techniques that transformed the desert landscape. However, their presence was short-lived, and by the 1880s, the area was mostly abandoned once mining activity diminished.

The history of Clark County took a significant turn in 1905 when the railroad arrived in the area, linking it with the rest of the country. This development led to the establishment of Las Vegas as a bustling railroad town, attracting people from various backgrounds and sparking rapid growth in the region.

The next major milestone in Clark County's history came in 1931 when the state of Nevada legalized gambling. This decision forever altered the county's landscape, as casinos and entertainment venues began to flourish. The construction of the Hoover Dam, also in the 1930s, provided employment opportunities and further boosted the economy of Clark County.

Over the following decades, Clark County continued to see exponential growth, driven largely by the tourism and entertainment industries. Las Vegas, in particular, became known as the Entertainment Capital of the World, with its world-class resorts, casinos, and vibrant nightlife attracting millions of visitors annually. Today, Clark County remains a major tourism destination and a dynamic hub of culture, entertainment, and economic activity in the southwestern United States.

This timeline provides a concise overview of the key events in the history of Clark County, Nevada.

  • 1909 - Clark County is established in Nevada.
  • 1931 - Construction of the Hoover Dam begins, bringing an economic boom to the area.
  • 1941 - The El Rancho Vegas, the first hotel-casino on the Las Vegas Strip, opens.
  • 1955 - The Moulin Rouge Hotel and Casino becomes the first racially integrated casino in Las Vegas.
  • 1967 - The International Hotel (now the Westgate Las Vegas Resort and Casino) opens, becoming the largest hotel in the world at the time.
  • 1989 - The Mirage Casino-Hotel opens, starting the era of themed resort development in Las Vegas.
  • 1990 - The population of Clark County surpasses one million residents.
  • 2005 - The Las Vegas Monorail begins operation, providing public transportation along the Las Vegas Strip.
  • 2010 - The population of Clark County exceeds two million residents.