May 09
18
Las Vegas has a few of its own historical sites that you will not want to miss when visiting Las Vegas. The problem is that Las Vegas focuses on reinventing and creating new reasons to visit Las Vegas that a lot of the historical sites have either been destroyed or lost by flood or fire. There are a few historical sites still left in Las Vegas that you will not want to leave Las Vegas without visiting.
Old Vegas Mormon State Historic Park is located at the intersection of Las Vegas Boulevard and Washington Avenue in downtown Las Vegas. There is an entrance fee to enter the fort. What makes this park a historical site? It dates back to June of 1855 when the first permanent non-native settlers came to Las Vegas Valley. These settlers were a group of Mormon missionaries that built a 150 foot square adobe fort along the Las Vegas Creek.
In 1895, the water from the creek provided the Mormons, and later the ranchers, irrigation for their fields and orchards. They farmed the area by diverting water from this creek. However, in 1905, when Las Vegas was founded, the spring water was diverted for the town’s water supply and most of the water in the creek dried up.
Today, the park contains a piece of the original adobe fort, along with interpretive displays. Also, there are exhibits on the history of this site, along with historic artifacts. In the summer, there are different programs available called “Friends of the Fort”. The park is open year round, but have different hours during the winter.
The Golden Gate Casino is the oldest hotel and casino still open in Las Vegas. It is located on Fremont Street. This hotel was opened in January of 1906 as the Hotel Nevada. Amazingly, you could get a room at $1 per day. One of the unique historical events that happened at this hotel is the fact that the Golden Gate Casino was where the first telephone was used in Las Vegas.
Another historical site in Las Vegas is the Railroad Cottages. These cottages are found between the Second and Fourth Streets and Garces and Clark Avenues. They were created as a classic bungalow and were used as living quarters for the railroad staff in the early 1910s. There were 64 cottages built; however, there are only 12 cottages that remain. Also located in this area is the Fifth Street School. This school is actually listed on the National Register of Historical Places. Take a trip down Heritage Street and you will see a re-creation of the fascinating historical houses that have been restored.
Located near Las Vegas is the spectacular Brownstone Canyon. It is only accessible by 4WD or horseback. It is 650 high in elevation and takes approximately two hours to hike. This canyon has been listed on the National Register of Historical Places on September 22, 1982.
Listed below are a few more historical sites in Las Vegas:
• Camp Lee Canyon
• Clark Avenue Railroad Underpass
• Corn Creek Campsite
• Eureka Locomotive
• Green Shack
• Hidden Forest Cabin
• Huntridge Theater
• Las Vegas Grammar School
• Las Vegas High School Academic Building and Gymnasium
• Las Vegas High School Neighborhood Historic District
• Las Vegas Springs
• Little Church of the West
• Moulin Rouge Hotel
• Potosi
• Sandstone Ranch
• Sheep Mountain Range Archeological District
• Tule Springs Archeological Site and Tule Springs Ranch
Visit these historical sites before more change happens in Las Vegas. Some are protected, while others may not be around in years to come.
Get the latest Las Vegas deals delivered to your inbox for FREE!
