Near Blue Diamond in Clark County, Nevada — The American Mountains (Southwest)
Spring Mountain Ranch
Photographed By Melissa H Spease, August 30, 2022
1. Spring Mountain Ranch Marker
Inscription.
Spring Mountain Ranch. . James B. Wilson, a gold miner and veteran of the Civil war, arrived in southern Nevada in 1869. He first started a ranch near the original Las Vegas Rancho, but sold that property. In 1876 he homesteaded the Sandstone Ranch on this location with George Anderson. Anderson later left, but his sons stayed behind and were later adopted by Wilson. They raised vegetables and cattle during this period. Upon Wilson's death in 1906, Jim Jr. and Tweed Wilson inherited the ranch. Later owners included Willard George, a childhood friend of the Wilson boys and a relative of the Kiel family, who also was a celebrated furrier in Hollywood and raised chinchillas on the ranch. Radio star Chet Lauck, “Lum” of the popular, “Lum and Abner”, radio show, who turned the ranch into a horse ranch with his good friend Don Ameche. German Baroness Vera Krupp, who changed the name to Spring Mountain Ranch, and famed tycoon, aviator, producer and inventor, Howard Huges. The Nevada division of state parks purched the ranch in 1974 from buisness man Fletcher Jones when he proposed to develop the property into a private equestrian-themed community.
James B. Wilson, a gold miner and veteran of the Civil war, arrived in southern Nevada in 1869. He first started a ranch near the original Las Vegas Rancho, but sold that property. In 1876 he homesteaded the Sandstone Ranch on this location with George Anderson. Anderson later left, but his sons stayed behind and were later adopted by Wilson. They raised vegetables and cattle during this period. Upon Wilson's death in 1906, Jim Jr. and Tweed Wilson inherited the ranch. Later owners included Willard George, a childhood friend of the Wilson boys and a relative of the Kiel family, who also was a celebrated furrier in Hollywood and raised chinchillas on the ranch. Radio star Chet Lauck, “Lum” of the popular, “Lum and Abner”, radio show, who turned the ranch into a horse ranch with his good friend Don Ameche. German Baroness Vera Krupp, who changed the name to Spring Mountain Ranch, and famed tycoon, aviator, producer and inventor, Howard Huges. The Nevada division of state parks purched the ranch in 1974 from buisness man Fletcher Jones when he proposed to develop the property into a private equestrian-themed community.
Erected 2015 by The Queho Posse Chapter 1919.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Agriculture •
Location. 36° 4.185′ N, 115° 27.525′ W. Marker is near Blue Diamond, Nevada, in Clark County. Marker can be reached from Charleston Boulevard (Nevada Route 159). This park has an entrance fee, the marker is just off the parking lot within the park. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 6375 Hwy 159, Las Vegas NV 89161, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Credits. This page was last revised on September 21, 2022. It was originally submitted on September 1, 2022, by Melissa H Spease of Las Vegas, Nevada. This page has been viewed 196 times since then and 44 times this year. Photos:1, 2, 3, 4. submitted on September 1, 2022, by Melissa H Spease of Las Vegas, Nevada. • Bill Pfingsten was the editor who published this page.
