Near Moapa Valley in Clark County, Nevada — The American Mountains (Southwest)

Moapa Valley

Photographed By Bill Kirchner, August 29, 2011

1. Moapa Valley Marker

Inscription. Rich in prehistoric, pueblo-type culture, and noted by the explorer Jedediah Smith in 1826, Moapa Valley is crossed by the Old Spanish Trail.

In 1865 Brigham Young sent 75 families to settle the area, to grow cotton for the people of Utah, and to connect Utah with the Pacific Ocean via the Colorado River.

Located near the junction of the Muddy and Virgin Rivers,and now under Lake Mead, the "Cotton Mission" was named St. Thomas for its leader, Thomas Smith. A prosperous, self-contained agriculture was built up in the valley, which included orchards, vineyards, cotton, grains and vegetables.

The December, 1870 survey placed the valley in Nevada and because Nevada taxes were greater than those of Utah, the settlers, now including those in St. Joseph, (Old) Overton, West Point and Logandale, began leaving two months later. They left the results of seven years of labor, more than 18 miles of irrigation canal and several hundred acres of cleared land.

Other Mormons resettled the land in 1880. The area remains one of the most agriculturally productive in the state.

Erected by Division of Historic Preservation and Archeology, Southern Nevada Historical Society. (Marker Number 36.)

Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists:

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Agriculture • Settlements & Settlers. In addition, it is included in the Old Spanish National Trail series list. A significant historical month for this entry is December 1870.

Location. 36° 38′ N, 114° 29.532′ W. Marker is near Moapa Valley, Nevada, in Clark County. Marker is on Nevada Route 169 at milepost 21, on the right when traveling south. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Logandale NV 89021, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 9 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies. Glendale and "Glendale Nick" Nicolaides (approx. 4.8 miles away); Overton (approx. 7 miles away); Early Settlements in the Moapa Valley (approx. 7.1 miles away); Moapa Valley Pioneers (approx. 7.6 miles away); Pueblo Grande de Nevada (approx. 7.6 miles away); Fay Perkins, Sr. (approx. 7.6 miles away); Lost City Museum (approx. 7.6 miles away); Pioneers (approx. 8.4 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Moapa Valley.

Also see . . . New Amended Text for Marker. The Nevada State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) recently updated the text of the roughly 260 state historical markers in Nevada. The Nevada SHPO placed the amended text of each individual marker on its website

Photographed By Bill Kirchner, August 29, 2011

2. Moapa Valley Marker

and will change the actual markers in the field as funding allows. Changes have been made to this marker for grammar, readability, and content. The reference to pueblo-type culture has been removed, and it is now noted that the property owners owed back taxes to Nevada. The link will take you to the Nevada SHPO page for the marker with the amended text. (Submitted on October 25, 2013, by Duane Hall of Abilene, Texas.)

Credits. This page was last revised on June 16, 2016. It was originally submitted on September 2, 2011, by Bill Kirchner of Tucson, Arizona. This page has been viewed 636 times since then and 22 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on September 2, 2011, by Bill Kirchner of Tucson, Arizona. • Syd Whittle was the editor who published this page.