Old Las Vegas Mormon Fort State Historic Park facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Old Las Vegas Mormon Fort State Historic Park
Reconstructed portion of fort in downtown Las Vegas
Old Las Vegas Mormon Fort State Historic Park Location in Nevada
Location	Las Vegas, Nevada, United States
Area	3.16 acres (1.28 ha)
Elevation	1,923 ft (586 m)
Designation	Nevada state park
Established	1991
Administrator	Nevada Division of State Parks
Website	Old Las Vegas Mormon Fort State Historic Park
Las Vegas Mormon Fort
U.S. National Register of Historic Places
Part of the original fort, later remodeled and used as a testing laboratory by the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation
Location	500 E. Washington Ave. Las Vegas, Nevada
Area	0.699 acres
Built	1855
NRHP reference No.	72000764 (original) 78003379 (increase)
Significant dates
Added to NRHP	February 1, 1972
Boundary increase	December 12, 1978

The Old Las Vegas Mormon Fort State Historic Park is a special state park in Nevada, USA. It holds the Old Mormon Fort, which was the very first building put up by European settlers in what is now Las Vegas. This happened about 50 years before Las Vegas became a city!

Today, you can find the fort in downtown Las Vegas. It is near the corner of Las Vegas Boulevard and Washington Avenue. This park is unique because it's the only state park in the U.S. that is inside a city and has that city's first building. The fort was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1972. You can also see several historical markers there. These markers explain the fort's importance.

History of the Old Fort

Mormon Settlers Arrive

In 1855, a group of Mormon missionaries came to this area. They were led by William Bringhurst. On June 14, 1855, they chose a spot next to a creek. This creek flowed from the Las Vegas Springs. Here, they decided to build their fort.

The fort was an important stop on the trail. It was halfway between Salt Lake City, Utah and Los Angeles, California. This made it a key location for travelers.

The fort had strong adobe walls. These walls were about 14 feet (4.3 meters) high. They stretched for 150 feet (46 meters). Even though it was called a fort, it never had soldiers living there. Instead, it was built to protect the settlers from possible attacks by Native Americans. The Mormons left the fort when the Utah War began.

The Fort During the Civil War

Around 1860, a small group of U.S. Army troops came to protect the settlers. During the Civil War, the fort was sometimes called Fort Baker. This name honored Edward Dickinson Baker.

There were plans to use the fort as a military post. However, these plans changed. The fort was never officially used by soldiers during the Civil War.

Ranching and Early Las Vegas

In 1865, a man named Octavius Gass moved into the fort. He started farming and set up an irrigation system. He called the area Los Vegas Rancho. Later, in 1902, the name changed to Las Vegas.

Gass lost the ranch in 1881. Archibald Stewart and his wife Helen then took care of the property. In 1902, a railroad company bought the fort and much of what is now downtown Las Vegas from Helen Stewart. This land was then given to the Las Vegas Land and Water Company.

Saving the Fort

Over the years, the fort and its land changed owners many times. It almost got destroyed more than once. In 1955, a group called the Las Vegas Elks bought the land.

With help from the Daughters of Utah Pioneers, the city of Las Vegas bought the fort in 1989. Finally, in 1991, the state of Nevada bought the site. This made it a state park, which helped protect it for good. A big renovation happened in 2005. This included building a new visitor center.

What to Do and See

The park has a visitor center where you can learn all about the fort's history. You can explore the reconstructed parts of the fort. You can also see the original fort walls. It's a great place to imagine what life was like for the early settlers in Las Vegas!

Images for kids

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  Part of the original fort, later remodeled and used as a testing laboratory by the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation