Old Las Vegas Mormon Fort State Historic Park
The first permanent non-native settlers in the Las Vegas Valley were a group of Mormon missionaries who built an adobe fort along Las Vegas Creek in 1855. The fort was called Old Las Vegas Mormon Fort. They successfully farmed the area by diverting water from the creek. Today, the park includes a remnant of the original adobe fort, which contains interpretive displays. The Visitor Center contains exhibits on the history of the site, as well as historic artifacts. Historic interpretation is and will remain the focus of the park. The Old Las Vegas Mormon Fort is located in downtown Las Vegas, at the intersection of Las Vegas Boulevard and Washington Avenue. The Park and Visitor Center are open from 8:00 a.m.-4:30 p.m., Tuesday through Saturday, year round.
THE OLD FORT
The original fort was built by the Mormons in 1855. It consisted of an adobe enclosure 150 feet on each side, with towers or bastions at the northwest and southeast corners. The adobe building closest to the creek is the only surviving part of this structure. The other walls and the bastion at the northeast corner are reconstructions. The building was most recently used as a testing lab and office for the United States Bureau of Reclamation, which leased and renovated the building in 1929 during the construction of Hoover Dam.
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