Water That Built Las Vegas | Las Vegas News

Before the neon lights and casinos, Las Vegas was born from a simple desert spring—water that turned a barren wasteland into a thriving settlement. In 1855, Mormon pioneers built the Old Las Vegas Mormon Fort, the oldest non-native structure in Nevada, using hand-made adobe bricks. It hosted the first Independence Day celebration in the region and later became a ranch under Octavius Gass and his wife Helen Stewart, whose management drew railroad surveyors. Recognizing the springs’ value for steam engines, the railroad sparked a land auction that birthed the town of Las Vegas in just 48 hours. Even today, the historic fort contributed to Hoover Dam’s construction. Through it all, water remained the constant force that made Las Vegas possible. Listen in comfort:Get a discount on a Soli Pillow: http://solipillow.com/discount/dnn Advertise on DNN:[email protected] This is an automated, high-level news summary based on public reporting.Report issues to [email protected]. View sources & latest updates:https://sources.thednn.ai/eadcebd8d02346fa