Page 11 - B Fall 2012 magazine

Armijo’s diary lists their next camp as a dry lake, most probably near present day Jean.
A statue of Rivera is located at his namesake “Rafael Rivera” Community Center to honor

the first non-Native American to visit the Las Vegas Valley.

While other caravans followed variations of Armijo’s Spanish Trail, many bypassed the Las
Vegas Valley and it would take another exploration to put Las Vegas on the map.

Explorer John Frémont, “The Pathfinder,” served in the military and later became the first
Rafael Rivera
Republican candidate for President. Recounting his travels, misadventures and political life
would require a large chapter in itself. In any case, his 1843 California exploration reached Mountain Springs Pass
(State Route 160 on the way to Pahrump) on May 1, 1844.

“The next day in a short but rough ride of 12 miles, we crossed the mountain; and, descend-
ing to a small valley plain, encamped at the foot of the ridge, on the bed of a creek, where we
found good grass in sufficient quantity, and abundance of water in holes. The ridge is ex-

tremely rugged and broken, presenting on this side a continued precipice, and probably af-
fords very few passes. Many digger tracks are seen around us, but no Indians were visible”.
(Note: Native Americans carried long sticks, hooked at the end, which they used to capture
lizards and other small animals from their holes. Frémont used the term “digger” for the Pai-
ute Tribe)

John Frémont
Frémont’s party was camping in Red Rock Canyon, perhaps at First Creek or Oak Creek.

On May 3, "After a day's journey of 18 miles we encamped in the midst of another very large basin,
at a camping ground called Las Vegas. Two narrow streams of clear water, four or five feet deep,
gush suddenly with a quick current, from two singularly large springs. The taste of the water is
good, but rather too warm to be agreeable; the temperature being 71 in the one and 73 in the other.
They, however, afford a delightful bathing place."

He departed Las Vegas traveling to the northeast. At the Muddy River, Paiutes suspected he was raiding for slaves
and put on a show of force. Frémont was able to make peace and return east.

Congress printed 20,000 copies of his report and the route through Las Vegas became known. Within ten years Mor-
mons would send families from Utah to settle in the Las Vegas Valley.

References: Lt. Ives’s report on 1857 U.S. War Department expedition; Wikipedia, Las Vegas Review-Journal – The First 100 part 1 by A.D. Hopkins;
Elizabeth Warren Masters Thesis; John Frémont’s report of his 1843-1844 Exploration

Page 11