Tag: Clark County

Clark County, Nevada, encompasses the vibrant heart of Las Vegas, one of the world’s most renowned entertainment and resort destinations. Stretching beyond the glitz of the Las Vegas Strip, the area boasts diverse landscapes that range from the Mojave Desert’s arid expanses to the towering peaks of the Spring Mountains. Its county seat, Las Vegas, pulsates with a dynamic nightlife, iconic casinos, and a multitude of entertainment options. Beyond the urban sprawl, the county offers natural wonders like Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area, showcasing stunning geological formations and outdoor recreational opportunities. Clark County blends the allure of a bustling metropolis with the tranquility of its desert surroundings, making it a unique and multifaceted destination in the American Southwest.

Colorado Steamships

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The Colorado River, flowing from the Rocky Mountains through the arid Southwest to the Gulf of California, was a challenging waterway—shallow, swift, and prone to sandbars, floods, and shifting channels. Despite these obstacles, steam-powered vessels played a vital role in its navigation from the mid-19th century until the early 20th century. Primarily operating on the lower Colorado River (from the Gulf of California upstream to areas near modern-day Nevada), steamboats transported military supplies, miners, settlers, and freight, fueling the development of Arizona, California, Nevada, and parts of Mexico. They were the most economical means of moving goods across the desert until railroads supplanted them.

View showing steamboat Cochan on the Colorado River near Yuma, Arizona in 1900 - U.S. National Archives and Records Administration
View showing steamboat Cochan on the Colorado River near Yuma, Arizona in 1900 – U.S. National Archives and Records Administration

Early Attempts and the Birth of Steam Navigation (1850–1854)

The need for reliable transport arose after the Mexican-American War (1846–1848), when the U.S. Army established Fort Yuma at the confluence of the Gila and Colorado Rivers to protect emigrants heading to California during the Gold Rush. Supplying the isolated fort overland from San Diego cost up to $500 per ton. River transport from the Gulf of California offered a cheaper alternative.

Initial efforts used schooners and barges. In 1850–1851, the schooner Invincible and longboats reached only partway upriver. Lieutenant George Derby recommended shallow-draft sternwheel steamboats.

The first successful steamboat was the small iron-hulled Uncle Sam, a 65-foot tug with a 20-horsepower engine, assembled at the river’s mouth in 1852 by Captain James Turnbull. It reached Fort Yuma in December 1852 but later proved unreliable and sank.

In 1853–1854, George Alonzo Johnson, partnering with Benjamin M. Hartshorne and others, formed George A. Johnson & Company. They brought parts for the sidewheeler General Jesup from San Francisco, assembling it at the river mouth. The General Jesup carried 50 tons of cargo to Fort Yuma in five days, reducing costs to $75 per ton and proving commercial viability.

Mohave II at Yuma, Arizona, with Sunday school group embarked, 1876 - Unknown author - MacMullen, Jerry, Paddle-Wheel Days in California, Stanford University Press, 1944
Mohave II at Yuma, Arizona, with Sunday school group embarked, 1876 – Unknown author – MacMullen, Jerry, Paddle-Wheel Days in California, Stanford University Press, 1944

Expansion and Exploration (1855–1860s)

Johnson’s company built wood yards staffed by Cocopah Indians and added vessels like the sternwheeler Colorado (1855, captained by Isaac Polhamus) and others. By the late 1850s, steamboats regularly serviced Fort Yuma and emerging mining camps.

Exploration pushed limits:

  • In 1857, Johnson took the General Jesup to El Dorado Canyon (near Las Vegas).
  • The U.S. Army’s 1857–1858 expedition, led by Lt. Joseph Christmas Ives, used the 54-foot iron steamboat Explorer (built in Philadelphia and reassembled on the river). It reached Black Canyon but struck a rock; Ives deemed further navigation impractical at low water. Johnson later bought the Explorer and converted it to a barge.

Mormon leader Brigham Young sought a sea-to-Utah route via the Colorado. In 1864–1866, Anson Call established Callville (near modern Lake Mead) as a potential port. Steamboats like the Esmeralda reached it in 1866.

Boom Years: Mining Rushes and Competition (1860s–1870s)

The 1862 Colorado River gold rush near La Paz (Arizona) and later discoveries in Eldorado Canyon and elsewhere created explosive demand. Ports like Ehrenberg, Hardyville, and Aubrey emerged. Steamboats hauled machinery, food, and ore, often towing barges for extra capacity.

George A. Johnson & Company dominated initially but faced rivals like Thomas Trueworthy’s Union Line in the 1860s. Competition ended when Johnson’s company absorbed opponents. In 1869, it reorganized as the Colorado Steam Navigation Company (C.S.N.Co.), expanding the fleet with vessels like Cocopah, Mohave, and larger ones like the 149-foot Mohave II (1876) and Gila.

Key captains included Isaac Polhamus (“Dean of the Colorado River”) and later Jack Mellon. Ocean steamships connected San Francisco to the river mouth at Port Isabel, feeding river traffic.

Colorado II in a tidal dry dock in the shipyard above Port Isabel, Sonora - MacMullen, Jerry, Paddle-Wheel Days in California, Stanford University Press, 1944
Colorado II in a tidal dry dock in the shipyard above Port Isabel, Sonora – MacMullen, Jerry, Paddle-Wheel Days in California, Stanford University Press, 1944

Peak and Decline (1870s–1900s)

The 1870s marked the peak, with scheduled services and luxurious boats offering passenger excursions. The C.S.N.Co. monopolized trade, profiting immensely from military contracts, mining,, and Mormon supplies.

Railroads spelled doom. The Southern Pacific reached Yuma in 1877, bridging the river. That year, Johnson and partners sold the C.S.N.Co. to Southern Pacific interests for a massive profit. Steamboats continued but focused on upper reaches and local freight.

Later vessels included the Cochan (1900, the last major sternwheeler) and Searchlight (1903–1909), hauling ore from Nevada mines.

End of an Era (1909–1916)

The 1909 completion of Laguna Dam (for irrigation) blocked navigation. Final operations involved limited freight and dam-related work. The last commercial steamboat, Searchlight, retired around 1916.

Attempts on the upper Colorado (e.g., Glen Canyon, Green River) were short-lived due to rapids and low water.

Legacy

For over 50 years, Colorado River steamboats connected isolated frontiers, enabling settlement and extraction in a harsh desert. They carried millions in gold, supplied forts and mines, and linked the Pacific to inland territories. Though overshadowed by railroads and dams, their era transformed the Southwest, leaving behind ghost towns, historic sites like Yuma Quartermaster Depot, and a romantic chapter in Western transportation history.

Colorado River Steamship Landings

The steamboat Mohave departing the landing in El Dorado Canyon.
The steamboat Mohave departing the landing in El Dorado Canyon.
Potholes, California, From 185918 mi (29 km)
La Laguna, Arizona Territory, 1860-186320 mi (32 km)
Castle Dome Landing, Arizona Territory, 1863-188435 mi (56 km)
Eureka, Arizona Territory, 1863-1870s45 mi (72 km)
Williamsport, Arizona Territory, 1863-1870s47 mi (76 km)
Picacho, California, 1862-191048 mi (77 km)
Nortons Landing, Arizona Territory, 1882-189452 mi (84 km)
Clip, Arizona Territory, 1882-188870 mi (110 km)
California Camp, California72 mi (116 km)
Camp Gaston, California, 1859-186780 mi (130 km)
Drift Desert, Arizona Territory102 mi (164 km)
Bradshaw’s Ferry, California, 1862-1884126 mi (203 km)
Mineral City, Arizona Territory, 1864-1866126 mi (203 km)
Ehrenberg, Arizona Territory, from 1866126.5 mi (203.6 km)
Olive City, Arizona Territory, 1862-1866127 mi (204 km)
La Paz, Arizona Territory, 1862-1870131 mi (211 km)
Parker’s Landing, Arizona Territory, 1864-1905
Camp Colorado, Arizona, 1864-1869		200 mi (320 km)
Parker, Arizona Territory, from 1908203 mi (327 km)
Empire Flat, Arizona Territory, 1866-1905210 mi (340 km)
Bill Williams River, Arizona220 mi (350 km)
Aubrey City, Arizona Territory, 1862-1888220 mi (350 km)
Chimehuevis Landing, California240 mi (390 km)
Liverpool Landing, Arizona Territory242 mi (389 km)
Grand Turn, Arizona/California257 mi (414 km)
The Needles, Mohave Mountains, Arizona263 mi (423 km)
Mellen, Arizona Territory 1890 – 1909267 mi (430 km)
Eastbridge, Arizona Territory 1883 – 1890279 mi (449 km)
Needles, California, from 1883282 mi (454 km)
Iretaba City, Arizona Territory, 1864298 mi (480 km)
Fort Mohave, Arizona Territory, 1859-1890
Beale’s Crossing 1858 –		300 mi (480 km)
Mohave City, Arizona Territory, 1864-1869305 mi (491 km)
Hardyville, Arizona Territory, 1864-1893
Low Water Head of Navigation 1864-1881		310 mi (500 km)
Camp Alexander, Arizona Territory, 1867312 mi (502 km)
Polhamus Landing, Arizona Territory
Low Water Head of Navigation 1881-1882		315 mi (507 km)
Pyramid Canyon, Arizona/Nevada316 mi (509 km)
Cottonwood Island, Nevada
Cottonwood Valley		339 mi (546 km)
Quartette, Nevada, 1900-1906342 mi (550 km)
Murphyville, Arizona Territory, 1891353 mi (568 km)
Eldorado Canyon, Nevada, 1857-1905
Colorado City, Nevada 1861-1905		365 mi (587 km)
Explorer’s Rock, Black Canyon of the Colorado, Mouth, Arizona/Nevada369 mi (594 km)
Roaring Rapids, Black Canyon of the Colorado, Arizona/Nevada375 mi (604 km)
Ringbolt Rapids, Black Canyon of the Colorado, Arizona/Nevada387 mi (623 km)
Fortification Rock, Nevada
High Water Head of Navigation, 1858-1866		400 mi (640 km)
Las Vegas Wash, Nevada402 mi (647 km)
Callville, Nevada, 1864-1869
High Water Head of Navigation 1866-78		408 mi (657 km)
Boulder Canyon, Mouth, Arizona/Nevada409 mi (658 km)
Stone’s Ferry, Nevada 1866-1876438 mi (705 km)
Virgin River, Nevada440 mi (710 km)
Bonelli’s Ferry, 1876-1935
Rioville, Nevada 1869-1906
High Water Head of Navigation from 1879 to 1887		440 mi (710 km
Soruce: Wikipedia

Colorado River Steamship Landings

Steamboats on the Colorado River

Gila Steamboat at the Yuma Crossing Arizona, 1873.
Gila Steamboat at the Yuma Crossing Arizona, 1873.
NameTypeTonsLengthBeamLaunchedDisposition
Black EagleScrew40 feet6 feetGreen River, Utah
June 1907		Exploded 1907
Charles H. SpencerStern92.5 feet25 feetWarm Creek, Arizona
February 1912		Abandoned
Spring 1912
Cliff DwellerStern70 feet20 feetHalverson’s Utah
November 1905		To Salt Lake
April 1907
CochanStern234135 feet31 feetYuma, Arizona
November 1899		Dismantled
Spring 1910
Cocopah IStern140 feet29 feetGridiron, Mexico
August 1859		Dismantled
1867
Cocopah IIStern231147.5 feet28 feetYuma, Arizona
March 1867		Dismantled
1881
Colorado IStern120 feetEstuary, Mexico
December 1855		Dismantled
August 1862
Colorado IIStern179145 feet29 feetYuma, Arizona
May 1862		Dismantled
August 1882
CometStern60 feet20 feetGreen River, Wyoming
July 1908		Abandoned
1908
EsmeraldaStern93 feet13 feetRobinson’s, Mexico
December 1857		Dismantled
1868
General JesupSide104 feet17 feetEstuary, Mexico
January, 1864		Engine Removed
1858
General RosalesSternYuma, Arizona
July 1878		Dismantled
1859
GilaStern236149 feet31 feetPort Isabel, Mexico
January 1873		Rebuilt as Cochan
1889
Major PowellScrew35 feet8 feetGreen River, Utah
August 1891		Dismantled
1894
Mohave IStern193135 feet28 feetEstuary, Mexico
May 1864		Dismantled
1875
Mohave IIStern188149.5 feet31.5 feetPort Isabel, Mexico
February 1876		Dismantled
Jan 1900
Nina TildenStern12097 feet22 feetSan Francisco, California
July 1864		Wrecked
September 1874
RettaStern36 feet6 feetYuma, Arizona
1900		Sunk
Feburary, 1905
St. VallierStern9274 feet17 feetNeedles, California
Early 1899		Sunk
March 1909
San JorgeScrew38 feet9 feetYuma, Arizona
June 1901		To Gulf
July 1901
SearchlightStern9891 feet18feetNeedles, California
December 1902		Lost
October 1916
Uncle SamSide4065 feet16 feetEstuary, Mexico
November 1852		Sunk
May 1853
UndineStern60 feet10 feetGreen River, Utah
November 1901		Wrecked
May 1902
Steamboats on the Colorado River 1852-1916 – Appendix A

Resources

Juan, Nevada – Clark County Ghost Town

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Juan, Nevada, was a minor railroad siding and transient settlement in southeastern Clark County, Nevada, during the early 20th-century mining boom in the region. Located in the remote desert near the California border, approximately 15-20 miles east of Searchlight and close to the Barnwell area (now part of California’s Mojave National Preserve region), Juan emerged as a logistical point supporting gold mining operations. It was not a full-fledged town with permanent residences but rather a functional stop along a short-line railroad that facilitated ore transport during a period of intense prospecting activity in southern Nevada.

Historical Background and Development

The origins of Juan trace back to the early 1900s, when gold discoveries in the Searchlight district (about 1897-1900s) sparked a regional mining rush in Clark County. Searchlight itself became a bustling camp with thousands of residents, mills, and infrastructure. To connect these remote mines to broader markets, the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway constructed the Barnwell & Searchlight Railway between 1906 and 1907. This narrow-gauge (later standard-gauge) line ran from Barnwell, California (on the main Santa Fe line at Goffs), eastward into Nevada, terminating at Searchlight after about 23 miles.

Juan served as one of the key sidings (stopping points for loading/unloading) along this route, likely named informally or after a local figure, prospector, or geographic feature—exact etymology remains obscure in historical records. The siding’s location placed it in a disputed border area: early maps and claims sometimes placed parts of the mining region in California, leading to overlapping tax claims by both Nevada and California authorities. Miners and operators paid taxes to both states until a formal survey in the early 1900s confirmed the area’s placement in Nevada, resolving the confusion.

At its peak around 1907-1910, Juan would have featured basic railroad infrastructure, including tracks, a loading platform, water tanks (essential in the arid desert), and perhaps temporary tents or shacks for railroad workers and miners. The Barnwell & Searchlight Railway hauled gold ore from Searchlight-area mines westward to Barnwell for processing and shipment. Activity at Juan was tied directly to the fluctuating fortunes of Searchlight’s mines, such as the Duplex, Quartette, and others producing high-grade gold.

The railway and its sidings like Juan represented a brief era of optimism in southern Nevada’s mining landscape, fueled by the same broader forces that drove booms in nearby districts like Goodsprings and Eldorado Canyon.

Decline and Abandonment

The decline of Juan was swift and tied to the broader collapse of the Searchlight mining boom. By the mid-1910s, many veins played out, water shortages plagued operations, and World War I shifted national priorities away from gold production. The Barnwell & Searchlight Railway ceased operations around 1919-1923, with tracks eventually salvaged or abandoned. Without the railroad, remote sidings like Juan lost all purpose. The site faded into obscurity by the 1920s, leaving no permanent community.

(Note: Juan is distinct from other similarly named sites in Clark County, such as San Juan—an earlier 1860s silver camp in Eldorado Canyon near present-day Nelson—or other ghost towns like Potosi or Goodsprings.)

Current Status

Today, Juan is a true ghost site with virtually no visible remnants. The desert has reclaimed the area: any railroad grades, ties, or structures have eroded or been buried by sand and vegetation over a century. It lies on public lands managed by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) in a remote, off-road-accessible part of Clark County, near the California-Nevada line and within the general vicinity of the Piute Valley and Castle Peaks area.

No buildings, markers, or maintained trails exist at the precise location. The site is occasionally referenced in railroad history books (e.g., David F. Myrick’s Railroads of Nevada and Eastern California) and ghost town enthusiast resources, but it attracts few visitors due to its isolation and lack of features. Nearby Searchlight remains a small living town with historic mining remnants, but Juan itself is unmarked and largely forgotten—accessible only to dedicated off-road explorers or historians with GPS coordinates.

In summary, Juan exemplifies the ephemeral nature of early 20th-century Nevada mining support sites: born of railroad necessity, thriving briefly amid gold fever, and vanishing when economic viability ended. It left no lasting imprint beyond faded maps and obscure references, a quiet footnote in Clark County’s rich mining heritage.

Gold Butte, Nevada – Clark County Ghost Town

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Gold Butte is a classic Nevada ghost town located in the eastern hook of Clark County, in the rugged Virgin Mountains of the Mojave Desert. The townsite lies south of Gold Butte peak (elevation 5,013 feet), between the Nevada-Arizona state line to the east and the Virgin River (now part of Lake Mead) to the west. It is now protected within the Gold Butte National Monument, a remote area managed by the Bureau of Land Management and accessible via the Gold Butte Backcountry Byway. The site is approximately 80 miles northeast of Las Vegas and features arid desert terrain with granite outcrops, making it a stark example of early 20th-century mining isolation.

Early History and Founding

Indications of mining in the broader Gold Butte area date back possibly to the 1700s, with Spanish prospectors leaving behind arrastras (large flat rocks used by donkeys to crush ore). The first documented activity came in 1873 when Daniel Bonelli discovered mica and made trial shipments in 1893–1894. However, the town itself sprang up after gold was discovered in 1905, sparking a rush of prospectors from 1905 to 1906.

A post office opened on March 19, 1906 (operating until February 28, 1911). In 1908, the Gold Butte Mercantile, Townsite & Mining Co. formally laid out the townsite. Due to the extreme scarcity of wood and construction materials in the desert, Gold Butte was never a traditional wooden settlement but primarily a tent city. Supplies were hauled from nearby St. Thomas, and the community quickly grew around mining claims.

Economic Activities

The economy revolved around small-scale mining, primarily gold, with additional efforts targeting mica, copper, lead, zinc, silver, and magnesite. Ore was crushed using arrastras (several of which still exist nearby) and shipped by wagon to St. Thomas for rail transport. At its peak, the town supported a saloon, hotel, livery stable, store, and even a brothel; a sanitarium was proposed but never built. Population estimates reached around 2,000, though most residents lived in canvas tents. Total mineral production from the Gold Butte district was roughly $75,000. Copper mining in the area continued on a smaller scale into World War I to meet wartime demand.

Decline and Abandonment

The boom was short-lived. Gold deposits proved limited and played out rapidly. By the end of 1910, many mines had shut down, with most mining activity halting completely by December 1910. The post office closed in 1911 due to the dwindling population. Buildings were dismantled and relocated to St. Thomas, and the town was effectively abandoned by 1911. What had been a bustling tent-city mining camp faded into obscurity almost as quickly as it appeared.

Legacy and Current Status

Today, Gold Butte stands as a poignant reminder of Nevada’s ephemeral mining booms. Very little remains: scattered building foundations, rusting mining equipment, several caged mine shafts, and historic arrastras. Two graves are among the most prominent features—those of Arthur “Art” Coleman (a lanky prospector who died in 1958 at age 82) and William “Bill” Garrett (a tall Texas cattleman and nephew of Pat Garrett, who died in 1961 at age 81). The pair met in 1916 and lived at the abandoned townsite for over four decades, running cattle, prospecting, and distilling moonshine while hosting travelers. Their graves, now protected by concrete vaults after an incident of vandalism in 2014, are a quiet testament to the area’s post-boom resilience.

The site is preserved within Gold Butte National Monument (established by presidential proclamation on December 28, 2016), which safeguards not only the mining remnants but also ancient Native American cultural resources and unique desert geology. Visitors can explore the townsite via the backcountry byway, though the area remains remote and requires high-clearance vehicles. It offers a tangible link to the American West’s mining and ranching heritage amid dramatic sandstone canyons and peaks.

Sources and References

  • Nevada Expeditions: Gold Butte townsite page (founding dates, facilities, and later residents).
  • The Spectrum: “Gold Butte’s ghost town” (2016 article on peak years and Coleman/Garrett story).
  • Additional context from Friends of Gold Butte, BLM records, and historical mining district summaries.

This report draws from consistent historical accounts to provide a complete picture of Gold Butte’s rise and fall. The site remains accessible for those interested in exploring Nevada’s ghost-town legacy firsthand.

Lucy Grey Goldmine

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The Lucy Grey Goldmine trail is a short 4×4 trip out of Primm, Nevada up to an old mine site.  The route is fairly accessible and almost any SUV or 4×4, but the route finding can be tricky is you are not careful.  A slight mistake in navigation and you will be in some rough country.  To find the trail head, exit and head past the outlet stores and the Lotto Store. The trail head is the dirt road where the paved road turns left.

Lucy Grey gold mine - An old truck marks the trail up to the mine. Built rigs might be able to make it, but I choose to hike. Photo by James L Rathbun
Lucy Grey gold mine – An old truck marks the trail up to the mine. Built rigs might be able to make it, but I choose to hike. Photo by James L Rathbun

The trail heads straight out into the desert. When you reach the railroad tracks, turn right and follow the road next to tracks until you reach a railroad signal station. There is a pass through under the train track and a nice little sign which reads Lucy Grey to let you know you are on your way.

From the railroad signal station the trail heads up an alluvial fan into the hills. Once you reach the gully and head into the hills, the trail becomes hard to follow, so pay attention to GPS coordinates, or your map. The trek is mostly easy with one or two small sections that will require you to pay a little more attention. The most difficult part of this trail is the route finding up to the mine and town site.

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St Thomas Nevada – Clark County Ghost Town

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Founded in 1865 when Brigham Young sent settles to the confluence of the Virgin River and Muddy Rivers.  St Thomas Nevada remained a Mormon settlement until 1871 when a surveying correction placed the town in Nevada.   When the Mormons abandoned the area, other settlers claimed the property.  St Thomas used to served as a pit stop for travelers between Los Angeles, California and Salt Lake City, Utah using along the old Arrow Highway (US 91).

St Thomas Ghost Town is accessible with lower water levels in Lake Mead, Lake Mead National Recreation Area, Nevada
St Thomas Ghost Town is accessible with lower water levels in Lake Mead, Lake Mead National Recreation Area, Nevada

The United States Federal Government “purchased” the land as part of the Hoover Dam project.  In actuality, there were multiple suits as the residents of St. Thomas raise complaints about the amount the federal government was paying for their land.  In time, the residence lost and the entire town was doomed to its destiny and the water of Lake Mead continued to rise.

St Thomas Trail head
St Thomas Trail head

The last known resident as Hugh Lord, who remained until the water surrounded his home.  He loaded is possessions into a row boat, set fire to his home, and rowed off into history.  Soon the rising water of Lake Mead swallowed the entire down, and wasted the landscape with water 60 feet deep.  From time to time, the lake level will drop low enough to expose this lost town.

The town is currently exposed, and lies in the lake bed surrounded by a large expanse of tamarisk.  The dirt road to the trail-head is located just inside the entrance to Lake Mead National Recreation Area when coming from Moapa and Overton and the trail is beyond simple and suitable for almost every vehicle.

Fresh Water Clam shells litter the area
Fresh Water Clam shells litter the area

The 2.5 miles hiking trail is very easy and takes you from the trail-head and loops through the town.  The trail would be a bit more difficult if you attempt the trail during the hot summer months.  Remains of the town are limited to foundations, some old wood fence posts and some metal artifacts such as farming equipment and a V-8 small block.  The park service appears to cut the tamarisk back to expose the foundations for visitors, however the cut off tamarisk trucks can be a tripping hazard and would be harsh it you fell on one, so keep in eye on where you step.

A building foundation in St. Thomas, Nevada
A building foundation in St. Thomas

I have been to many ghost towns over the years.  Many of them lost in history due to mines failing to produce, fire, hard environments and disease.  St Thomas is different from all the others.  This is a ghost town by design, by protest and there is no better reminder than the fresh water clam shells which litter the site.  The fact that there are viable towns (Moapa and Overton) just a few miles away make St Thomas all the more poignant.

The tallest building remains of St. Thomas,
The tallest building remains of St. Thomas

St Thomas Trail Map