Rioville, Nevada, was a small, short-lived settlement and ferry landing located at the confluence of the Virgin River (also called the Rio Virgin) and the Colorado River in Clark County. Originally established as Junction City by Mormon pioneers in the late 1860s, it was later renamed Rioville in the 1880s. The site served as an important transportation hub, supporting river navigation, ferrying, and mining activities in the surrounding desert region. Today, Rioville no longer exists above water; its location (approximately 36°9′0″N 114°23′57″W) lies submerged beneath the waters of Lake Mead, formed by the construction of Hoover Dam in the 1930s.
Founding and Early Settlement (1860s–1870s)
Mormon settlers (Latter-day Saints) founded Junction City around 1869 as a peripheral outpost connected to the Muddy Mission. At the time, the pioneers believed the site fell within Utah Territory, part of broader efforts by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to establish agricultural communities in the arid Southwest under the direction of Brigham Young. The location offered access to river water for potential farming in an otherwise harsh desert environment.
Some accounts date initial activity as early as 1865, with the small crossing initially associated with Stone’s Ferry. The first wave of settlers largely abandoned the site by 1871 due to challenges such as isolation, environmental difficulties, and shifting territorial realities (the area was confirmed to be in Nevada).
Key Figure: Daniel Bonelli and the Ferry Era
Swiss-born Mormon pioneer Daniel Bonelli played a central role in the settlement’s revival and development. Sent to the area by Brigham Young, Bonelli purchased the rights to Stone’s Ferry around 1870. He relocated and renamed the operation Bonelli’s Ferry (sometimes called Bonelli’s Landing), moving the crossing adjacent to Junction City by 1876. The ferry provided a critical crossing for travelers, wagons, and goods across the Colorado River system, charging fees such as $10 for a wagon and two persons (plus additional per person).
Bonelli’s efforts transformed the modest outpost into a functional river port. He later established a post office in 1881 and served as postmaster until his death at Rioville in 1903.
Development, Economy, and Peak Activity (1870s–1880s)
A second wave of settlers arrived in the early 1880s, leading to the town’s renaming as Rioville (reflecting its position along the “Rio” or river). The post office, operational from 1881 to 1906, formalized the community.
Rioville’s primary economic importance stemmed from its role in transportation and mining support:
- Ferry and River Navigation: It functioned as a vital ferry landing.
- Steamboat Hub: On July 8, 1879, Captain Jack Mellon piloted the steamboat Gila upriver through Boulder Canyon, making Rioville the uppermost practical landing and head of navigation on the Colorado River (roughly 440 miles from Fort Yuma). Steamboats like the Gila (during high water) and the sloop Sou’Wester (during low water) operated from 1879 onward. They transported locally mined salt downstream to El Dorado Canyon, where it was used to process silver ore. This activity peaked until silver mining declined around 1887.
The settlement supported limited agriculture, salt mining, and overland travel in the remote region near what would later become Lake Mead National Recreation Area.
Decline and Abandonment (1890s–1930s)
As silver mining activity in the region waned by the late 1880s and early 1890s, river traffic and economic activity at Rioville diminished sharply. The town was largely abandoned by the 1890s, though a small presence lingered. The post office continued until 1906, and Bonelli’s Ferry remained in operation—serving occasional travelers—until 1934.
The final chapter came with the construction of Hoover Dam (completed in 1936). Rising waters behind the dam flooded the site, submerging Rioville and Bonelli’s Ferry beneath Lake Mead. The location is now part of Lake Mead National Recreation Area and is inaccessible except to divers or those with specialized knowledge of its submerged history.
Legacy
Though never a large town, Rioville illustrates the challenges and ingenuity of early Mormon settlement in southern Nevada, the importance of river-based transportation before railroads and modern dams, and the transformative impact of federal infrastructure projects like Hoover Dam on the Colorado River landscape. Its story connects to broader themes in Clark County history, including the Muddy Mission settlements, mining booms in nearby districts (such as Eldorado Canyon), and the creation of Lake Mead. Artifacts and records, including ferry ledgers and rare photographs, are preserved in collections such as those at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas Special Collections. The site remains a “lost river town” and underwater ghost town, symbolizing how human endeavors in the arid West were often reshaped—or erased—by the region’s powerful rivers and 20th-century engineering.
Town Summary
| Name | Rioville, Nevada |
| Location | Underwater Lake Mead, Clark County, Nevada |
| Latitude, Longitude | 36.1502603, -114.3994176 |
| GNIS | 849516 |
| Post Office | 1881-1906 |
| Status | Very Wet |
| Also known as | Junction City, Junctionville |
