What's Overton?

Yes....Everyone DOES need to see the strip at night, at least once! ALSO everyone should fly into Vegas at night, at least once!! It's been quite awhile since we did that, but I remember everything was black, then starting to see the lights of the valley...then it was like seeing a huge Christmas tree all lit up, in the middle of nowhere! Come to think of it...it might not have the same effect now, as the valley is much more built up...

The Stewart ranch isn't lost....I just kept forgetting to bring the location.

Here's the story: In 1855 the Mormons established a settlement in Vegas, The Las Vegas Fort. By the fall of 1858, all missionary activity had stopped.
In late 1865 Octavius Decatur Gass and 2 partners claimed the Las Vegas Fort property. They rebuilt and restored the buildings, and farmed the property. By the late 1870's Gass had aquired a lot more of the property in the area. Soon after, he tried to sell "The Las Vegas Ranch", but no one bought it.

In 1879, using the ranch as collateral, Gass borrowed $5000 from Archibald Stewart. He didn't repay the loan, but he and his family continued to live there until June of 1881, when they left for California. (NOTE: One book questions whether the default on the loan was Gass's way of selling the ranch!)

Archibald Stewart, his wife Helen, and their 3 children took up residence at the ranch in April of 1882. In 1884 Archibald Stewart was murdered. Helen stayed on the ranch.

*from memory...she continued to farm and sell the produce. She also rented rooms and sold meals to travelers passing though. I believe the ranch also served as the post office for the valley.*

In 1902, Montanta Senator William Clark bought 1800 acres of the ranch from Helen Stewart for $55,000, including the buildings and the water from the Las Vegas Springs. Clark had also bought a railroad company. The railroad built on the ranch property, and auctioned off lots (May 15, 1905). That was kinda the official beginning of the town.

Today's Las Vegas history lesson was courtesy of "Las Vegas The Great American Playground" by Roberty D. McCracken

Anyway, that's why we want to see it. We'd talked about trying to find it, have a book that shows the ranch house "as it looks today" (from the '60's) but kept forgetting to bring the address... 900 N. 5th street....the SW corner of Las Vegas Blvd. and Washington Ave. Ironic thing is...in October, we saw a sign that said something about being the remains of the original Mormon fort...but didn't make the connection!!