Was Romney’s backing out anything like that of Fremont’s in 1964?

Fremont ran against Lincoln during the Civil War. It looked like Lincoln did have a problem due to the Radical Republicans, and Neveda Statehood did play a part in Fremont’s decision. Fremont withdrew from the race on September 21, 1864.

Find out more at the web sites:

http://dmla.clan.lib.nv.us/docs/nsla/archives/myth/myth73.htm

http://dmla.clan.lib.nv.us/docs/nsla/archives/myth/myth12.htm

http://www.suite101.com/article.cfm/presidents_and_first_ladies/33473

http://www.onlinenevada.org/nevada_statehood

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Radical_Republican_(USA)

http://blueandgraytrail.com/event/Radical_Republicans

http://www.answers.com/Montgomery+Blair?initiator=IE7:SearchBox

http://www.mrlincolnandfreedom.org/inside.asp?ID=67&subjectID=4

Padre Francisco Garces

If you have ever traveled the LV Bulevard twards Fremont St., Downtown, you will notice that one of the Street’s is named for this man. Well, since the majority of residents hit town after the rat pack did, you may be hard pressed to find any Vegan, let alone a cabbie who can tell you who this man was, but I can. Many local Vegas History Buffs, like myself, know that William A. Clark named all of the East to West Streets in his newly formed town after famous explorers and local residents, who had been significant to the Region before his Los Angeles and Salt Lake Railroad completed.

Garcés was a solitary explorer who preferred to risk his own life. He made extensive expeditions along the Gila, Colorado, and Mojave Rivers. He is the first recorded white man to enter what is now the state of Nevada. the first recorded white man to enter what is now the state of Nevada. In 1780, Father Garcés founded the missions of Conception and San Pedro. He was killed by angry Yumas at the San Pedro Mission on July 19, 1781.

Find more information about garces at the following sites:

http://darinnevada.org/lorenzipark.htm

http://jeff.scott.tripod.com/garces.html

The New Year’s Eve Song

I know that more than just a few of you may know little or nothing about the song that is used to ring in the New Year. You may think of this song as I once did as “Old Angsine,” but the name is actually a Scottish term meaning, “Time Long Past,” and it is actually writen “Auld Lang Syne” which is a song first writen down by Robert Burns (1759-1796). You may very well remember the tune, but have little knowledge of the words. So the following are the lyrics for which we use here in America today on New Year’s Eve:

Should old acquaintance be forgot, and never brought to mind ?

Should old acquaintance be forgot, and auld lang syne ?

CHORUS:

For auld lang syne, my dear, for auld lang syne,

we’ll take a cup o’ kindness yet, for auld lang syne.

And surely you’ll buy your pint cup !

And surely I’ll buy mine !

And we’ll take a cup o’ kindness yet, for auld lang syne.

CHORUS

We two have run about the hills, and picked the daisies fine ;

But we’ve wandered many a weary foot, since auld lang syne.

CHORUS

We two have paddled in the stream, from morning sun till dine (dinner time) ;

But seas between us broad have roared since auld lang syne.

CHORUS

And there’s a hand my trusty friend !

And give us a hand o’ thine !

And we’ll take a right good-will draught, for auld lang syne.

CHORUS

If you would like more information on this, please use the following link.

auld lang syne

Have fun and be safe. : ) Mark

Before Vegas was put on a Map

This blog entry will attempt to give you a viewpoint of what vegas was like, before John C. Fremont, “The Great Pathfinder,” rode though here with Kit Carson and placed Las Vegas on a map for pioneers to use on their travels west. A copy of Fremont’s map can be found here:
http://digital.library.unlv.edu/cgi-bin/viewer.exe?CISOROOT=/LV_Maps&CISOPTR=419&CISOMODE=grid

Somewhere around 10 thousand years ago, but no one can be certain of the time, Paleo-Indians first visited the Las Vegas valley. They lived as nomads, traveling and camping in different locations. These people left behind petroglyphs that help us tell our early history.

Prehistoric Southern Nevada was a virtual marsh of abundant water and vegetation.

As eons passed, the marsh receded. Rivers disappeared beneath the surface. The once teeming wetlands evolved into a parched, arid landscape that supported only the hardiest of plants and animals. Water trapped underground in the complicated geologic formations of the Las Vegas Valley sporadically surfaced to nourish luxuriant plants, creating an oasis in the desert as the life- giving water flowed to the Colorado River.

Construction workers in 1993 discovered the remains of a Columbian mammoth that roamed the area during prehistoric times. Paleontologists estimate the bones to be 8,000 to 15,000 years old. Hidden for centuries from all but native Americans, the Las Vegas Valley oasis was protected from discovery by the surrounding harsh and unforgiving Mojave Desert.

A display of the Columbian mammoth can be found at the Nevada State Museum, Las Vegas.

Then about 2 thousand years ago, the Anasazi Indians move into southern Nevada and live along the Muddy and Virgin rivers. The “Lost City” are ruins of the Anasazi community that can be found in Overton, Nevada, northwest of Las Vegas. The Pauite people also explored the Las Vegas area.

The Pauite are still living in Las Vegas and have a reservation near downtown due to the contribution of ranch land by Helen Stewart.

Las Vegas Paiute Tribe -Native American Indian Tribes
Map of 1 Paiute Dr, Las Vegas, NV 89106

In 1829, a young scout named Rafael Rivera is the first person of European ancestry to look upon the valley. His discovery of a valley with abundant wild grasses growing and a plentiful water supply reduces the journey by several days. The valley is named Las Vegas, Spanish for “The Meadows.”

In 1844, John C. Fremont, along with frontiersman Kit Carson, arrived in Las Vegas and kept a journal describing two springs he found. His enthusiastic reports created wide interest in Western scenery and Western concerns. Congress made 20000 copies of the map above and it was used by many pioneers during the gold rush of 1849.

Next historical blog entry will be on John C. Fremont.

Have fun and be safe. : ) Mark

Introduction to My Las Vegas Histroy Blogs

Hello Everyone,

As I have already indicated in this blog, I’m a Las Vegas History buff. I have already read a good amount of books here already, but still have a great amount left. I don’t proclaim to always get things right the first time, but will quickly make a correction when it is necessary. I expect to gather most of the information found here online, but I will also add some that I find in the library and papers as well.

One of the best sources of historical documents is located at the UNLV libuary and at their online web site:

University Libraries, UNLV, 4505 Maryland Parkway Box 457001, Las Vegas, NV 89154-7001, (702) 895-2286
http://www.library.unlv.edu/nvlasvegas/

Another very good place for historical research here is the Clark Country Libuary:

Clark County Library, 1401 E. Flamingo Road, Las Vegas, NV 89119, (702) 507-3400
http://www.lvccld.org/library/info_guides/guide.cfm?guideID=30

Both of these locations are very close to the strip, are worth checking out if you’re as curious as I am about how Las Vegas has become what it is today.

I hope to make this one of the best sources for LV History found anywhere on the net, so feel free to make comments. I hope you truly enjoy what you find here.

My feeling is that if you wish to leave your mark in the world, you should live your life to the best of you’re ability, and with some luck, history will remember you favorably for your contributions and achievements. And so with out further ado, our journey through time begins.

Have fun and be safe. : ) Mark