Bright Lights in the Desert

Fred E. Woods earned his PhD in Middle East Studies: Hebrew Bible from the University of Utah and has been a professor of religious education at Brigham Young University since 1998. He held a prestigious BYU Richard L. Evans professorship of Religious Understanding from 2005-2010. Woods is a prolific author and has produced several documentaries highlighting the LDS influence on peoples of various faiths and cultures. Not being raised in the LDS tradition, Woods, now a Latter-day Saint, concentrates on community bridge building.

"Woods's book will be very popular with members of the LDS community, and with nonmembers who want to know more about the area and region's history. We have long needed a solid, thorough history of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in southern Nevada and this book deserves that description."—Michael S. Green, associate professor of history, University of Nevada, Las Vegas, author of Nevada: A History of the Silver State"Woods addresses an important part of Las Vegas history that has not received adequate attention. The book contributes to our understanding of the city's development."—Jonathan Foster, professor of history, Great Basin College, and author of Stigma Cities: The Reputation and History of Birmingham, San Francisco, and Las Vegas

• ContentsForeword by Michael S. GreenPrefaceAcknowledgmentsChapter 1. The Latter-day Saint Corridor and the Old Las Vegas Mormon FortChapter 2. Post–Old Mormon Fort Early Settlement to Las Vegas Stakes (1857–1960)Chapter 3. Ignorance, Education, and Cultural RefinementChapter 4. Business and EntertainmentChapter 5. Latter-day Saints in Elected Office and Community ServiceChapter 6. Ecclesiastical Community Service to a Local Congregation in NeedChapter 7. The Story of the Las Vegas TempleAppendix A. Nevada Mothers of the YearAppendix B. Clark County Schools Named After Latter-day SaintsAppendix C. Select List of Elected or Appointed Officials in the Las Vegas Metropolitan AreaAppendix D. Las Vegas Temple Dedicatory Prayer, Given December 16, 1989Appendix E. Latter-day Saint Las Vegas Regional TimelineNotesBibliographyIndexAbout the Author