Mapping Historical Las Vegas

Las Vegas has a long and rich history that extends far beyond the clichÉs of ‘sin city’, the Mafia, Elvis, or mindless urban sprawl. This book provides a series of maps with accompanying text that goes beyond the usual tales of the city and illustrates the history of the city and surrounding region from the time of the ancient Anasazi farmers to the present. It provides a geographic perspective on the city’s growth, showing the influence of water, public land surveys, transportation routes, and casinos on the city’s evolution. The atlas also shows the development of the surrounding region, including public lands, military bases, and also reconstructs the settlement and geography of the canyons and valleys of the Colorado River before Hoover Dam created Lake Mead. Dams, highways, railroads, and other projects planned but never built are also covered. The maps were constructed using Geographic Information Systems making use of cartographic data from a range of public sources as well as extensive mapping by the author, drawing on decades of experience in the Las Vegas region.