WHAT:
First Permanent Non-Native Settlement, Old Las Vegas Mormon Fort
WHERE:
500 E Washington Ave, Las Vegas, NV 89101, USA
LOCATION:
WHEN:
June 1855
WHO:
Mormon Settlers led by President William Bringhurst & Local Paiute Indian Tribe
DETAILS:
The Old Mormon Fort was completed in 1855 and was the first permanent structure built in what would become Las Vegas fifty years later. In present-day Las Vegas, the site is at the southeast corner of Las Vegas Boulevard and Washington Avenue, less than one mile north of the downtown area and Fremont Street. It is the only U.S. state park located in a city that houses the first building ever built in that city. The fort was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on February 1, 1972. The site is memorialized with a tablet erected by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in 1997, along with Nevada Historical Marker #35, and two markers placed by the Daughters of Utah Pioneers.
LINKS:
Birthplace of Las Vegas Accredited
Few visitors to Las Vegas consider where the city began, but the original site still stands at the Old Las Vegas Mormon Fort. In April 2025, World Origin Site .Org officially accredited the fort as the recognized origin point of the city. Chris Reynolds from our team presented the World Origin Site certificate during a special visit. The award was received by Sherri Cassel, who works at the fort and plays a key role in preserving its history. This recognition highlights the fort’s historic importance as the foundation of Las Vegas.
