Riverside, NV

The next time you find yourself in Mesquite, Nevada you might find it worthwhile to spend about an extra 20 minute and visit Riverside, Nevada.  Riverside is an unincorporated community in northeastern Clark County, Nevada, United States. It is located on the Virgin River near Bunkerville and Mesquite; the town is accessible via Nevada State Route 170, which connects all three towns. Riverside is the site of the highway bridge over the river.

History

Riverside is located on the route of the Old Spanish Trail, that entered the Virgin River Valley after crossing the Beaver Dam Mountains, reaching the river at what is now Littlefield and passed down river past the site of Riverside to the Colorado River where it turned west. After 1847, avoid quicksands and marshes along the Virgin River that bogged down wagons, the wagon road called the Mormon Road that followed the Old Spanish Trail in many places, passed through the site of Riverside where it turned north, away from the old route, climbing toward Virgin Hill where it turned west to ascend a steep narrow ridge to the top of Mormon Mesa. The road then crossed Mormon Mesa to the Muddy River crossing it opposite the mouth of California Wash, west of modern Glendale, Nevada and continued up that wash to Las Vegas Springs.

                         


                            Elgin, NV

If you decide to take the time to visit Carp, Nevada and still have some extra time on your hands, you may find a trip North to Elgin may be well worth your time.  Though it’s only a 20-mile drive from Carp, be advised it will take about 1.5 hours due to the road being dirt.  Elgin is a ghost town located between Caliente and Carp, Nevada on the eastern banks of the Meadow Valley Wash off of Nevada State Route 317.  The first settlement at Elgin was made in 1882.  A post office was established at Elgin in 1913, and remained in operation until 1966.  A former railroad town, it is now the location of the Elgin Schoolhouse State Historic Site, a one-room schoolhouse museum. There is an apple orchard nearby. 


Here is a video that talks about the history of the one room schoolhouse in Elgin.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fK1QqankUz8

                                                                     Elgin Schoolhouse

                          Carp, NV

Next time you’re driving between Utah and Las Vegas and have a couple of extra hours, you might entertain the idea of taking “the road less traveled” and visit Carp, Nevada.  Take exit 100 on I-15 and follow the road North to Carp.  Though it’s only 56 miles from the exit, make sure you have plenty of time as the drive to Carp will take about 2 hours because 95% of the road is unpaved.  Carp is an unincorporated community and sits on the Meadow Valley Wash, which empties into Lake Mead.  It was originally a small railroad station for the Union Pacific Railroad. The post office started under the name of "Carpsdale" on June 29, 1918, but was rescinded. It then officially opened under the name of "Cliffdale" June 7, 1921 and changed yet again to "Carp" December 1, 1925. The present name "Carp" is after a railroad agent.  The Carp post office remained open to serve rural ranches until July 1, 1974, when it closed permanently. Little remains of Carp today except a railroad siding usually occupied by idling trains, and the remains of the watering reservoir.

                            

                                                                Carp Siding

                                                                   Water Reservoir

                                                            Waiting Union Pacific Train

 

Welcome to a journey to discover Interesting, Amazing and Quirky things about small town in Southern Utah and Southeastern Nevada!  This blog will focus on why these towns were founded, their history, and profiles of some of the residents that had an impact on the towns. And since this is a blog, I certainly welcome any and all input on these towns.  While I’ll do my best to discover interesting things about many of these towns, I also acknowledge I am not the expert on any of them…so please treat this blog as a Wiki and add and clarify any information you may have about any of these towns.