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Last Seen:
Fantasy Park, 1/4 mile east of Las Vegas Blvd - Las Vegas
This marker is currently missing
City
Las Vegas
Region
Southern
Signed
No signs exist for this marker
MISSING
This marker has been missing since 1998.
Exact Description
Stretching for 130 miles across Clark County, this historic horse trail became Nevada's first route of commerce in 1829 when trade was initiated between Santa Fe and Los Angeles. The trail was later used by the wagons of the "49ers" and Mormon pioneers. Concrete posts marking the trail were erected in 1965.
Case number 32
Missing Since: 1998
Whereabouts
According the State Marker System:
"Located in Fantasy Park, 1/4 mile east of Las Vegas Boulevard North and Washington Street in Las Vegas, Nevada."
The story of #32 is an odd and frustrating one. Upon commencing my marker journey, I thoroughly compiled and studied a list of the markers that I believed would become thorns in my side. #32, unwaveringly, became the poster child of what I called, "The MIAs." Let me explain why.
This particular marker is so far gone that us hunters believe it'll never be shown the light of day again. Of all the MIAs, this might be one of the oldest in the system - despite it have been missing for more than three decades! Yes, you read that right.
The disappearance of this marker is likely due to the complete revitalization of downtown Las Vegas - specifically, the corridor of Las Vegas Blvd north of Tropicana. This would be, well anything, along the corridors of Frank Sinatra and Dean Martin Drives, including N. Las Vegas Blvd. present-day. Both the Nevada Department of Transportation and the SHPO have been informed about this marker, but nothing has been done to replace it.
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These are the updates and my findings regarding OLD SPANISH TRAIL:
Before
Once upon a time (thirty years ago to be exact) there was a shaded haven in the middle of this metropolis called "Fantasy Park" - a grassy shaded bench at the intersection of Washington and Las Vegas Blvds. Fantasy "Park" (if you can call it that) was a small, 4-acre green, centered around Marker 32 in a stone memorial complete with picnic tables and an adjacent playground for kids and pets. Fantasy Park was a popular place in the 1970s up until the massive renovation and exponential growth of this area starting in 1991.
Take a look at Fantasy Park here!
For a short time, Fantasy Park even housed a small statue commemorating the Old Spanish Trail! The growth of the downtown area quickly overwhelmed Fantasy Park when Clark County Roads and the NDOT renovated this intersection sometime in the late 90s - decimating the little park and the marker along with it.
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March 2009
Today at "Washington and Las Vegas Blvd," hunters will be find the montrous Grant Sawyer Building, a huge state headquarters building with gates, passwords, and all the above requiring permissive entry. On my conquering of Clark in 2009, I inquired at the front gate by stating who I was and that I driven all the way from the State Capitol (you know, to make sound more official!) I had come to capture the marker. Additionally, prior to this visit, I got acquainted with a few people from NDOT and I stated their names to hopefully help things along. I requested that I wanted nothing more than to walk the grounds for a few minutes to locate "an old and important historic marker of significance for Carson City."
To double my chances, I even offered them my driver's license ... and even my truck title (yes, I was that committed) as collateral to prove that I wasn't a fiend. The attendant interrupted boldly with the following:
"Only state officials are allowed through the gates. You have to leave."
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With that said, I contacted fellow marker hunter, Gary Bodell from the Lincoln County Branch NDOT, a state official who has had access to the Grant Sawyer Building in the past. Turns out at least my experience wasn't in vain. He emailed me a few days later stating...
"No marker on the complex. We got our hopes up."
Later, I uncovered a rumor/email from a fellow hunter that Marker 32 was "probably lying in a rubble pile at a nearby Clark County maintenance station near Grant Sawyer." However, I found this to be highly unprobable considering that the marker is a rare "Classic" plaque which would need to be removed from the concrete slab. The slab would ultimately be destroyed. The location of this maintenance station is located near the Oasis Trailer Park just a few blocks east of Grant Sawyer and the former Fantasy Park.
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Good effort, but no dice!
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In my opinion, this would entail too much effort on account of the road department during the fairly expedious renovation.
Conclusion
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A week later, I researched the Nevada State Archives back home in Carson City to shed if even a tiny bit more light on this case. What I found, however, was extremely vague. Apparently, the builders of the complex tried to "work around the sign" (1995) probably knowing full well that if the marker was destroyed, it would never again be replaced. By more or less connecting the dots (or in this case, apples for tomatoes), this notion is promising considering the builders' reluctance to rid of the marker!
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Given the historic importance of the Old Spanish Trail and recent makeovers for many markers throughout the state, Marker 32 might have been resurrected in some form, most likely either via a metal plaque or some other type of plaque located somewhere among the busy bustle of downtown Vegas. The problem is, I've never met a person who could truly find a needle in a haystack, especially when the haystack is as extravagant as downtown Las Vegas!
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Fantasy Park was a perfect location for this marker because the Old Spanish Trail roughly followed the path of current North Las Vegas Blvd and a few short segments of Washington Street. From this intersection, the Trail wound the path of Main Street, then down the Strip to about Flamingo Ave before turning northwest to roughly follow Charleston Blvd. The marker could be anywhere along this path, keyword: COULD. It's unlikely the marker was replaced within the Grant Sawyer Complex given the building's privacy. My other hunches could be about a mile east of the present intersection, but on my conquering, I went in circles for at least a day searching and inquiring to no avail.
Until Marker 32 finds its way back onto the downtown scene, pay your respects to this very old historic marker- one representative of our state's first great transport.
Holy Nevada! I have a flurry of possibilities and strategies to replace this marker to prevent further mishaps (red tape) in the future. Apparently, the SHPO thought the Old Spanish Trail needed eight historic markers. Markers 139 and 140 were resurrected thanks to Nevada's 150th Battle Born Sesquicentennial celebration, but somehow, Marker 32 keeps getting the short stick. Why?
Here's the deal. Every one of the markers commemorating the OST are located outside of the city limits. Therefore, this should be the end goal for Marker 32's resurrection. If you want to keep it within the Las Vegas limits, keep it as far way from downtown and the Strip as possible.
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Here's a list of possible locations. We've personally visited each of these areas and we can confirm that these are all readily accessible to the public to avoid red tape and all of them are relatively permanent and free from possible decimation.
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This is a fairly new urban park set far away from the Vegas Strip, but historically significant for Marker 32's resurrection. Old Spanish Trail park at the corner of Tara Drive and Cimarron Rd was built right on top of the old trail! Clark County Parks bought this parcel of land right before the massive boom in Summerlin and quickly decked it with a kids playground, picnic areas, and historical kiosks and interpretive signs. Here, you can walk the actual trail through this lovely green pasture of Cottonwoods. Being that this IS the OST, placing the marker here would give it huge protection under the Clark County Parks, thus further preventing removal and/or sabotage to the marker. This marker would fit suit similar to Marker 224 Kiel Ranch.
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2. Nevada State Museum, Las Vegas
This is very obvious choice, but probably the best one. The state museum is headquartered at the Springs Preserve along S. Valley View Road. Considering that both complexes share this real estate, it instantly becomes a no-brainer for attracting tourists away from the Vegas Strip. The only request that we have is placing outside the complex to avoid entrance fees. Let me explain.
Marker 40, formerly an MIA, was brought back to life in 2019. While we're grateful for its return, officials thought it was a good idea to place it inside the confines of the Preserve- frustratingly locking it behind a paywall. You can request the marker viewing by way of a "temporary pass" ($5), in lieu of the $25 entrance fee. You can't even see the marker because it's completely hidden behind a restaurant.
If officials do bring Marker 32 back to life, a proper placement would be the free bench at the end of the entrance road. This bench sits just outside the museum's entrance, making it perfectly viewable by just parking and walking up to it.
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This tiny urban park at S. Tenaya Way and New Forest Drive offers a location that follows suit similar to Marker 197 Arrowhead Trail II. Marker 197 in Henderson was another former MIA originally located at Railroad Pass, but painstakingly resurrected at an urban park just a few miles from its former location.
What makes Paul Meyer interesting is the convenience of being similar to Fantasy Park (in a relatively busy part of Las Vegas), yet just far enough away from the main bustle of tourist trap Sin City. The present-day Old Spanish Trail Country Club along Tropicana just a few blocks south of here sits right on top of the OST's original path. Paul Meyer Park offers up a publicly accessible option close to the original trail. The country club is a private community, so any placement of a new marker along the perimeter of the club could spew up some red tape. Let's avoid this. For Paul Meyer, the placement could be as simple as an intersection, or the large open shaded area in the southwest area of the park for a concrete slab.
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If you have any information regarding [32] - OLD SPANISH TRAIL we ask that you please contact me or the State Historic Preservation Office at (775)684-3448 as soon as possible.
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Let's get this marker back to the people and/or the justice it deserves!
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