Las Vegas Springs (Springs Preserve) - a desert oasis

The Las Vegas Springs, the natural artesian springs that once supported the area, created an oasis in the Mojave Desert and were the reason the city was founded in the 19th century. The Springs Preserve now protects the spring site and associated historic structures, interpretive trails, and ecological exhibits that document this unusual freshwater source in an arid valley. The presence of these springs at the valley floor is a geographic anomaly that enabled permanent settlement in what is otherwise desert terrain. The preserve interprets how the springs shaped early Las Vegas geography and settlement patterns.