Mount Bonnell TX6473

Rising 775 feet above sea level, this limestone height was named for George W. Bonnell, who came to Texas with others to fight for Texas Independence, 1836. Was Commissioner of Indian Affairs in Republic of Texas under President Sam Houston. Moved in 1839 to Austin; there published the "Texas Sentinel", 1840. Member Texan-Santa Fe expedition, 1841. Was captured but released in time to join Mier expedition, 1842. Was killed in camp on Rio Grande, Dec, 26, 1842.

Frontiersman W.A.A. "Bigfoot" Wallace killed an Indian he met face to face while crossing a narrow ledge 50 feet above river, 1839. He also took refuge in a Mount Bonnell cave to recover from "flux", but was missing so long his sweetheart eloped.

In the mid-1800s Mormons built a mill on the Colorado River at foot of Mount Bonnell. Mill was destroyed by flood and the Mormons moved on west.

Mount Bonnell was site of picnics and outings in 1850s and 1860s. As it is today. Legend has it that an excursion to the place in the 1850s inspired the popular song "Wait for the Wagon and We'll All Take a Ride". As a stunt in 1898, Miss Hazel Keyes slid down a cable stretched from the top of Mount Bonnell to south bank of then Lake McDonald below.

---

Mountain Valley TX3505

Established in 1854 by 16 families of Mormons under the leadership of Lyman Wight (1796-1858). They abandoned their homes and mills in 1858 as the result of Indian depredations. Their lands are now beneath the waters of Medina Lake.

---

Site of Mormon Settlement TX9733

A settlement made in 1851 by 20 Mormon families under the leadership of Lyman Wight (1796-1858). Here they built homes, lumber mills, and shops for the manufacture of furniture. Abandoned in 1853.

---

Site of Zodiac TX11767

A Mormon settlement. Established in 1847 by 150 Mormons under the leadership of Lyman Wight (1796-1858). Abandoned in 1851 after floods destroyed their mill.

---

Third Site for Travis County Government TX6426

Courthouse built here in 1939, 91st year of Travis County, which in early Texas was in municipality of Mina (later Bastrop), or Travis District, named for Wm. B. Travis, Commander at the Alamo. Site of present-day Austin was chosen in 1839 (4th year of the Republic of Texas) as location for capital, and named for the Father of Texas. Local county government began immediately, with setting up of militia beats. Mormon settlers in 1893 built the first jail and also the first gristmill. Congress in January 1840 formally created the county, which by then had 856 people. 5 forts were in operation to guard against Comanche Indians, whose raids went on as late as 1863. Dams in the Colorado River provided industrial power and created fine recreation lakes. State government, University of Texas, Bergstorm Air Force Base, public institutions and private businesses employ working forces from the county population of 237,000. The county's 125th anniversary was attended 1964 under the administration of Judge J.H. Watson and Commissioners Robert Barker, Lawson Boothe, N.L. Gault and Arthur Swenson. Historic county emblem was restored and sponsored by county auditor Weldon S.Horton. Flag was designed by Mrs.Jessie McIlroy Smith.

---

William Williamson TX11553
WILLIAM WILLIAMSON
(1829 - 1900)

This community began in 1867 when Louisiana native William Williamson and his wife Joissine Desmarais bought squatters rights and a log house on this tract of public land. Their home served as the community gathering place for socials and church meetings. After the death of their son Absolom in 1890, the Williamson Cemetery (1.3 mi.N) was set aside. Vitally interested in education, Williamson served as a school trustee as did several of his 15 children and their descendants.

In 1900 Williamson and his wife were baptized into the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints; this marked the beginning of Mormonism in this area. The first church house of pine logs was erected about 1901 by volunteers. In 1915 a frame building was constructed here on an acre of land donated by Williamson's son Joseph.

Signs of the Williamson influence in the community include: an early school and a major road bearing the name; the annual July 24th commemoration of the Mormons' arrival in the Salt Lake Valley; the public cemetery which has about 650 graves; the Family Genealogical Association; and this church building which is located at the center of the community.

---

Las Vegas (The Meadows) NV40
The famous Las Vegas Springs rose from the desert floor here, sending two streams of water across the valley to nurture the native grasses and create lush meadows in the valley near Sunrise Mountain. The water gushed forth with such force that a man could not sink in the Springs. The natural oasis of meadow and mesquite forest was the winter homeland of Paiutes, who spent the summers in the Charleston Mountains. An unknown Spanish-speaking sojourner, whether padre, trapper or trader, named Las Vegas "The Meadows," and marked it as such on a map of the Southwestern Desert. Antonio Armijo stopped at the Springs in 1829-30, traveling a route which became known as the Old Spanish Trail. After 1830, the route was traveled by Spanish traders, emigrants and frontiersmen, who rested beside the Springs. On one of his western explorations trips, John C. Frémont camped here on May 3, 1844. Because of artesian water here, Mormons established the Las Vegas Mission and Fort in 1855; the Valley became a huge cattle ranch from 1866 to 1904; and the San Pedro, Los Angeles, Salt Lake Railroad Company acquired water rights and land and created the City of Las Vegas in 1905.

---

Panaca NV39
Southern Nevada's first permanent settlement and perhaps one of its most unique was settled as a Mormon colony by Francis C. Lee and others in 1864. Poor in resources, but rich in people, Panaca has changed but slowly down through the years. Although mining at nearby Bullionville and Pioche has had its effect, Panaca remains an agricultural community. The post office was established in 1867, moved to Bullionville in 1874, and returned to "Panaker" in 1879. During the 1870's, coke ovens produced charcoal here for the smelters at Bullionville. Originally located in Washington County, Utah, Panaca became a portion of Nevada by an act of Congress, dated May 5, 1866. As the boundary was not then surveyed, a dispute arose over taxes levied by Lincoln County, Nevada. Only after a long period of bitter litigation was the matter settled in favor of the Panaca citizenry on December 4, 1871. There are those who lived and died in this community where they were born; others became world travelers. In their unspectacular way, many helped created the great pioneer story.

---

Pahranagat Valley NV38
"The Rolling Stones of Pahranagat," a hoax article on magnetic currents written in 1862 by Dan deQuille of the Territorial Enterprise, made this valley world famous. Its lakes are filled and its fields are irrigated by three springs, Hiko, Crystal and Ash. The Crystal Springs area, used as a watering spot and campsite, was a principal stopover on the Mormon Trail alternated route. In the late 1850's this area was a haven for outlaws who pastured hundreds of head of stolen cattle on its meadows. Although named provisional county seat in 1866, no significant town was built here. Ore was discovered in 1865 on Mount Irish, and Logan City sprang briefly into existence. A stamp mill was established at Hiko in 1866 to crush the ore, and it became the center of activity for the valley when it became the county seat in 1867. It was the largest community in Lincoln County until local mining decline and Pioche claimed the county seat in 1871. Alamo, established in 1900, is the valley's largest present-day settlement. The area now includes several ranches and the Pahranagat Valley National Wildlife Refuge.

---

Powell of the Colorado NV37
On August 30, 1869, Major John Wesley Powell landed at the mouth of the Virgin River, about 12 miles south of here, thus ending the first boat expedition through the Grand Canyon of the Colorado River. The expedition left Green River City, Wyoming Territory, on May 24, 1869. For three months Powell and his men endured danger and hunger to explore, survey and study the geology of the canyons along the Green and Colorado Rivers. Exhausted and near starvation, the Powell party was warmly greeted and fed by the hardy Mormon pioneers of St. Thomas, a small farm settlement about 11 miles north of here. The original sites of St. Thomas and the junction of the Virgin and Colorado Rivers are now beneath the waters of Lake Mead. This, and later Powell surveys, stimulated great interest in the water conservation problems of the Southwest.

---