Existing comment:
90-60 years ago (1905-1935):
1905: Coming of the railroad:
The San Pedro, Los Angeles and Salt Lake railroad ran its first training through the region in 1905. Freight, cattle, and people moved by this new mode of travel.
1916-1926: Arrowhead Trail:
The Arrowhead Trail, the first all-weather automobile road i the US opened through Valley of Fire in 1916. People came to see the petroglyphs, Anasazi pueblos, and mountains of salt with prehistoric mines. Lost City pageants, staged near here in 1925 and 1926, depicted imaginative re-creations of Indian life and the exploration of the Southwest, attracted thousands of visitors.
1935: State Park System:
Tourist traffic increased despite the Great Depression, and the state decided to create a system of parks to attract still more visitors. The four areas originally set aside included Valley of Fire, ending its long years of isolation. |