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MEADVIEW & SURROUNDING AREA HISTORY
Prior to man 40,000 plus years ago in the Pleistocene age fauna was apparent in the area.
30,000 -15,000 years ago a shallow lake existed near Tule Springs.
13,000 -11,000 years ago there is probable evidence of Man with extinct Pleistocene fauna.
11,000 years ago there is definite evidence of Man.
Man's arrival to this part of the Southwest may date back some 20,000 years ago, specifically in the Lake Mead area and probably about 13,000 years ago in this area but definitely 11,000 years ago.
The recorded history of the area began in 1826, when Jedediah Smith passed through on his first Southwest Expedition in search of beaver. Other early explorers were John C. Fremont, Lt. Edward Beale, Lt. Joseph Ives and Major John Wesley Powell.
The explorers were followed by colonization and exploitation. Mormon farm settlements and roaring mining camps spring up along the rivers and in the mountains.
MEADVIEW
The Meadview area includes the areas of South Cove, Pearce Ferry & Grand Wash.
Meadview is a small community located on the southern boundary of the recreational area and about 10 miles from both Pearce Ferry and South Cove. It is almost an inholding, being surrounded on three sides by recreation area lands.
The community is of recent origin having been started around 1960 as a retirement community.
Pearce Ferry was started in 1863 by Jacob Hamblin, bought by Pearce in 1876, and operated until 1891. This area became popular again during the Grand Canyon-Boulder Dam Tours in the 1940s. A concession maintained a floating dock, supply depot, dining room, and had elaborated plans for improvement. The tour boats left Hemenway, stopped at Pearce Ferry, continued to Rampart Cave (discovered in 1916 by Willis Evans ) and then on 12 miles into the Grand Canyon. The tour cost $101. With the filling of Lake Mead, a delta formed at Pearce Ferry. This silting in, followed by the lowering of the lake level after 1941, forced the concession to be abandoned. Scenic flights were also part of the tourist trade in the 1930s and 1940s with airplanes landing on the strip at Pearce Ferry. Pearce Ferry is about 17 miles upstream from South Cove and serves as the primary terminus for river runners floating through the Grand Canyon. An undeveloped launching ramp allows boaters access to the lower gorge of the Grand Canyon.
Mike Canon's Ferry started in 1881 which was later bought by Tim Gregg, crossed the Colorado River at the area now known as Gregg's Hideout.
South Cove does not have a history pre-dating the establishment of the recreation area. After the recreation area was established, a new paved road was constructed as a spur road off the Pearce Ferry road, extending down to the lake where a paved launch ramp was constructed. The Boat ramp was built and paved in 1965/66 over a period of 15 months and at a cost of over 1 million dollars. At the time it was the largest construction ever undertaken by the National Park Service. South Cove is 60 miles above Hoover Dam, both South Cove and Temple Bar are the only Arizona boat ramps on Lake Mead above Hoover Dam.
East of Pearce Ferry, 750 feet above the water in Lower Granite Gorge, is Sloth Cave (also called Rampart Cave). Once home to the Giant Sloth 40,000 years ago, the cave was used as a laboratory by the U of A, the National Science Foundation & the Smithsonian Institute to study that animal. A fire in 1979 raged for months and caused much damage to this study area. The NPS built a steel gate across the entrance to the cave to restrict public access.
BAT CAVE
Bat Cave is located approximately 75 miles above Hoover Dam, in the Grand Canyon. In the 1930s, Bat Cave was a source for hardy men to dig bat guano which was bagged and loaded into ferry barges and sold as fertilizer, especially for roses. In the 1950s a steel cable carried a gondola across the 7,500 feet of the canyon, 2,500 feet above the water, transporting the guano until the guano ran out and the mine closed. In 1963 a jet plane from Nellis AFB hit the cable cutting it into two. The plane made it back to Nellis even though the tail was damaged. In 1995 the NPS wanted to destroy the cable towers and remove the dangling cables, but efforts by local residents forced the cancellation of those plans.
ECHO BAY HISTORY
Salt mines now under Lake Mead waters in the Echo Bay area, as well as near former St. Thomas, were once mined by Indians. The miners, using stone tools, would chip a circular groove into the salt, forming a knob which they would break off and carry away for their use and for trading.
In 1864, Hanson Call journeyed down the Virgin River to the Echo Bay area. He followed Echo Wash for a few miles, then turned back to the Colorado, where he picked the site of Calicle for the Mormon Steamboat port.
In recent years Napa Valley ranchers have grazed their cattle in the Echo Wash, near Bitter Springs, and in Bitter Springs Valley.
Echo Bay is near the old confluence of the Virgin and Colorado Rivers, where Powell ended his 1869 journey. Amigo, Smith, Ogden and others followed the Virgin River to the Colorado River passing close to Echo Bay.
OVERTON BEACH HISTORY
The Basketmaker Indians lived at the Lost City, also called Pueblo Grande de Nevada, on the Muddy River near the Virgin, probably before 500 A.D. Over the years, the Indians built pit houses and later, two and three story houses. The earlier tribes hunted and gathered their food, while later people farmed extensively. The last were occupants of a large Mesa House before they disappeared by 1150 A.D. Pueblo Grande de Nevada, or Lost City, is an unfortunate choice of names, since it applies to the whole complex of villages scattered along the Virgin/Muddy Valleys. "Mesa House" is the term used for the last occupational period in the area - again the people were living in a number of villages during the Mesa house period ca A.D. 110 - 1150. Surveys and excavations of Lost City began in 1924 under the Southwestern Museum, most of the work being done from 1935-1938. Many artifacts and reconstructed pueblo houses are now at the Lost City Museum in Overton. Lake Mead waters cover the original site.
In 1865, the Mormons established St. Thomas, at the junction of the Muddy & Virgin Rivers. The colonists farmed, raised cotton, and worked with the Paiutes. Tax problems with the new State of Nevada developed in 1870. All but one family, Daniel Bonelli, returned to Utah. Three families returned in 1880, followed by others. In 1912, there was enough business to have a railroad branch built to St. Thomas. The town became the halfway stopping point on the Old Arrowhead Trail, having a hotel, good meals, and a reliable garage. Re-routing U.S. 91 and ceasing operations of Grand Gulch copper mine in the 1930's hurt the town's economy. Life returned more to normal with the discovery of a silica sand deposit, beginning operation of a salt mine, and the discovery of the Lost City. But then the Hoover Dam project was started. Evacuation notices were posted on everything for five years. No one left until rising water was spotted in the Virgin Canyon. Many of the buildings were moved to towns on higher ground. One June 11, 1938, the waters had been in the town for five days. The postmaster canceled thousands of "last day" envelopes before he left for dry ground. Sometimes, when the lake gets low enough, buildings, dead trees, and rusted machinery can be seen.
Located three miles south of St. Thomas, on the west side of the Virgin, was the famous mountain of salt. This necessity, also found in many caves in the area, was probably the reason for the site of the Lost City. Over the years, it has grown to fantastic proportions - 3 miles long, all salt, as clear as glass, its name include Big Salt Cliff, Salvation Salt, Salt Point, and Salt Mountain. Lake Mead waters now cover this huge salt deposit, as well as most of the caves. The areas water is a little on the hard side.
In 1939, Overton Beach was one of the three National Park Service areas of the Boulder Dam National Recreation Area to have facilities.
TEMPLE BAR HISTORY
Daniel Bonelli left St. Thomas after it was abandoned in 1871. He built his home at Junction City, at the mouth of the Virgin River, and renamed it Rioville. Bonelli raised cattle and agricultural crops, and mined salt for sale to the miners from Temple Bar to El Dorado. Bonelli recognized another need, so Rioville also became know as Bonelli's Ferry. The ferry operated until 1920. Rioville had a store, post office, and a Pony Express station. Daniel Bonelli is credited with naming "The Mormon Temple" at Temple Bar.
The Temple Bar Mining Company produced placer gold from 1894 to 1898. After having problems securing driftwood from the river, they shipped the needed timbers from Kingman. The miners picked up their mail at Rioville.
Many Indian artifacts are found in the Temple Bar area, such as a large pottery bowl discovered in 1974.
HISTORY
