Rafael Rivera was a Mexican scout that took part in Antonio Armijo's Spanish Trail expedition from Nuevo México in 1829.Barbara Land, Myrick Land, "A short history of Las Vegas", University of Nevada Press, 2004, p. 4. Armijo led a trader caravan group to

Los Angeles, California Los Angeles, often referred to by its initials L.A., is the List of municipalities in California, most populous city in the U.S. state of California, and the commercial, Financial District, Los Angeles, financial, and Culture of Los Angeles, ...

on Christmas Day about 100 miles northeast of present-day Las Vegas a scouting party rode west in search for water. The inexperienced Rivera left the main party and ventured into unexplored area. Within two weeks, he discovered the Las Vegas Springs. The abundant artesian spring water discovered at Las Vegas shortened the Spanish Trail to Los Angeles. About 14 years later after Rivera's discovery,

John C. Frémont Major general (United States), Major-General John Charles Frémont (January 21, 1813July 13, 1890) was a United States Army officer, explorer, and politician. He was a United States senator from California and was the first History of the Repub ...

led an expedition west and camped at Las Vegas Springs on May 13, 1844. The Rafael Rivera Park, Community Center and Rafael Rivera, a street, are named after him. He is also commemorated by Nevada Historical Marker 214.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Rivera, Raphael 19th-century Mexican people History of Las Vegas