Some more Vegas stuff

Even though we have lived here for 20 years, we had never checked out Spring Mountain Ranch State Park. We went to an outdoor musical there once, but just saw the amphitheater, and not the subject of the Park. Thanks to the entry line being miles long – I actually couldn’t see then end of the line due to a rise in the highway in the distance – we bailed out on Red Rock National Conservation Area and headed for the State Park. We hiked all the trails in the Park, and had a great time learning about its history from the very informative docents.

The ranch dates back to the early 1800’s when prospectors mined the seasonal springs coming out of the Spring Mountains, and folk on the Spanish Trail would stop here for rest and supplies. By the 1970’s, James Wilson and George Anderson acquired the ranch and enhanced its structures to include a blacksmith and store. These structures are still part of the Park, some of the oldest structures still standing in the State.

By the mid-1900’s, Alfred Krupp bought the ranch so his wife, Vera, could pursue her interests in riding and horses. Vera loved it so much she became a citizen and began living at the ranch year-round. Alfred had been convicted of war crimes in Germany, which made him unable to become a US citizen. They eventually divorced, Alfred living in Germany and Vera at the Ranch. A tour of the ranch house/mansion revealed how eccentric Vera was. In her private bedroom, the docent showed us the secret passageway behind one of the closet doors that lead to a private sitting room, with views of the mountains and totally bathed in the warmth of the sun.

Interesting stories abound here. When Vera had to leave the ranch due to health she wanted the state to make it a state park, however the amount the state could afford to pay was not what Vera needed. So instead, she sold it to none other than Howard Hughes – legend has it he never even set foot on the property in all the time he owned it. Some banditos raided the ranch stealing a number of valuables, including the infamous Krupp Diamond. The banditos were apprehended and the goods recovered. Vera eventually sold the Diamond to Richard Burton for $307,000, who gave it to Elizabeth Taylor, and it eventually became known as the Elizabeth Taylor Diamond. After her death, it commanded auction proceeds in excess of $8 million!

Talk to you soon!