1886 Map of Saint Thomas

About this map

Saint Thomas and the surrounding Virgin River Valley are documented here before the modern landscape was transformed by dam construction. This late 19th-century survey, based on topography by the Powell Surveys, shows a desert frontier of early Mormon settlements and critical transportation corridors. The Virgin River meets the Colorado River near Old Callville, a site of significant logistical importance for river navigation. Long-distance travel is defined by the Old California Trail and the Millers Cutoff, which weave through the desert between the Mormon Mountains and Arrow Canyon Mts. Genealogists and historians can trace the foundations of early towns like Overton, Old Overton, and Saint Joseph, as well as river crossings such as Stone Ferry and Scanlon Ferry. The map also captures the Moapa Ind Res and the Old California Crossing on the Muddy Wash.