The City of North Las Vegas debuted its newest park: Kiel Ranch Historic Park, which features historic structures, a family plaza, rolling lawns and a rich and storied past.
On Thursday, June 30, the grand opening of Kiel Ranch Historic Park, 2465 Kiel Way, North Las Vegas was celebrated.
“An essential piece of history – not just for North Las Vegas but for all of Southern Nevada – has been preserved and transformed into a wonderful asset for residents and visitors alike,” North Las Vegas Mayor John Lee said. “The City of North Las Vegas is proud to be the steward of such a historic site and to return it to a condition that enables everyone to enjoy this unique treasure.”
The 7-acre site near the corner of Carey Avenue and Commerce Street was among the earliest settlement sites in the Las Vegas Valley. It was part of a 240-acre homestead established in the late 1800s by Conrad Kiel, a rancher known for his temper and questionable associates.
Well before Mr. Kiel settled there, Mormon missionaries established the land as a farm for Native Americans, and historic artifacts excavated on the site suggest the presence of indigenous Paiutes long before settlers arrived.
During the 1940s and 1950s, the ranch became known as Boulderado and was used as a divorce ranch by out-of-state residents looking to take advantage of Nevada’s liberal divorce laws. Kiel Ranch was placed on the list of the National Register of Historic Places in October 1975.
The site includes an adobe structure that’s one of the oldest buildings still standing in Nevada, a cottage referred to as the Doll House from the divorce ranch era, an active artesian pond and a small orchard featuring the types of fruit trees planted during the Kiel era. Interpretive nodes dot the park to teach visitors about the history of the site.
Funding for Kiel Ranch Historic Park was provided by the Southern Nevada Public Land Management Act, the Land & Water Conservation Fund and the Nevada State Historic Preservation Office. Grants totaled more than $2 million.