Riverside, Nevada

An unincorporated community in the state of Nevada, United States

Riverside

Location within the state of Nevada

Coordinates: 36°44′10″N 114°13′14″W / 36.73611°N 114.22056°W / 36.73611; -114.22056 Country: United States State: Nevada County: Clark Time zone: UTC-8 (Pacific (PST)) • Summer (DST): UTC-7 (PDT) Area codes: 702 and 725

Riverside is, for all intents and purposes, an unincorporated community situated in the remote, northeastern reaches of Clark County, within the perpetually sun-drenched, yet often unforgiving, landscape of Nevada, United States. To call it a "community" is perhaps a stretch, a hopeful designation for a smattering of existence where formal municipal governance hasn't bothered to plant its flag. Instead, the sparse services, if one can call them that, are left to the broader county administration, a common arrangement for locations that haven't quite convinced the universe they need their own mayor or city council.

This particular geographical shrug of a place finds itself nestled precariously on the banks of the Virgin River, a persistent, if sometimes temperamental, ribbon of water that carves its way through the arid terrain. It lies in close proximity to the slightly more established, though equally unassuming, settlements of Bunkerville and Mesquite. Access to Riverside, and indeed to its neighboring outposts, is primarily facilitated by Nevada State Route 170, a roadway that serves as a crucial, if not particularly scenic, artery connecting these isolated points in the vast expanse of the Mojave Desert. Among its few distinguishing features, Riverside hosts the local highway bridge, a necessary piece of infrastructure that allows passage over the aforementioned Virgin River, a seemingly minor detail until one considers the alternative of attempting to ford a potentially unpredictable desert waterway.

History

The ground upon which Riverside now vaguely exists has, ironically, seen more significant traffic in centuries past than it likely does today. This area was once a critical segment of the historic Old Spanish Trail, a notoriously arduous trade route that connected the distant settlements of Santa Fe, New Mexico, with Los Angeles, California, during the early to mid-19th century. One can only imagine the sheer, unadulterated misery of traversing such a path, guided more by desperation than any coherent map.

The Old Spanish Trail would typically make its grand, dusty entrance into the Virgin River Valley after the challenging crossing of the Beaver Dam Mountains. These mountains, a formidable barrier of jagged peaks and deep canyons, demanded significant effort from weary travelers and their pack animals. Upon successfully navigating this topographical headache, the trail would eventually reach the river itself at what is now known as Littlefield, a small community just across the state line in Arizona. From that point, the route proceeded downriver, tracing the course of the Virgin River and passing directly by the very site that would one day be designated Riverside. This path continued until it met the confluence with the mighty Colorado River, where the trail would then veer west, continuing its relentless journey towards the Pacific coast.

However, the Virgin River, while a vital source of water in an otherwise parched land, was not without its own treacherous challenges. The riverbed was infamous for its unpredictable quicksands and extensive marshy areas, which proved to be a constant menace, particularly for heavily laden wagons and their teams. Following the arrival of Mormon settlers in the region after 1847, a new and improved wagon road, aptly named the Mormon Road, was painstakingly carved out. This new route, while often paralleling sections of the older Old Spanish Trail, was specifically engineered to circumvent these notorious quicksands and boggy stretches that had so often ensnared and delayed earlier travelers. Such an undertaking speaks volumes about the early settlers' stubborn refusal to be inconvenienced by nature's more dramatic whims.

The Mormon Road, in its strategic deviation from the original, passed directly through the fledgling site of Riverside. Here, instead of continuing downriver towards the Colorado River like its predecessor, it took a decisive turn north. This new trajectory led travelers away from the old, problematic route, commencing a steep ascent towards Virgin Hill. From Virgin Hill, the road then veered west, embarking on a climb up a particularly steep and narrow ridge, a testament to the engineering — or perhaps sheer willpower — of its builders. This challenging section ultimately brought travelers to the expansive, desolate plateau known as Mormon Mesa.

After successfully traversing the vast, featureless expanse of Mormon Mesa – a journey that likely tested the patience and sanity of many – the road continued its westward trajectory. It eventually reached the Muddy River, crossing it at a point directly opposite the mouth of California Wash. This location was situated west of what is now recognized as modern Glendale, Nevada. The final leg of this particular segment of the Mormon Road saw it continuing upstream along California Wash, ultimately leading to the historically significant Las Vegas Springs, a crucial watering point and a beacon of life in the harsh desert environment that eventually gave rise to the metropolis of Las Vegas. This intricate network of routes highlights Riverside's often-overlooked position as a quiet waypoint in the grand, exhausting drama of westward expansion and settlement in the American Southwest.

Municipalities and Communities of Clark County, Nevada, United States

Clark County, a sprawling expanse of desert and occasional urban sprawl, is home to a diverse array of settlements, from the glittering lights of its county seat, Las Vegas, to the quiet, almost forgotten corners like Riverside. The county's geography dictates much of its development, with water sources and historical transportation routes playing a pivotal role in where people chose, or were forced, to establish themselves.

Cities The more organized, self-governing entities within Clark County include:

Census-designated places (CDPs) These are statistical entities defined by the U.S. Census Bureau for demographic purposes, lacking independent municipal government but often resembling towns or suburbs:

Unincorporated communities These are areas that operate without their own local government, with services typically provided by the Clark County administration. Riverside, as previously established, falls into this category, alongside:

Ghost towns A poignant reminder of boom-and-bust cycles, these former settlements now stand largely abandoned, echoing the transient nature of human endeavors in the desert:

Indian reservations Sovereign lands within the county boundaries, preserving the cultural heritage and self-governance of indigenous peoples:

Proposed communities These are areas envisioned for future development, reflecting the continuous, if sometimes overly ambitious, growth trajectory of Clark County:

Footnotes ‡This populated place also has portions in an adjacent county or counties.

This Clark County, Nevada state location article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it, if you feel so inclined to document every last forgotten speck of dust in the universe.