Muddy Valley Reflections145 Years of Settlement

Beezy Lani-Tobiasson’s Eight Year Labor of Love

When visualizing Southern Nevada on our mental maps, we most likely think of Las Vegas and its surrounding burbs. Often not realized is a little valley lying north and east of Sin City. Officially titled Moapa Valley, those who live here call it Muddy Valley.

The Muddy River, formerly called the Moapa River, originates from the Warm Springs Natural Area and cuts through the valley before emptying into Lake Mead. The communities of Moapa Town, Logandale and Overton are located in the valley, along the river. Prior to the creation of Lake Mead, Moapa Valley also included the town of St. Thomas, which was abandoned in 1938 and now lies under the waters of Lake Mead. The 2010 census shows a population of 6,924 souls living in the valley. The valley itself is about 40 miles long and angling roughly northwest to southeast.

Shortly after arriving in the Salt Lake valley, Brigham Young began dispatching members of the Church to settle lands to the south. By 1864, The Muddy River valley was a focus of President

Young’s “Cotton Mission.” Subsequently, this part of the American west has a rich pioneer history.

So rich that one woman who makes the Muddy Valley her home published a 3-volume book total-

by The Arizona Beehive Magazine

ing 1277 pages of material! Virginia “Beezy” Lani Tobiasson along with her colleague Georgia May Bagshaw Hill gathered, recounted and wrote about the families that pioneered, lived and still live in this part of the world. Continued on