page_title: Las Vegas Mission
section_title: Life on the mission
hierarchical_section_title: Las Vegas Mission / Life on the mission
caption_attribution_description: English: New Mexico Territory counties as they were redefined in 1852, together with surrounding territories and border changes to 1866. Doña Ana County is emphasized in red.
context_page_description: The Las Vegas Mission was one of the earliest European settlements in the Las Vegas Valley. It was established by missionaries for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, or Mormons. In May 1855, at the direction of then Church President Brigham Young, thirty-two missionaries were sent to evangelize among Native Americans and establish a mission outpost in the Las Vegas Valley. The mission was abandoned in December 1857 due to growing political issues revolving Mormons and the threat of Native American attacks.
context_section_description: Colonists, sent by Brigham Young and led by William Bringhurst, arrived at the Las Vegas Mission site in June 1855 . The missionaries held the following primary objectives:
  Developing the site's agricultural potential
  Working with and teaching the Native Americans about Jesus Christ
  Serving as a station linking Mormon settlements between southern Utah and southern California
  Protecting and keeping open the trails which allowed year-round travel and trade 
  With its initial primary objective to develop agriculture and harvest before winter, immediate excavation began to build an irrigation ditch that diverted water from the Las Vegas Creek to the southeast corner of the fort. Further irrigation ditches were dug to provide water to five-acre farm plots (2.5 acres per person). Most of the days were then spent working the fields. Once the crops were growing well in mid-July, the attention was shifted to the public works of the settlement and different projects were started. Bringhurst and a small company of men searched the mountains for timber for building improvements and adobe brick was made and used to build a corral and to build the fort walls. Late in 1855 the mission obtained horses from California and cattle and mules from Salt Lake City to aid in their labors.
  When the year 1856 began, the Las Vegas Mission appeared to be making great strides toward permanency. On January 10, the mission received documents which allowed the establishment of an official post office. In late May, three missionaries received permission to bring their families from Salt Lake City to live in the fort. Missionary John Steele reported in April that the lead deposit found in the Potosi mine was large and easily accessible, and a sample of ore was sent to Brigham Young in Salt Lake City.  Soon after more missionaries were sent from Salt Lake City by Brigham Young with the focus of extracting the lead ore.
caption: Map of Pah-Ute county in 1852
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