Former US Route 91 in the Bunkerville and Mesquite area

Bunkerville and Mesquite are communities located along the Virgin River in northeast Clark County, Nevada which were part of the corridor of US Route 91.  When US Route 91 was commissioned in November 1926 it followed Riverside Road, Mesquite Boulevard, Sandhill Road and Hillside Drive through Bunkerville and Mesquite to the Arizona state line.  US Route 91 was realigned north of the Virgin River by 1955 which transitioned it directly from Glendale to Mesquite Boulevard.  

The 1955 alignment of US Route 91 bypassed Bunkerville and two crossings of the Virgin River.  The post-1955 alignment of US Route 91 would be later built upon as part of Interstate 15 which was completed through Mesquite in 1973.  By 1974 US Route 91 would be truncated out of Nevada entirely.  Since 1976 the original alignment of US Route 91 along Riverside Road has been part of Nevada State Route 170. 

The blog cover photo is of US Route 91 at the lower Virgin River Bridge south of Bunkerville.  Said photo was featured in the 1929-1930 Nevada Department of Highways Biennial. 

US Route 91 as originally configured in Nevada appears on the 1927 Nevada Department of Highways map. 

 

Part 1; the history of US Route 91 through Bunkerville and Mesquite

What ultimately became US Route 91 in Bunkerville and Mesquite was inherited from the Arrowhead Trail, Salt Lake-Los Angeles Road and the Mormon Road.  The Mormon Road was scouted by a party led by Jefferson Hunt which was searching for a supply route from Salt Lake City to Southern California through 1847-1848.  The Mormon Road ultimately utilized much of the established trade routes of the Old Spanish Trail through the Mojave Desert which took it through the Virgin River Valley and Beaver Dam Mountains.  The Mormon Road was later reorganized and improved into the Los Angeles-Salt Lake Road by 1855 which was capable of facilitating wagon travel.   The Los Angeles-Salt Road largely fell into disuse when the Los Angeles & Salt Lake Railroad was constructed between 1903 through 1905.

The Los Angeles-Sale Lake Road can be seen between the Muddy River in Nevada and St. George, Utah on the 1873 Bancroft's Map of California, Nevada, Utah and Arizona.  The Salt Lake-Los Angeles Road can be seen avoiding the narrow and treacherous Virgin River Gorge by way of the Beaver Dam Mountains.  

Bunkerville was settled on the south bank of the Virgin River in 1877.  The community was named after well-known pioneer Edward Bunker.  Bunker had previously been involved with the development of the Santa Clara in Washington County, Utah.  

Mesquite was settled on the Virgin River northeast of Bunkerville by Mormon pioneers in 1880.  The name of the community was originally called Mesquite Flat and was initially located far closer to the northern bank of the Virgin River.  The first two Mesquite Flat town sites were destroyed by the flooding Virgin River.  The third plot was located on higher ground and became a permanent settlement. 

The Arrowhead Trail was an Auto Trail which was plotted out in 1915 when promoter and race car driver Charles H. Bigelow drove the entire planned route from Salt Lake City to Los Angeles.  The Arrowhead Trail largely followed the path of the Los Angeles-Salt Lake Road which took it through Valley of Fire, the Virgin River Valley, Bunkerville, Mesquite and the Beaver Dam Mountains between Las Vegas, Nevada and St. George, Utah.   The Arrowhead Trail would ultimately incorporate into the Arrowhead Trails Association during December of 1916 in Los Angeles.  The early Arrowhead Trail between St. Thomas, Nevada and St. George, Utah by way of the Beaver Dam Mountains on the 1917 Arrowhead Trail Map.  

Charles H. Bigelow can be seen at what is likely the 1911 Indianapolis 500 behind the wheel of his Mercer race car with his on-board mechanic.  Charles H. Bigelow was born on August 26, 1872, in Kilbourne, Illinois and died on June 8, 1958, at Los Angeles, California.  

The Arrowhead Trail and Clark County were both excluded from the initial run of State Highways adopted by the Nevada State Legislature in 1917.  1919 Legislation would add the Arrowhead Trail to the State Highway System as Nevada State Route 6.  Nevada State Route 6 can be seen described in detail in the 1919-1920 Nevada Department of Highways Biennial. 

The same biennial reported on the ongoing construction of a bridge on the Arrowhead Trail between Bunkerville and Mesquite.  The 750-foot-long span was described as a two-steel truss span which was part of Department of Highways Project Number 27.  The existing Arrowhead Trail included a ford (referred to amusingly as a "bug bear") of the Virgin River which required hauling assistance from Clark County staff to cross.  The project was submitted to the state legislature for funding on November 1, 1919. 

The 1919-1920 Biennial also referenced survey work having been completed regarding finding new alignment to relocate the Arrowhead Trail between Las Vegas and Bunkerville.  No exact alignment at the time was selected by the Department of Highways. 

The 1919 Nevada Department of Highways Map shows Nevada State Route 6 and the Arrowhead Trail heading northeast from Las Vegas through Valley of Fire to St. Thomas.  From St. Thomas the Arrowhead Trail is shown following the south bank of the Virgin River through Bunkerville and crossing back over to Mesquite near the Arizona state line.  

A driver can be seen heading north on the Arrowhead Trail in the 1920s with what is now Valley of Fire of State Park in the background.  Valley of Fire obtained it's named during the 1920s when a writer from AAA coined it.

The 1923-1924 Nevada Department of Highways Biennial reported on the completion of a bridge carrying the Arrowhead Trail over the Virgin River approximately 8 miles southwest of Bunkerville.  The then new span was 884 feet in length and was a timber pile trestle design.  This span was a component in a major realignment of Nevada State Route 6 which would bypass Valley of Fire in favor of Apex Summit.  

The Arrowhead Trail can be seen multiplexed with the Evergreen National Highway and National Park-to-Park Highway between St. Thomas, Nevada and St. George, Utah on the 1924 Rand McNally Auto Trails Map of Utah, Colorado, New Mexico and Arizona.  The Arrowhead Trail can be seen following the south bank of the Virgin River from St. Thomas northeast through Bunkerville and crossing to the northern bank at Mesquite. 

The 1925-1926 Nevada Department of Highways Biennial described the new alignment of the Arrowhead Trail and Nevada State Route 6 north of Las Vegas as complete.  The new alignment departed Las Vegas towards Apex Summit and entered Bunkerville via Moapa Valley and Glendale.  The new alignment bypassed Valley of Fire and St. Thomas.

The then new alignment of the Arrowhead Trail and Nevada State Route 6 can be seen on the 1925 Rand McNally Junior Map of Nevada.  This map shows proposed US Route 91 following Nevada State Routes 6 and 5 through the state.  The US Route System wouldn't be finalized until November 11, 1926, when it was approved by the Secretary of Agriculture.  Ultimately US Route 91 follow the entirety of Nevada State Route 6 from the California state line near Jean northeast to the Arizona state line near Mesquite.  US Route 91 would initially follow Riverside Road through Bunkerville northeast towards Mesquite.  Within Mesquite US Route 91 would follow Riverside Road, Mesquite Boulevard, Sandhill Boulevard and Hillside Drive to the Arizona state line.  

US Route 91 as originally configured in Nevada appears on the 1927 Nevada Department of Highways map. 

The 1929-1930 Nevada Department of Highways Biennial announced the Virgin River Bridge along US Route 91 near Mesquite was surveyed for replacement.  The 957-foot-long span timber (then the longest in Nevada) is noted to be in a state of deterioration due to untreated pilings.  The Department of Highways was in the process of investigating installing a permanent structure in the next biennium.

The same biennial featured a photograph of the Virgin River Bridge along US Route 91 west of Bunkerville.  This structure unlike the one near Mesquite was comprised of treated timber. 

The 1930-1932 Nevada Department of Highways Biennial announced the last segment of US Route 91 to be paved in Nevada was the portion between the Virgin River Bridges south of Mesquite.  Paving in the last dirt section is noted to be anticipated to commence during 1933. 

The same biennial noted the new Virgin River Bridge near Mesquite had been recently completed during February 1932.  The then new span is noted to be comprised of reinforced concrete.  The biennial also noted a new bridge on US Route 91 south of Bunkerville was in the process of construction.  The previous timber trestle was noted to have been destroyed during a flood on February 9-10, 1932.  Cars had been towed across the river by the Department of Highways until the structure was repaired via an 800-foot-long temporary trestle. 

The 1932-1934 Nevada Department of Highways featured a photo of the then new concrete span carrying US Route 91 over the Virgin River south of Bunkerville. 

The same biennial noted US Route 91 between Bunkerville and Mesquite had received a gravel surface which was treated with oil. 

A photo of a widening project along US Route 91 in Mesquite (Mesquite Boulevard) was featured in the 1938-1940 Nevada Department of Highways Biennial.  The project corridor included the installation of curbs and drainage gutters.

The 1952-1954 Nevada Department of Highways Biennial featured reports and photos along the new alignment of US Route 91.  The new alignment of US Route 91 was intended to bypass Bunkerville by staying along the northern bank of the Virgin River which would connect Glendale directly Mesquite (via Mesquite Boulevard).  The then new alignment included a bridge over Toquop Wash. 

The difficulties encountered during construction of the new alignment of US Route 91 between Glendale-Mesquite were detailed in the 1955-1956 Nevada Department of Highways Biennial.  Contract 905 which had been awarded to Thorn Construction encountered clay, sand and other materials while constructing 90-foot-wide roadway cut. 

The then new alignment of US Route 91 appears for the first time on the 1955 Nevada Department of Highways map.  The older alignment through Bunkerville is shown to have been retained as an unnumbered State Highway.  

The Federal Highway Aid Act was signed into law on June 29, 1956, which saw the creation of the Interstate Highway System.  The entire general corridor of US Route 91 in Nevada was added to that of Interstate 15.  

US Route 91 through Mesquite appears in substantial detail on the 1957 United States Geological Survey map. 

The 1965-1966 Nevada Department of Highways Biennial announced Mesquite was the last location in Nevada where construction of Interstate 15 had not yet commenced.  The segment is noted to have entered a design phase. 

The 1973-1974 Nevada Department of Highways Biennial noted the last segment of Interstate 15 had recently been completed in Mesquite.  The last portion of the Interstate highway originated two miles west of downtown Mesquite and extended to the Arizona state line.  Upon the completion of Interstate 15 in Nevada, it was initially fully multiplexed with US Route 91. 

Interstate 15 was opened to traffic through the Virgin River Gorge in Arizona on December 14, 1973.  On April 24, 1974, the Arizona Highway Department petitioned the AASHO in concurrence with California, Nevada and Utah to decommission US Route 91 between Beaver Dam, Arizona and St. George, Utah.  The decommissioning of US Route 91 between Beaver Dam, Arizona and St. George, Utah was considered at the June 1974 AASHO Executive Committee Meeting.   This would ultimately result in US Route 91 being truncated from Baker, California to Brigham City, Utah.  Ultimately much of US Route 91 at the Arizona state line near Mesquite between and St. George, Utah would become Mohave/Washington County Route 91.  

During July 1976 the wider Nevada State Highway Renumbering took effect.  Former US Route 91 following Riverside Road through Bunkerville to Mesquite was assigned as Nevada State Route 170.  Nevada State Route 170 begins at Interstate 15 Exit 112 and follows Riverside Road 12.268 miles to Mesquite Boulevard within Mesquite.  

Nevada State Route 170 can be seen for the first time on the 1977-1978 Nevada Department of Highways map. 

Mesquite would incorporate as a city during 1984.  During 2007 the Nevada Department of Transportation replaced the lower Virgin River Bridge south of Bunkerville.  The department would replace the upper Virgin River Bridge near Mesquite in 2009. 

Part 2; a drive along Nevada State Route 170 and the original alignment US Route 91 to Mesquite

Eastbound Nevada State Route 170 (Riverside Road) begins at Interstate 15 Exit 112.  As noted in Part 1 the original alignment follows Nevada State Route 170. 

Nevada State Route 170 descends to the lower Virgin River Bridge.  The former site of Riverside can be found at this span along the north bank of the Virgin River.  Riverside was a service station founded in 1930 by Carl Enkey along US Route 91.  Riverside had a few residences and cabins but never developed as an actual town site.  The service station closed down around 1955 after US Route 91 had been relocated to the north bank of the Virgin River.

Nevada State Route 170 crosses the Virgin River and passes through Bunkerville. 

Nevada State Route 170 crosses the upper Virgin River Bridge and enters the city of Mesquite.  The state highway corridor terminates as Riverside Road meets Mesquite Boulevard.  US Route 91 would have originally turned right onto Mesquite Boulevard.  The post-1955 alignment of US Route 91 entered the city via Mesquite Boulevard. 

US Route 91 originally followed Mesquite Boulevard east from Riverside Road to Sandhill Boulevard.  US Route 91 would have made a left-hand turn on Sandhill Boulevard towards the Arizona state line.  Both Mesquite Boulevard and Sandhill Boulevard are signed as part of the Interstate 15 Business Route.  This Business Route was never formally requested by the Nevada Department of Transportation. 

Northbound US Route 91 originally followed Sandhill Road to a right-hand turn at Hillside Drive.

US Route 91 followed Hillside Drive to the Arizona state line.  In modern times traffic entering Arizona on Hillside Drive transitions onto Mohave County Route 91.