Helen Stewart
1854-1927
In 1882, Helen Stewart and her husband, Archibald, and their three children moved to a ranch in the Las Vegas Valley, where Archibald managed the ranch and sold meat and vegetables to nearby miners. After Archibald's death, Helen took over and became a skillful ranch and business manager. She eventually sold the land to the San Pedro, Los Angeles, and Salt Lake Railroad, which led to the development of Las Vegas. As the town began to grow, she played an active role in the community.
Sources
• "(H)Our History Lesson: Helen Stewart, the'First Lady' of Las Vegas (U.S. National Park Service):' Accessed April 9, 2025. https://www.nps.gov/articles/000/helen-stewart-the-first-lady-of-las-vegas.htm.
• UNLV Special Collections Portal. "Helen J. Stewart Papers, 1869-1978. MS-00171 :' Accessed April 9, 2025.
https://special.library.unlv.edu/ark:/62930/f1388t.
• Nevada Magazine. "Women's History in Nevada:' April 2014. https://nevadamagazine.com/issue/march-april-2014/8483/.
For questions or comments, please reach out to the Clark County Museum at ccmuseum@clarkcountynv.gov.