This is my next research project - which American Indian tribes were removed prior to the Hoover Dam construction?
This should be interesting. 👇
Key Tribes in the Area
1. Southern Paiute (including subgroups like Chemehuevi, Moapa Paiute, Las Vegas Paiute, Kaibab Paiute, and Pahrump Paiute): Numic-speaking peoples who inhabited riverine oases, valleys, and mesas in southern Nevada, northern Arizona, and southern Utah. They used the area for seasonal camps, villages (e.g., near St. Thomas, now submerged), farming (corn, beans, squash, melons), gathering (mesquite, cacti, wild seeds), hunting (bighorn sheep, rabbits), fishing, mining (salt, turquoise), and spiritual practices (vision quests, healing at hot springs, Salt Song ceremonies for journeys and the afterlife). Origins tied to places like Mt. Charleston and Spirit Mountain.
2. Mohave (Mojave): Yuman-speaking tribe along the Colorado River, with villages near sites like Cottonwood Island (now submerged), Willow Beach, and Needles. They relied on the river for fishing (salmon, trout, catfish), farming, trade (shells, pigments), travel (rafts), and ceremonies (water songs, creation stories at Spirit Mountain). They interacted with other tribes through trade but also conflicts.
3. Hualapai (Pa'a): Yuman-speaking group occupying areas south of the Colorado River, including Black Mountains, Hualapai Valley, and canyons near the dam site. Subdivided into bands (e.g., Red Rock People, Cerbat Mountaineers), they used the land for hunting (deer, sheep), gathering, limited fishing (taboo for some bands), farming in canyons, and spiritual sites (e.g., Matawidita Cave, hot springs for healing). They shared creation myths and trade networks with Mohave and Paiute.
4. Navajo (less central but overlapping): Connected through shared spiritual sites, gatherings in canyons, and use of hot springs for medicine, though their core territory was farther east.