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The lore of Las Vegas is fairly substantial, especially for a city that is considered to be relatively new. There has been a long history of human habitation in the area, of course, but what is considered to be the contemporary urban center does not go back more than a few generations. Most people recognize it as one of the great weekend spots in the world, where a Vegas hotel means a wonderful time with friends in an exciting place. Most people also probably recognize its wild west origins, but very likely do not recognize the names of the ones who made the city accessible to an industrialized world.

Some visitors, and many of the locals, might be familiar with the Rafael Rivera Community Center , but may not be aware of its namesake. Rivera was, in fact, one of the reasons that the city is what it is today. In the middle of the 19th century, he was a scout in an expedition to make the trail open for travel to Los Angeles. He took a turn, and found himself in an area with fresh springs. This area was inhabited, and had been so for some time, but he was the first European-descended visitor. It was a perfect spot for a rest between cities, and became a stopping point on the way to the ocean, before it became the major center that it is today.