[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 157 (2011), Part 13]
[Senate]
[Page 18399]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                      TRIBUTE TO HELEN J. STEWART

  Mr. REID. Mr. President, I rise today to honor Helen J. Stewart, a 
brave and extraordinary Nevadan who lived during the early days of Las 
Vegas. On December 3, 2011, there will be a dedication of the statue 
erected in her honor at the Old Las Vegas Mormon Fort State Historic 
Park.
  In 1882, Helen arrived in the Las Vegas Valley with her husband 
Archibald and their three young children. After her husband died of a 
gunshot wound in 1884, she managed their isolated ranch while caring 
for five young children. A business-savvy woman, Helen sold 1,832 acres 
of the ranch to the railroad in 1902 for $55,000. This land became the 
area from which the City of Las Vegas developed.
  Helen had a pioneering spirit, and she is considered to be the 
``First Lady of Las Vegas.'' Among her numerous accomplishments in the 
community, she was the first Postmaster, the first woman to serve on a 
School District Board, and the first woman to serve on a jury. In 
addition, she was an advocate of women's rights, a charter member of 
the Mesquite Club, one of the founders of the Christ Episcopal Church, 
and the president of the Las Vegas chapter of the Nevada Historical 
Society.
  Helen also developed strong friendships with the Southern Paiutes. 
They were her neighbors and some were workers on her ranch. In 1911, 
she deeded 10 acres of her land to the Federal Government for use as an 
Indian school. That land established what is now known as the Las Vegas 
Indian Colony for the Las Vegas Paiute Tribe.
  I am pleased to stand today to recognize Helen's outstanding 
achievements. She was a remarkable mother, rancher, businesswoman, and 
community leader, and she serves as an inspiration to us all.

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