Virgin Valley was traveled by Jedediah Smith in 1826 and by Fremont in 1844. The valley served as the right-of-way for the Old Spanish Trail from 1829 to 1848 and for the Mormon road, or southern route of travel to southern California. The area was settled by pioneers of the Latter-Day Saints Church, who colonized Bunkerville in 1877 and Mesquite in 1880. The Virgin River provided water for the development of the valley’s agricultural resources.