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St.Thomas began its short life as a Mormon settlement in 1865. Its location at the junction of the Muddy and Virgin Rivers helped to make it a popular farming community and pit stop along the Arrowhead Trail. Unfortunately, St. Thomas wasn’t able to grow to its full potential.
In the 1930’s, the Federal Government purchased the town to further the development of the Hoover Dam. With the construction of the Dam, water from Lake Mead flooded the town, forcing its residents out. Many ended up residing in the nearby town of Overton.
Today, visitors to Lake Mead boat, fish, and kayak without knowing an underwater city lies directly beneath them. In recent years, Lake Mead suffered from severe droughts enabling the once lively town of St. Thomas to rise out of the water. Chimney tops can be seen just above the water line.
At times the water is so low it’s possible to walk through St. Thomas. The foundation is all that’s left of the buildings in St. Thomas. Many are still intact, while just broken pieces remain of others. If you walk through St. Thomas, be wary of the Tamarisk. The rigid twig-like wood is rough and not easily bendable even after spending over 65 years underwater. The shells of period farming equipment have also surfaced adding an especially eerie vibe to the already ghostly deserted town.
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