Water used by the Las Vegas Land and Water Company and the Los Angeles & Salt Lake Railroad Company in 1932

From the Nye County, Nevada Photograph Collection (PH-00221) -- Series VII. Other areas in Nye County -- Subseries VII.H. Reed Family (Kawich Mountains, Nevada). Orville Knighten Reed Sr. and his brother acquired the Hawes Canyon Ranch from Andrew Jackson “Jack” Longstreet. The Reed Ranch under went rapid expansion until it encompassed an area more than 100 miles on a side in its east - west, north - south dimensions. At its peak, it was one of the largest ranches ever in the United States. Although the Reeds and their partners did not own all of the land, they had grazing rights and owned most of the water in an area perhaps encompassing more than 3 million acres. The Reeds drilled most of the wells themselves, sometimes digging a hundred feet by hand. Later they acquired a steam-powered well-drilling machine.