begins at the Hafen’s ranch and dairy farm in Mesquite, NV. Yes! The story goes far back ...‘the far west’... in fact.

Mesquite, situated along the Virgin River in the valley, is not quite in the shadow of the Virgin Mountains but close enough that the mountains create a beautiful back drop for the small town. As you listen to the Hafen brothers describe what once was a hillside and valley scattered with cattle, it’s easy to imagine why their family and others endured the rough beginnings and worked very hard to keep their home of over a 100 years. Located on the border of Arizona, it is so close to the wonders encompassed in the Arizona Strip and just far enough away from everything else.

It is a place that’s a bit paradoxical, giving it a different vibe in a good way. Its new and old, old and young, slow and fast, close and far, modern and traditional, and small and big.

Exploring the small city, which is now home to roughly 20,000 residents, one might get the idea it’s a beautiful very well-maintained subdivision. With 65% of the homes being no more than 23 years old, it’s extremely modern and groomed. Only 5% of the homes were built prior to 1980, which may seem odd for a community that was settled in 1894.

There are plenty of documented accounts of failed attempts and the final success of the first settlers in Mesquite. It’s worth mentioning, though, the term “settlers” doesn’t seem strong enough. They were “fighters” and battled year after year just to stay on the land and scratch out a living from it. The river was both their enemy and source of survival. It’s been said that the early years were a vicious circle of working the dam to water the crops to feed the horses to work the dam to water the crops and so it goes.... the reality was that Mesquite would cease to exist if they didn’t hold the battle line... the dam. Fifteen times over the span of 55 years the dam had to be completely rebuilt.

The small community did hold the line from the floods though, and successfully farmed cotton, alfalfa, wheat, cane, figs, grapes, and pomegranates. What the community didn’t need was sold to travelers and taken to markets in Las Vegas and beyond.

In 1920 John Hafen, a cattleman from Santa Clara, Utah, near St. George, invested in 40 acres where present day Mesquite Blvd is located. Arriving ten years later his son and daughter in law, the newly married Max and Estelle, ranched and farmed on the land until 1940. At that time the demand for dairy really started to increase and it paid more than the ranching business, so the Hafens along with other Mesquite farmers combined their efforts and resources to build a shared dairy barn. They milked their cows on a schedule, taking turns using the facility. Each family retained ownership of their cows and corralled and fed them separately at their own farms. The milk was put in water tanks to stay cool and taken to Las Vegas to be sold. In time, the families each built their own facilities. The Company Dairy, as it was called, was just another example of the community working together.

The Hafen Dairy continued to be a family affair as Max worked alongside his sons, teaching them the business. Consequently, his third son Bryan developed a real passion for everything cattle, crops, and country. By the time Bryan was 22 he had held offices in the state and national levels of FFA. He then became the youngest person (at the time 1960) to run and win a seat in the Nevada State Legislature. He served four terms after which he and his wife, Dawn, returned their complete focus to working the cattle and farming operations with his dad and sons. By this time, they had added five boys to their story, Nelson, Derek, Kraig, Merlin, and Tilman.

Mesquite, being the only significant town of any size between Las Vegas (80 miles away) and St. George (35 miles away), was a logical stopping point for travelers and tourists creating a market for eating and sleeping accommodations. But even with the additional industries, Mesquite’s growth remained stunted because it was land locked. There was no place to expand until an act of congress (literally!) in the 1980s allowed Mesquite to acquire land.

In 1984, ninety years after it was first settled, Mesquite incorporated, and the population grew from just under a thousand residents to over 20,000 today. The secret was let out.

People still say Mesquite has a small-town feel, maybe it’s because it was a small town not so long ago. Without reaching too far out there, maybe it’s because the past is still young enough that it influences present day Mesquite.

As the story goes, the demand for tourism grew more than the demand for milk, the dairies in Las Vegas had enough to supply their own community, and the dairy came to its end 1995. But if there is one thing the Hafens and others from the Virgin Valley know, is how to adapt to stay on the land. In 1998 the land that was scattered with cattle started to be transformed and developed.

And once again, in Mesquite and in the Mesquite way, the Hafens along with a group of families from the area have combined their efforts and resources to bring you Mesquite Trails RV Resort in the same location of the historic Hafen Dairy. The families have a wide range of expertise and a long history of actively participating in the growth of the regional community. To say the least, the partnering families have not been passively involved in the planning and constructing of the RV Resort. Every need of an RV’er has been considered.

When you arrive, you’ll sense that Mesquite vibe. You will find the most modern facilities and amenities with small surprises of history sprinkled throughout the resort. You might be interested to know that the bike rack that corrals your bike is the same piece of fence that corralled the dairy cows here over 50 years ago. Take time to sit outside the office and enjoy the ambience of the lights that are mounted on the same posts which supported the barns at the dairy. Or take a picture next to the century old wagon from the Hafen Alamo Ranch. We are excited to be adding more pieces and stories to remind us of the past and those who did what it took so we can now do what we do!

It’s cool to think history is repeating, and residents and guests will once again be served … not milk, but the same hospitality that’s been offered in Mesquite for over a hundred years. And if you stick around long enough, you’ll learn a secret that can only be shared by those who know and love Mesquite....it’s a small town, but it has a beautiful and endless back yard to explore.

Come Explore with Us!