Raphael Rivera
{{for|the Salvadorean military officer|Rafael Melara Rivera}}
{{short description|Mexican scout who discovered Las Vegas}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Raphael Rivera
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| nationality =Mexican
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| occupation = Scout
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Rafael Rivera was a Mexican scout that took part in Antonio Armijo's Spanish Trail expedition from Nuevo México in 1829.{{cite news |author=Lake, Richard |title= Road Warrior Q&A: Foliage removed for widening |url=http://www.lvrj.com/news/36288024.html |date=December 17, 2008 |accessdate=October 3, 2013 }}{{Cite web | title=Las Vegas, how did Las Vegas get its name, groundwater depletion, Victor Miguel Ponce | url=http://lasvegas.sdsu.edu/ | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081022102613/http://lasvegas.sdsu.edu:80/ | access-date=2025-02-23 | archive-date=2008-10-22}}{{Cite web|url=http://www.lvol.com/lvoleg/hist/lvhist.html|title = History of Las Vegas| date=27 December 2021 }}Barbara Land, Myrick Land, "A short history of Las Vegas", University of Nevada Press, 2004, p. 4.{{cite web|url=http://www.accessclarkcounty.com/depts/public_communications/Pages/faqs.aspx |title=Clark County, NV – FAQs/History |accessdate=December 4, 2008 }} Armijo led a trader caravan group to Los Angeles, California on Christmas Day about 100 miles northeast of present-day Las Vegas a scouting party rode west in search for water. The inexperienced Rivera left the main party and ventured into unexplored area. Within two weeks, he discovered the Las Vegas Springs. The abundant artesian spring water discovered at Las Vegas shortened the Spanish Trail to Los Angeles. About 14 years later after Rivera's discovery, John C. Frémont led an expedition west and camped at Las Vegas Springs on May 13, 1844.
The Rafael Rivera Park, Community Center and Rafael Rivera, a street, are named after him. He is also commemorated by Nevada Historical Marker 214.