In addition to the important role the Wash plays in our watershed, the Wash has served as an attraction for people for thousands of years. Archaeological sites along the Wash suggest that the area's water, plant and animal resources made it an attractive habitation area since around AD 600, and possibly earlier. Over the first thousand years, Native Americans have inhabited the area, taking advantage of the important natural resources in the Wash. The natural springs in the Wash and throughout the valley provided travelers a resting spot along the Spanish Trail. More recently, early settlers in the Vegas Valley farmed and mined near the Wash, contributing to the economy in the early 1900s.

Whether stopping during a long journey or making a home, people have sought refuge from the harsh desert environment in the Wash for thousands of years. Water in the desert is a natural gathering place, and the history of the Wash is inextricably intertwined with people.