North Las Vegas Brings Back Historic 1800s Orchard to Help Feed Local Community

North Las Vegas has officially reopened a restored late-1800s fruit orchard at Kiel Ranch Park, reviving a piece of the city's rich agricultural heritage while addressing modern concerns like food insecurity and urban heat. The project, backed by a $150,000 investment, includes planting 36 fruit trees and multiple vegetable planters, making it the only municipality-managed orchard in Southern Nevada. The orchard now contains citrus, fig, almond, apple, and pistachio trees, as well as community garden beds with vegetables.

The restoration is functional rather than merely symbolic, because the produce grown will be delivered to seniors and community members who experience food insecurity. According to Three Square Food Bank, 13% of the metropolitan population experiences food insecurity. Mayor Pamela Goynes-Brown has encouraged residents to take advantage of the fresh offerings, with plans for future events where locals can pick their own produce. Updates will be shared via the city's social media channels.

"We are bringing back the orchard to its original state, which is very hard to do. It took some historians and a lot of research to figure out what was here before and then how we can make that work," said North Las Vegas urban forester Eddie Rodriguez. Alongside the orchard revival, the city will offer new gardening and farming classes to educate residents about cultivating their own food.

The orchard sits on the historic Kiel Ranch, one of only two major ranches in the valley in 1875. Until now, the orchard has not produced food in over a century. For many locals, the project is a nostalgic return to simpler times. "This is a place where you can get away and enjoy yourself," said longtime resident Ray Charles Broughton. "It's like a little cowboy town; that's what it used to be. So it's a great history here."

The project also contributes to the city's broader goal to bolster urban vegetation and combat the urban heat island effect, in which cities hold heat at a greater rate than surrounding rural areas. The Kiel Ranch orchard is producing results — literally and figuratively — for North Las Vegas through history, sustainability, and community involvement.