Peg Leg Smith Monument

San Diego County · Anza-Borrego Desert State Park · location approximate

Thomas L. Smith, better known as "Peg Leg" Smith, 1801-1866, was a mountain man, prospector, and spinner of tall tales. Legends regarding his lost mine have grown through the years. Countless people have searched the desert looking for its fabulous wealth. The gold mine possibly could be within a few miles of this monument.

1971 register text, presented as a historical document. It uses the period's terms for Native people; the state's landmark listings still carry most of this wording, and the California Office of Historic Preservation maintains the program's current texts.

Many of these plaques have since been recast or their texts revised. The California Historical Landmarks program and its current texts are maintained by the California Office of Historic Preservation. California Office of Historic Preservation ↗

USGS Historical Topographic Map Collection

Marker data: State of California, Department of Parks and Recreation, California Historical Landmarks (1971)

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