Steve Perkins is an important site in the prehistory of Southern Nevada. Located in the Moapa Valley and excavated over three field seasons beginning in 1970 and ending in 1972, the Steve Perkins site produced 34,412 artifacts including numerous pot sherds, lithics, and plant remains. By carefully documenting and analyzing these artifacts, researchers were able to follow the transition from a hunting and gathering lifestyle to a dependence on agriculture. Seeing the growing dependence on agriculture in the archaeological record is rare in this area, thus adding to the significance of the site.

Steve Perkins was occupied by Virgin Anasazi people beginning approximately 650 AD. The site was later abandoned only to be reoccupied in 900 AD where it remained a permanent settlement until 1150 AD. Over the centuries many changes took place in both the architecture and pottery styles of the people. For instance, during the first occupation, labeled the late Basketmaker period, the architecture consisted of 5 pit houses located at the southern end of the site. Pit houses are non-adjoining structures whose floors are beneath the ground. In contrast, the architecture of the second occupation, labeled the Pueblo II period, was dominated by pueblo villages. Pueblo village architecture is comprised of a group of buildings with adjoining rooms; the floors of the buildings are at ground level, and the walls are either adobe, stone, or masonry.

In addition to architectural changes, the pottery also went through stylistic changes. For example, unlike the later Pueblo II period, late Basketmaker pottery lacked decorated ware; whereas the pottery of the Pueblo II period consisted of increased decorated ware, corrugated ware, and red ware. However, in both cases the pots were often used for cooking and storage, and were thought to have been both produced on site and imported.

Just as the housing and pottery styles changed, so too did the people's subsistence strategies. Evidence suggests that the late Basketmaker people procured most of their food through hunting and gathering. However, during excavation researchers found the remains of corn, beans, and squash. Workers concluded that some of the plants were grown at the site while others were brought in from elsewhere. Nonetheless, all of the plant materials were found associated with the Pueblo II structures indicating an increased dependence on agriculture over time.

Steve Perkins is a fascinating site. Its changing architecture, pottery styles and recovered plant remains make it an integral part in understanding the course of Nevada prehistory.