The first attempt to settle this valley was made in 1855, but Moab, named after an isolated area in the Bible, was not permanently settled until 1880. Situated on the Colorado River at the foot of the LaSal Mountains, Moab was a sleepy agricultural town until after World War II, when uranium exploration and production, and oil and potash development made it boom. Today, tourism and moviemaking help make it a thriving community. A Ranger District office of the Manti-LaSal National Forest is located here, as are headquarters for Canyonlands and Arches national parks.