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Wickenburg, Arizona

Wickenburg is a town in Maricopa and Yavapai counties, Arizona, United States. The population was 7,474 at the 2020 census, and was estimated to be 7,920 in 2022.

History
The Wickenburg area, along with much of the Southwest, became part of the United States by the 1848 treaty that ended the Mexican–American War. The first extensive survey was conducted by Gila Rangers who were pursuing Natives who had raided the Butterfield Overland Mail route and attacked miners at Gila City.

In 1862, a gold strike on the Colorado River near present-day Yuma brought American prospectors, who searched for minerals throughout central Arizona. Many of the geographic landmarks now bear the names of these pioneers, including the Weaver Mountains, named after mountain man Pauline Weaver, and Peeples Valley, named after a settler.

A German named Henry Wickenburg was one of the first prospectors. His efforts were rewarded with the discovery of the Vulture Mine, from which more than $30 million worth of gold has been dug.

Ranchers and farmers soon built homes along the fertile plain of the Hassayampa River. Together with the miners, they founded the town of Wickenburg in 1863. Wickenburg was also the home of Jack Swilling, who prospected in the Salt River Valley in 1867. Swilling conducted irrigation efforts in that area and helped found the city of Phoenix. Wickenburg was supplied from the Colorado River, by steamboat, then over the La Paz–Wikenburg Road by wagons and pack mules. Wickenburg in turn became a supply point for the mines and army posts in the interior of Arizona Territory. In those years, the rapidly growing town had even once been viewed as a possible candidate for territorial capital and lost the opportunity in 1866 by just two votes in the newly-established legislature.

As the town grew, conflicts developed with the Yavapai people, who rejected a treaty signed by their chiefs, effectively breaking the treaty. When the American Civil War began in 1861, the Federal troops were all withdrawn and the settlements were left unprotected. The Yavapai promptly began a series of attacks on the white townsmen. A company of Confederate cavalry brought temporary relief, but it fell back before the advance of Union troops from California. By 1869, an estimated 1,000 Yavapai and 400 settlers had been killed, with many on both sides fleeing to safer areas. With the end of the war, the Union troops and local volunteers forced the Yavapai onto a reservation, where they remain to this day.

However, Yavapai recalcitrants remained for years, and raids on stage-coaches, isolated farm houses, and periodic raids on villages kept the area in a constant state of tension. Finally, following several murders of Yavapai chiefs allied with America by insurgent Yavapai warriors, hostile warrior tribal leaders mobilized the entire Yavapai warrior band into a massive assault on the primary American settlement of Wickenburg and massacred or drove out much of the American populace.

In 1872, in response to the assassination of friendly Yavapai chiefs, the take-over of the entire Yavapai nation and its reservation by hostile elements, and with most of the American area under continual penetrating raids by Yavapai warrior bands, General George Crook began an all-out campaign against the Yavapai, with the aim of forcing the insurgent Yavapai warrior bands into a decisive battle and the removal of Yavapai settlers from American territory. After several months of forced marches, feints, and pitched skirmishes by combined Arizona territorial militia and US Army Cavalry, Crook forced the Yavapai bands into a single decisive battle. In December 1872, the Battle of Salt River Canyon in the Superstition Mountains decisively routed the Yavapai, and within a year most Yavapai resistance was crushed.

Having broken their treaty with America several times, with most of the friendly and allied chiefs killed by insurgent Yavapais, who also killed Americans, Crook was authorized to enter into new negotiations with the aim of reducing the size of the Yavapai reservation and removing it to an area more readily cordoned off from American communities and their communication lines. The surviving Yavapai warrior leaders grudgingly accepted the treaty which left the nation in far worse conditions than previously. They were compelled to surrender their firearms, move to the Fort Verde Reservation, accept a permanent Army garrison on their territory, accept direct administration by American Bureau of Indian Affairs agents and commissioners, have trade firmly emplaced in the hands of American government agents, and be regulated by an Indian Police force picked and trained by the US Army and later Arizona Territorial officers. After only two years on the Rio Verde Reservation, however, local officials grew concerned about the Yavapais' continued hostility, success, and self-sufficiency, so they persuaded the federal government to close their reservation and move all the Yavapai to the San Carlos Apache Indian Reservation.

The infant town of Wickenburg went through many trials and tribulations in its first decades, surviving the Indian Wars including repeating Indian raids, outlaws, mine closures, drought, and a disastrous flood in 1890 when the Walnut Creek Dam burst, killing nearly 70 residents. In spite of such challenging circumstances, the town continued to grow. Its prosperity was ensured with the coming of the railroad in 1895. The historic train depot today houses the Wickenburg Chamber of Commerce and Visitor's Center. As of 2007, however, only freight trains pass through Wickenburg; passenger trains ended their runs in the 1960s. Along the town's main historic district, early businesses built many structures that still form Wickenburg's downtown area. Tourism led to the development of guest ranches, with as many as 14 operating in the 1950s and 1960s, when Wickenburg billed itself as the "Dude Ranch Capital of the World", with development spurred by the construction of U.S. Route 60. As of 2007, some of these ranches still offer their hospitality. Rancho de los Caballeros is now a golf resort, while the Remuda ranch has been converted into the nation's largest eating disorder treatment facility and is now Wickenburg's largest employer. The Hassayampa community became a vital contributor to the US effort during World War II when the Army trained thousands of men to fly gliders at a newly constructed airfield west of Wickenburg.

Geography
Wickenburg is located in northwestern Maricopa County. The town limits extend north into the southwestern part of Yavapai County. Via U.S. Route 60, Phoenix is 53 mi to the southeast, and Blythe, California, on the Colorado River, is 114 mi to the west-southwest. U.S. Route 93 has its southern terminus in Wickenburg and leads northwest 129 mi to Kingman.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 26.52 sqmi, of which, 26.51 sqmi is land and 0.005 sqmi, or 0.02%, is water. The Hassayampa River flows intermittently through the east side of the town.

Climate
Wickenburg has a semi-arid, warm steppe (Köppen BSh) climate decidedly cooler and moister than Phoenix, although extreme summer heat is possible.

2020 census
As of the 2020 census, there were 7,474 people and 3,634 households, and 2,210 families residing in the town. There were 4,499 housing units.

2000 census
As of the 2000 census, there were 5,082 people, 2,341 households, and 1,432 families residing in the town. The population density was 441.7 PD/sqmi. There were 2,691 housing units at an average density of 233.9 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the town was 91.8% White, 0.3% Black or African American, 1.2% Native American, 0.4% Asian, 0.1% Pacific Islander, 4.5% from other races, and 1.8% from two or more races. 11.0% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 2,341 households, out of which 20.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 49.7% were married couples living together, 8.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 38.8% were non-families. 33.8% of all households were made up of individuals, and 18.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.15 and the average family size was 2.72.

In the town, the population was spread out, with 19.9% under the age of 18, 6.2% from 18 to 24, 20.4% from 25 to 44, 24.8% from 45 to 64, and 28.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 48 years. For every 100 females, there were 89.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 84.9 males. The pregnancy rate is 95% higher than surrounding townships.

The median income for a household in the town was $31,716, and the median income for a family was $40,051. Males had a median income of $34,219 versus $25,417 for females. The per capita income for the town was $19,772. About 6.9% of families and 11.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 11.5% of those under age 18 and 5.1% of those age 65 or over.

Folklore

 * In the late 19th century, there were so many questionable mining promotions around Wickenburg, that the joke grew that whoever drank from the Hassayampa River was thenceforth unable to speak the truth. "Hassayamper" came to mean a teller of tall tales.

Historic properties
There are various properties in the town of Wickenburg which are considered historical and can be found in the National Register of Historic Places

Transportation
The city is served by Wickenburg Municipal Airport, a general aviation airport without commercial airlines service.

title: Wickenburg, Arizona


text:
Youngtown, Arizona

Youngtown is a town in Maricopa County, Arizona, United States. As of the 2020 census, the population of the town was 7,056, up from 6,156 in 2010. It is part of the Phoenix metropolitan area.

History
In 1954, two developers bought 320 acre of farmland and built the United States' first planned community dedicated exclusively to retirees. Designed by Ben Schleifer, who also had the idea of an active retirement community, the community was ironically named Youngtown. Frances Greer who owned the ranch that the development was built on. In 1955, 125 homes were built, with about 85 other lots sold.

Two years later, in 1957, Youngtown was featured in an episode of Wide Wide World. This put national attention on the area. As a result, more people began moving in, speaking a new movement for the community.

In 1959, West Valley agriculturalist Jim Boswell II withheld land from Del Webb when selling land to build Sun City. The land between Alabama and Grand avenues and west of 111th Avenue, was saved specifically to allow Youngtown to have space for further expansion. A year later in 1960, on January 1, Sun City opened just east of the development. That same year, the town of Youngtown was incorporated and the country’s first AARP Chapter was established in the town.

In 1996, the town, citing its age restrictions, denied extending the stay of a 16-year-old child to live in the community. In response, Arizona attorney general Grant Woods investigated and determined that the age ordinance was unenforceable. In response, Youngtown repealed the age restrictions in 1999.

Geography
Youngtown is located on the east bank of the Agua Fria River, just south of US 60. It is bordered on the west by El Mirage, on the south by Glendale, and on the east by the much larger retirement community of Sun City. Youngtown is 18 mi northwest of downtown Phoenix.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 1.5 sqmi, of which 0.006 sqmi, or 0.40%, are water.

Demographics
At the 2000 census, there were 3,010 people, 1,641 households, and 746 families living in the town. The population density was 2,296.1 PD/sqmi. There were 1,783 housing units at an average density of 1,360.1 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the town was 88.90% White, 1.36% Black or African American, 0.50% Native American, 0.60% Asian, 0.27% Pacific Islander, 7.24% from other races, and 1.13% from two or more races. 12.72% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

Of the 1,641 households, 7.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 35.5% were married couples living together, 8.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 54.5% were non-families. 50.3% of households were one person and 36.6% were one person aged 65 or older. The average household size was 1.74 and the average family size was 2.48.

The age distribution was 9.9% under the age of 18, 3.5% from 18 to 24, 12.8% from 25 to 44, 23.4% from 45 to 64, and 50.4% 65 or older. The median age was 65 years. For every 100 females, there were 70.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 66.6 males.

The median household income was $23,164 and the median family income was $29,329. Males had a median income of $30,000 versus $22,500 for females. The per capita income for the town was $16,749. About 9.6% of families and 13.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 33.1% of those under age 18 and 8.5% of those age 65 or over.

Top employers
Top employers in the city of Youngtown as of 2022.

Education
The Peoria Unified School District serves a portion of Youngtown.

Transportation
Youngtown is a member of Valley Metro, the regional transportation agency. Valley Metro Bus route 106 serves the east border of Youngtown on 111th Avenue.

license: Creative Commons - Attribution Share-Alike - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/

title: Youngtown, Arizona


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Arizona Village, Arizona

Arizona Village is a census-designated place (CDP) on the Fort Mojave Indian Reservation in Mohave County, Arizona, United States. The population was 1,057 at the 2020 census, up from 946 in 2010 and 351 in 2000.

Geography
Arizona Village is located in western Mohave County at 34.85361°N, -114.58417°W (34.853606, -114.584038). It is bordered to the southwest by the Colorado River, across which is the city of Needles, California. To the north the village is bordered by the Mohave Valley CDP. Arizona State Route 95 touches the northwest corner of Arizona Village, leading southwest across the Colorado into Needles and north 20 mi to Bullhead City.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the Arizona Village CDP has a total area of 1.6 sqmi, all land.

Demographics
Arizona Village first appeared on the 2000 U.S. Census as a census-designated place (CDP). Although the village is on the Fort Mojave Indian Reservation, a plurality of the residents (as of 2010) are non-Hispanic White.

As of the census of 2000, there were 351 people, 83 households, and 77 families residing in the CDP. The population density was 337.1 PD/sqmi. There were 93 housing units at an average density of 89.3 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the CDP was 89.5% Native American, 7.4% White, 0.3% Black or African American, 2.0% from other races, and 0.9% from two or more races. 24.2% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 83 households, out of which 68.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 30.1% were married couples living together, 48.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 7.2% were non-families. 7.2% of all households were made up of individuals, and none had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 4.23 and the average family size was 4.25.

In the CDP the population was spread out, with 48.7% under the age of 18, 12.8% from 18 to 24, 26.5% from 25 to 44, 10.3% from 45 to 64, and 1.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 19 years. For every 100 females there were 80.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 87.5 males.

The median income for a household in the CDP was $26,406, and the median income for a family was $23,571. Males had a median income of $26,875 versus $21,667 for females. The per capita income for the CDP was $9,591. About 23.0% of families and 22.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 22.5% of those under age 18 and 50.0% of those age 65 or over.

Education
The area is zoned to the Mohave Valley Elementary School District.

High school students attend River Valley High School in the Colorado River Union High School District.

title: Arizona Village, Arizona


text:
Bullhead City, Arizona

Bullhead City is a city located on the Colorado River in Mohave County, Arizona, United States, 97 mi south of Las Vegas, Nevada, and directly across the Colorado River from Laughlin, Nevada, whose casinos and ancillary services supply much of the employment for Bullhead City. Bullhead City is located at the southern end of Lake Mohave.

As of the 2020 census, the population of Bullhead City was 41,348. The nearby communities of Laughlin, Needles, Fort Mohave and Mohave Valley bring the Bullhead area's total population to over 77,000, making it the largest economic region in Mohave County.

With over 60 sqmi, Bullhead City is the largest city in Mohave County in terms of total land area.

History
The earliest inhabitants of the Colorado River Valley were the Mojave people. The rich soil and plentiful water provided the valley's natives with the necessities to create a prosperous farming community. According to Mojave legend, life began on Spirit Mountain, the highest peak visible from the Bullhead City area.

The first account of European contact was with Spanish explorer Melchor Díaz, who in 1540 documented his travels in what is now northwestern Mohave County. He recounts meeting a large population of natives who referred to themselves as the Pipa Aha Macav, meaning "People by the River". From "Aha Macav" came the shortened name "Mojave" (also spelled "Mohave"). While Mohave County uses the modern English spelling, the tribe retains the traditional Spanish spelling "Mojave". Both are correct, and both are pronounced "Moh-hah-vee".

Father Francisco Garces, a Franciscan missionary and explorer, crossed the Colorado River in the Bullhead City area in 1774.

Hardyville
In March 1864, the current site of Bullhead City was the location of a settlement called "Hardyville". It was named for early resident and politician William Harrison Hardy. A New York native and an entrepreneur, Hardy established, with the support of George Alonzo Johnson's steamboat company, a ferry service and steamboat landing where the Mojave Road crossed the Colorado River. He also built and owned the Hardyville–Prescott Road, a toll road from Hardyville to the new Arizona territorial capital of Prescott, and raised Angora goats. He was a colorful and somewhat controversial figure. He was the town's first postmaster from January 17, 1865, and is credited with the invention of the riveted mail sack. He was also a Mohave County supervisor and a member of the Arizona Territorial Legislature. In 1864 his personal worth was over $40,000, making him the second-richest man in Arizona.

From 1864 to 1883, steamboats made regular trips up the Colorado River from Port Isabel in Mexico and, after the arrival of the railroad from Yuma, Arizona, stopping at Hardyville regularly to deliver supplies to the mines of the surrounding mining districts and those to the east in the interior of Arizona and carry out their ore for processing and sale. These stern-wheeler riverboats played an important part in the early development of the areas bordering the Colorado River, and Hardyville was considered the low water limit of navigation for the steamboats. Steamboat travel above that point to places in like El Dorado Canyon, Callville and later Rioville was possible only during the few months of the late spring to early summer flood caused by snowmelt in the upper Colorado River watershed. Hardyville was the starting point for wagon roads and pack trails to the mines and other settlements in the upper region of the river. It was also the port for flatboats that ascended the river as far as Callville in the extreme low water time of the year.

In April 1866, Brevet Brigadier General James Fowler Rusling visited the settlement and described it: Hardyville itself was then more of a name than place, consisting chiefly of a warehouse and quartz-mill, with a few adobe shanties. Near Hardyville, some ten or twenty miles away in the outlying mountains, there were several mines—gold, silver and copper—of more or less richness, and the mill was located here to take advantage of the two great essentials, wood and water. The mill, however, was standing idle, like most enterprises in Arizona, and but little was doing in the mines.

Hardyville received a boost in 1867, when it became the county seat of Mohave County and the mills at Eldorado Canyon began operating, stimulating trade up river again. Hardyville had a population of 20 in 1870. The 1870s saw a population boom in Hardyville as mining became more profitable. With the end of hostilities with the Native Americans in Mohave County, mines in the interior boomed again, and the small town later grew with the construction of a general store, a saloon, a blacksmith shop, a billiard hall, and a respectable public hall.

However, in 1873, the county seat was moved to the mining boomtown of Cerbat. In 1877, the Southern Pacific Railroad arrived at Yuma. It bought out Johnson's Colorado Steam Navigation Company, and by 1878 had built rails into Maricopaville, resulting in wagon traffic moving to that railhead that was closer to the mines in the northern interior than Hardyville. Traffic on the road to the interior mines of the east from Hardyville waned except for that to Cerbat, Mineral Park, and Chloride. In May 1881, Issac Polhamus, captain of one of the Southern Pacific-owned Colorado Steam Navigation Company steamboats, went into competition with Hardy for the trade to those mines, establishing Polhamus Landing, a rival landing five miles up river, closer to the mines, taking away most of its river trade. Worse yet, the construction of the Atlantic and Pacific Railroad to its bridge crossing on the Colorado River near Needles, in May 1883, saw the remaining interior mining trade move away from the Colorado River and Hardyville. The Hardyville post office was discontinued in favor of the one in Mohave City on February 19, 1883. As the silver price declined in the late 1880s and early 1890s, the Hardyville mill, its only remaining economic resource, became idle and the remaining population of the town left, leaving it to become a ghost town. Hardyville still appears with that name on a September 1911 reprint of a U.S. Geological Survey Reconnaissance Map, Arizona, Nevada, California, Camp Mohave Sheet, Edition of March 1892.

Hardyville Pioneer Cemetery, a small cemetery, now a historic landmark at 35.12111°N, -114.58806°W, is the most significant existing remnant of Hardyville. An unofficial historical marker for the town is in the parking lot across Highway 95 from the cemetery at 35.12111°N, -114.58806°W. The Hardyville Mill ruins appeared on a USGS topographic map, at 35.12056°N, -114.57972°W.

Bullhead City
Decades later, Hardyville would be resurrected as Bullhead City with the construction of Davis Dam between 1942 and 1953. The dam was originally called Bullhead Dam after "Bull's Head Rock", a well-known rock formation along the Colorado River. Steamboats on the river used the rock as a navigation point. After the construction of Davis Dam, the water level rose and now almost completely covers the landmark. The community that arose during the construction of Bullhead Dam was nicknamed Bullhead. Bullhead City became the headquarters for the construction project, which was completed in 1953. Thus the name Bullhead City was born. As the nearby Lake Mohave developed into a major tourism destination, and as the casino and resort town of Laughlin, Nevada, sprouted up across the river, Bullhead City grew rapidly.

In 1970, Bullhead City was the name of the six blocks that ran north–south along Highway 95 across the river from Don Laughlin's casino. About a thousand people lived in the original Bullhead City at that time, with about 3,000 people in Riviera. In 1984, the small communities of Bullhead City, Riviera, and Holiday Shores voted to incorporate, choosing the name "Bullhead City" for its historical significance.

Bullhead City and the neighboring town of Laughlin, Nevada, have grown in popularity as tourist destinations, and so has the population. Today, tourism is by far the main economy in Bullhead City. In the summer months, tourists from all over come for water recreation on Lake Mohave and the Colorado River. Starting in the fall, tourists from colder states flock by the thousands in their motor homes because of the mild winters.

Bullhead City is home to an international airport, two full-service hospitals, and a community college. The city has a stabilizing housing market. It also serves as the shopping hub of the tri-state area.

Geography
Bullhead City is in western Mohave County on the east side of the Colorado River, which forms the Arizona–Nevada state line. It is 34 mi west of Kingman, the Mohave county seat, 22 mi north of Needles, California, 97 mi south of Las Vegas, Nevada, and 216 mi northwest of Phoenix. According to the United States Census Bureau, Bullhead City has a total area of 60.2 sqmi, of which 59.4 sqmi are land and 0.8 sqmi, or 1.30%, are water.

Demographics
Bullhead City first appeared on the 1980 U.S. Census as the census-designated place (CDP) of Bullhead City-Riviera. It incorporated in 1984 as Bullhead City and has appeared on every successive census.

Bullhead City and the neighboring communities of Laughlin, Nevada, Fort Mohave, Mohave Valley, Arizona, and Needles, California, make up what is referred to as the "Tri-State Area". This is an economically interdependent group of communities, all geographically connected within a 10 mi radius. The population of the tri-state area, including Bullhead City, is about 100,000. The catchment area of Laughlin/Bullhead International Airport, according to its own statistics, includes 110,000 residents.

2000 Census
As of the census of 2000, there were 33,769 people, 13,909 households, and 9,110 families residing in the city. The population density was 746.6 PD/sqmi. There were 18,430 housing units at an average density of 407.5 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the city was 85.6% White, 1.0% Black, 1.3% Native American, 1.0% Asian, 0.1% Pacific Islander, 8.3% from other races, and 2.8% from two or more races. 20.2% of the population were Hispanic.

There were 13,909 households, out of which 24.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 49.1% were married couples living together, 11.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.5% were non-families. 25.3% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.42 and the average family size was 2.86.

In the city, the population was spread out, with 22.5% under the age of 18, 7.3% from 18 to 24, 24.5% from 25 to 44, 26.6% from 45 to 64, and 19.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42 years. For every 100 females, there were 98.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 96.2 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $30,221, and the median income for a family was $33,914. Males had a median income of $23,617 versus $19,564 for females. The per capita income for the city was $16,250. About 11.3% of families and 15.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 23.2% of those under age 18 and 6.9% of those age 65 or over.

2010 Census
As of the census of 2010, there were 39,540 people, 16,761 households, and 7,472 families. The Arizona Office of Employment and Population Statistics adjusted the population of Bullhead City to 40,088 in March 2016. The population density was 665.9 PD/sqmi, and was divided as 50.9% male and 49.1% female. There were 23,464 total housing units.

The racial makeup of the city was 81.9% White, 1.3% Black, 1.1% Native American, 1.4% Asian, 0.1% Pacific Islander, 11.2% from other races, and 3.0% from two or more races. 23.7% of the population were Hispanic.

The median income for a household in the city was $37,492, and the median income for a family was $45,269. The per capita income for the city was $21,366. About 14.1% of families and 20.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 40.2% of those under age 18 and 5.4% of those age 65 or over. (All figures in 2013 inflation-adjusted dollars.)

Climate
Bullhead City has a desert climate (Köppen climate classification BWh), with several inches of precipitation year-round. The last year with recorded snowfall was 2014, but no snow depth has been recorded.

Summers are very hot, with temperatures frequently exceeding 100 °F in July and August, and winters are mild with days typically seeing temperatures between 65 - 75 °F degrees in January and February. It is one of the hottest cities nationwide during the summer. There are on average 185 days with a high reaching 90 °F, and 100 °F can be seen on 135 days. Heat waves involving temperatures reaching over 120 °F are not unusual.

Parks and recreation
Bullhead City has hundreds of acres of city-operated parks. Ken Fovargue Park features lighted basketball courts, a bike trail, ball fields, a playground, and a public swimming pool with a water slide. Rotary Park, the largest city park, covers 300 acre of riverfront land. It features maintained beaches with ramadas and barbecues, a large skate park, fishing jetty, fish cleaning station, boat launching ramps, a dog park, a disc golf course, and a complete lighted sports complex that hosts regional tournaments and local competitions. The proposed Arizona Peace Trail would serve Bullhead City.

Controversy
Feeding homeless people in parks is not permitted in Bullhead City. In March 2022, in an incident described internationally as “criminalizing kindness”,  78-year-old local resident Norma Thornton was arrested and accused of violating an ordinance against sharing food for "charitable purposes" at public parks. The charges were later dropped in July, but the Arizona grandmother said she was warned that if she began sharing food in the park again, she would go to jail.

Special events and sports tournaments
Bullhead City hosts many annual events, the most notable being a river regatta. On the weekend of August 13, 2016, the 10th annual Bullhead City River Regatta, with a Pirates of the Colorado theme, attracted 30,158 registered participants. The local economic impact of the event was estimated at $20 million in 2015, although the city made just $208,000.

Other events take advantage of Bullhead City's climate in the fall and winter months, in particular sports tournaments. Every February, A.Y.S.O. Region 397 hosts the annual Colorado River Invitational Tournament at Rotary Park. The annual youth soccer tournament draws thousands of young soccer players and their supporters. Bullhead City also sponsors two senior softball tournaments every year, one in the spring and one in the fall. Participants come from as far away as Canada.

Just a few miles south of the city limits, in Fort Mohave, is the Mojave Crossing Event Center, an arena with a seating capacity of 5,000. As the largest stadium/arena in Mohave County, it is frequently used for large events such as graduation ceremonies, circuses, indoor extreme motocross, monster truck rallies, and concerts.

Education and culture
Bullhead City is home to several educational institutions, the largest of which is the Bullhead City Campus of Mohave Community College. The campus also houses Northern Arizona University's Bullhead City campus, which offers four-year degree programs. Recently, MCC Bullhead City received a donation of $1.8 million from the BHHS Legacy Foundation to build a 14,000 sq. ft. Health Sciences Building. Arizona governor Jan Brewer attended the groundbreaking ceremony in January 2012. Construction of the Health Sciences building was completed in August 2012.

Educational institutions

 * Mohave Community College Bullhead City Campus
 * Northern Arizona University Bullhead City Campus
 * Palo Verde Community College Needles Campus
 * Atlantic Driving School Fort Mohave
 * Bullhead City Real Estate Licensing Classes Bullhead City
 * Sunset International Bible Institute Bullhead City
 * Community College of Southern Nevada Laughlin
 * Academy of Building Industries Fort Mohave
 * Charles of Italy Beauty College Mohave Valley
 * All Beauty College Fort Mohave

K-12 schools
Bullhead City's elementary and junior high schools are operated by the Bullhead City School District. These schools include Sunrise Elementary School, Coyote Canyon Elementary School, Desert Valley Elementary School, Diamondback Elementary School, Bullhead City Middle School, and Fox Creek Junior High School. Bullhead City's high schools, Mohave High School and River Valley High School, are operated by the Colorado River Union High School District. Other nearby high schools are Laughlin High School and Needles High School. Additionally, Mohave Accelerated Elementary School and Mohave Accelerated Learning Center are public charter schools serving K-12 students in Bullhead City and the surrounding area. The Academy of Building Industries [AOBI] High School in Fort Mohave is a public vocational charter school, teaching the building industries trades alongside core academic classes. Other schools in nearby communities include Young Scholar's Academy, Mohave Valley Junior High, Camp Mohave Elementary, and Fort Mohave Elementary. Laughlin and Needles also have public elementary schools.

Libraries
The Bullhead City area is home to four public libraries: Two Mohave County Libraries (Bullhead City and Fort Mohave),  one Clark County Library (Laughlin) and one San Bernardino County Library (Needles). Bullhead City's library recently reopened after a major expansion to include a teen section, children section, 11,000 sq. ft. adult section, public computers, sound-proof rooms, and conference rooms for the community. The new "green" building was partially paid for by an environmental grant. Its innovative design comes from architect Will Bruder, which features energy saving technologies and special skylights that take advantage of the desert sun.

Colorado River Concert Association
The locally organized Colorado River Concert Association is a group of local citizens who attract performing artists to the community. Their purpose is to provide entertainment to the community while offering opportunities to local students who are interested in the performing arts. The association usually attracts three to five artists per year to perform in local high school auditoriums. In the past, the association has brought such artists as John Davidson, The Celtic Tenors, Presidio Brass, Alpin Hong, the Montana Mandolin Society, and QuatroCelli.

Colorado River Museum and Historical Society
Located in Bullhead City, just north of the Laughlin Bridge, the Colorado River Museum includes replicas of area landmarks, Native American artifacts and displays of historical items, from early settlers to the first slot machines. The museum is operated by the non-profit Colorado River Historical Society. It is open from September through May.

Train, bus, and highway
The Bullhead City area is accessible by Interstate 40 (via Needles or Kingman), Amtrak (via Needles BNSF), Greyhound, and Arizona State Routes 95 and 68. Bullhead City also operates a public transit system, the Bullhead Area Transit System (BATS). Sister cities Needles and Laughlin also operate their own small public transit systems.

Bullhead City is served by the bus companies Greyhound and TUFESA. Several private shuttle companies connect Bullhead City with McCarran International Airport in Las Vegas. The city is also home to several cab companies.

Airports
The Laughlin/Bullhead International Airport is the largest airport in Mohave County, but there are currently no scheduled commercial flights there. Previously, American Airlines had provided daily flights to and from Phoenix. Recently, the airport's runway was extended to 8500 ft to accommodate larger aircraft.

In 2011, it was named Airport of the Year by the Arizona Department of Transportation. "More than 115,000 people flew into Laughlin/Bullhead International Airport on casino-sponsored charters in 2010." In the 1980s the airport was home to the helicopters of the TV show Airwolf.

The Bullhead City area is also home to two smaller airports. Eagle Airpark is a 40 acre rural airport south of the city limits. Sun Valley Airport is a public use airport with a residential airpark. Neither of these airports offer commercial air service.

Media
The Bullhead City area is home to three local newspapers: the Mohave Valley Daily News, The Laughlin Nevada Times. and "The Needles Desert Star," with editorial offices in Bullhead City. River City Newspapers owns all three of these newspapers, along with the Kingman Miner and Today's News in Lake Havasu City. The Mohave County Standard, published in Kingman and covering news throughout Mohave County, circulates in Bullhead City, as does the monthly "Mohave County Economic Development Journal." The "Las Vegas Review-Journal" and "Arizona Republic" newspapers also have limited availability in the area.

Bullhead City is part of the Las Vegas television market/ However, Phoenix news stations are standard in local cable TV subscription to provide Arizona state news coverage and Bullhead City residents report it can be difficult and expensive to add Las Vegas broadcast news channels to their cable TV package despite Las Vegas' location only 90 miles north of the area and Phoenix being situated nearly 300 miles to the southeast. The advent of internet streaming and online newspaper publishing has made it much easier for residents in the Colorado River valley - often called the Tr-state area, where Arizona, Nevada, and California come together - to access news broadcasts and publications from Las Vegas, which is the closest large metropolitan area.

Based in neighboring Laughlin, Nevada, cable TV station tv2/KLBC, has been in business since 1989, and has provided local television programming to Bullhead City and adjoining communities in Arizona. Bullhead City, Mohave County and for many years, Arizona officials were routine guests on the popular TV2/KLBC-produced program The Morning Show, hosted by the television station's general manager, Bruce Clark. In March 2016, The Morning Show celebrated its 5,000th episode. Clark died on June 15, 2019. Since his passing, the TV2 news program is called "Take 2: The Morning Show" and is hosted by Tara Marie Haywood. The Bullhead City Police Department also has been prominently featured on the locally produced show, Tri-State on Patrol, which is exclusively broadcast on tv2/KLBC.

The City of Bullhead City operates a public service channel on Cable Channel 4 for Optimum subscribers, with most of the content also available for viewing on the city's website. More than a dozen other regional network affiliates originate from Las Vegas and Phoenix. Bullhead City is home to Cameron Broadcasting, the parent company of four local radio stations:
 * KNKK (The Knack 107.1) Top 40 Pop
 * KFLG (K-FLAG 94.7) Country
 * KLUK (Lucky 98) Classic Rock
 * KZZZ (1490 A.M.) Talk Radio

Other radio stations available in the Bullhead City area are:
 * KTOX (1340am) Local Talk News, reportedly hosting the longest-running local morning talk show. (Originates in Needles, California)
 * KNPR (89.5) Public Radio (Broadcasts originate in Phoenix and nationally)
 * KVYL (93.7) Nostalgia Radio
 * KZUL (95.3) Adult Contemporary
 * KRCY (103.9) Oldies
 * KRRK (106.3) Classic Rock
 * KVAL (104.9) Hot AC
 * KCAN (103.1) Angel Broadcasting Network Christian Talk & Music
 * KNLB (90.5) Christian Radio
 * KHWY (98.9) Dance and Regional Traffic & Weather (Originates in Barstow, California)

Religious, social, and special interest groups
The Bullhead City tri-state area is home to dozens of religious organizations. Among them are two Churches of Christ (non-instrumental), three Roman Catholic churches, four Lutheran churches, three Methodist churches, over a dozen Baptist churches, two LDS Churches, the Bullhead Islamic Center, two Jehovah's Witness Kingdom Halls, two Episcopal churches, two Seventh-day Adventist churches, Unity Church of the Mohave Valley, two Assemblies of God, Foursquare (Spirit Life Church), Anointed Word Church, Calvary Chapel, various Pentecostal churches (including The Potter's House), and Harvest Bible Church (non-denominational) in Mohave Valley. A Temple Israel Ba Midbor (Jewish services in Laughlin), and active Neo-Pagan (Coven of the Canyon and River) and Buddhist communities (Soka Gakkai Colorado River District).

Bullhead City is also home to many special interest groups and social clubs. Among them are The Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, Bullhead 4-Wheelers, Kiwanis, River Cities Players and Community Theater, Lions Clubs International, Shriners, the Colorado River Historical Society, and Moose International.

Fort Mojave Indian Tribe
The Fort Mojave Indian Reservation covers almost 42000 acre in the tri-state area, and the local history is rich with Native American Culture. Currently, the tribe operates two casinos, one full-service hotel, and the Mojave Resort PGA Championship Golf Course.

Environmental projects
In 2013, a 1,200 megawatt solar generating facility was built on over 10000 acre, just over 10 mi outside Bullhead City. In 2005, the decades-old Mohave Generating Station Coal Slurry Power Plant was closed to reduce air pollution and excessive river water use.

The Bullhead City Elementary School District has accepted a federal grant to convert a portion of their electricity to solar power.

White water rafting, kayaking, and scuba diving
The stretch of the Colorado River between Hoover Dam and Lake Mohave is mostly tame but offers a few white water rafting opportunities. If you decide not to hire a guide, permits are required to launch below Hoover Dam and can be obtained through the United States Bureau of Reclamation. Rafting supplies, canoes, kayak rentals and guided kayaking tours are available in Bullhead City. On Lake Mohave, scuba divers can explore Black Canyon, which has excellent diving conditions. Advanced divers can check out Ringbolt Rapids, where swift water makes for an additional challenge. Work Barge on the Arizona side has a 38 ft tow barge that sank in 1946. Cabinsite Point has two boat wrecks to view.

Fishing
Fishing is popular on Lake Mohave and the Colorado River, which is plentiful with several species of fish, including Rainbow trout, Largemouth bass, Striped bass, crappie, sunfish, catfish (channel), and carp. There are dozens of coves and inlets that are well known among fishing enthusiasts.

Camping, biking, and hiking
The recreation area around Lake Mohave includes dozens of designated hiking trails, camp sites, and bicycle trails.

Lake resorts
There are two resorts on Lake Mohave: Cottonwood Cove and Lake Mohave Resort. Both resorts have lodging, campgrounds, restaurant, store, and a marina with a gas dock. There are also off-road vehicle roads and hiking trails around Lake Mohave. Supplies and equipment for off-roading, hiking, boating, scuba diving, and fishing are locally available. There are sporting goods stores, scuba diving instructors, guided kayaking tours, and watercraft rentals available throughout Bullhead City.

Notable people

 * Josh Briggs, pro wrestler
 * Seamus Dever, actor, grew up in Bullhead City and graduated from Mohave High School in 1994.
 * Joe Lengson, musician, bass player and backing vocalist for the hardcore band MyChildren MyBride
 * Chris McCandless of Into the Wild fame spent two months as a McDonald's employee in Bullhead City.
 * Ella Mae Morse, singer; died in Bullhead City in 1999 at the age of 75

title: Bullhead City, Arizona


text:
Colorado City, Arizona

Colorado City is a town in Mohave County, Arizona, United States, and is located in a region known as the Arizona Strip. The population was 2,478 at the 2020 census. At least three Mormon fundamentalist sects are said to have been based there. A majority of residents and many local officials belong to the most prominent of these sects, the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, whose corporation also owned much of the land within and around the town until state intervention in the 2000s.

History
Colorado City, formerly known as "Short Creek" (or the Short Creek Community), was founded in 1913 by members of the Council of Friends, a breakaway group from the Salt Lake City–based Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church). The Council of Friends membership desired a remote location where they could practice plural marriage, which had been publicly abandoned by the LDS Church in 1890. On July 26, 1953, Arizona Governor John Howard Pyle sent troops into the settlement to stop polygamy in what became known as the Short Creek raid. The two-year legal battle that followed became a public relations disaster that damaged Pyle's political career and set a hands-off tone toward the town in Arizona for the next 50 years.

After the death of Joseph W. Musser, the community split into two groups: the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints stayed in Short Creek, while the Apostolic United Brethren relocated to Bluffdale, Utah. The FLDS changed the name of the community to Colorado City (on the Arizona side of the border) and Hildale (on the Utah side) to eliminate any ties to the Short Creek raids.

In January 2004, local FLDS fundamentalist leader Warren Jeffs expelled a group of 20 men, including the mayor, and gave their wives and children to other men. Jeffs, now a convicted sexual predator, stated he was acting on the orders of God, while the men expelled claimed they were penalized for disagreeing with Jeffs. Observers stated that this was the most severe split to date within the community other than the split between Colorado City and Centennial Park. According to the Utah attorney general's office, this was not the first time Jeffs was accused of expelling men from the community; as many as 400 young men are estimated to have been expelled by Jeffs from 2001 to 2006. Most were removed for failing to follow Jeffs' rules, or for dating women without his permission. Many of these expelled men and boys were very naïve and sheltered and often wound up homeless in nearby towns such as Hurricane and St. George, Utah. Jeffs was placed on the FBI Ten Most Wanted list and eventually arrested on August 28, 2006.

Most of the property in the town was owned by the United Effort Plan, a real estate trust of the FLDS. In 2007, the state authorities began dismantling church ownership of Colorado City lands. The FLDS church retaliated and indoctrinated their followers against the state, believing they were being targeted because of their beliefs. The FLDS followers became further secluded as a result. Remaining FLDS members refuse to believe the charges against Jeffs.

On April 6, 2010, law enforcement officials in Mohave County, Arizona, and Washington County, Utah, served five search warrants seeking records from town officers. The warrants were served on government officials and departments, including the Town Manager, David Darger, as well as Colorado City's fire chief Jacob Barlow. As a result of the initial warrants, the Hildale Department of Public Safety was shut down, and emergency responders were prohibited from responding to calls without the approval of county officials. Firefighter Glen Jeffs indicated that the warrants referenced "misuse of funds".

In response to a civil rights lawsuit by the United States Justice Department alleging that the Colorado City government, including law enforcement, was taking orders from the FLDS Church, Arizona Attorney General Tom Horne announced in July 2012 that he was allocating funding to allow the Mohave County Sheriff's Department to provide daily patrols in the town.

On March 20, 2014, a jury hearing the case of Cooke et al v. Colorado City, Town of et al ruled that the towns of Colorado City and Hildale had discriminated against Ronald and Jinjer Cooke because they were not members of the FLDS Church. The Cookes were awarded $5.2 million for "religious discrimination". The Cooke family had moved to the Short Creek area in 2008 but were refused access to utilities by the towns of Colorado City and Hildale. As a result of the ruling, Arizona Attorney General Tom Horne issued a press release stating that he "wants to eradicate discrimination in two polygamous towns" and believes that the court ruling will give him the tools to do it.

Geography and climate
Colorado City is located in northeastern Mohave County at 36.99028°N, -112.97583°W (36.99026, -112.97577) Its northern border is the Arizona–Utah state line, with the town of Hildale, Utah, to the north. Arizona State Route 389 passes through the center of town, leading east 31 mi to Fredonia. To the north, Route 389 becomes Utah State Route 59, which leads northwest 22 mi to Hurricane.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 8.924 sqmi, of which 0.008 sqmi, or 0.07%, are water.

Colorado City has the typical cool semi-arid climate (Köppen BSk) of the interior Mountain West, with very warm to hot summers and cool to cold winters, typified by very large diurnal temperature ranges throughout most of the year. The hottest day on record was July 15, 2005, with 110 F. Rainfall is lowest from April to June, but is never particularly high on average, though during strong extratropical low pressure systems, as much as 5 in may occasionally fall during a month. The wettest year has been 1998 with 27.48 in, whilst the driest year has been 1956 with 4.76 in. Snowfall is relatively light; the most in a month was in January 1982 with 29.0 in and that winter had the most for a year with 46.5 in. The highest daily snow depth was however on February 2, 1979, with 13 in.

2000 census
As of the 2000 census, there were 3,334 people, 444 households, and 417 families residing in the town. The population density was 317.3 PD/sqmi. There were 457 housing units at an average density of 43.5 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the town was 96.9% white, 0.2% black or African American, 0.1% Asian, 0.2% Pacific Islander, 1.8% from other races, and 0.9% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.9% of the population.

Of the 444 households, 83.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 85.8% were married couples living together, 3.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 5.9% were non-families. 4.1% of all households were made up of individuals, and 1.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 7.51 and the average family size was 7.58. Colorado City had the fourth-highest household size in the nation, based on the 2012 5-Year American Community Survey count of an average household size of 8.04 people by zip code tabulation area.

In the town, the population was spread out, with 60.4% under the age of 18, 11.4% from 18 to 24, 20.2% from 25 to 44, 6.3% from 45 to 64, and 1.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 14 years. For every 100 females, there were 102.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.3 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $32,826, and the median income for a family was $32,344. Males had a median income of $24,429 versus $22,969 for females. The per capita income for the town was $5,293. About 29.0% of families and 31.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 34.5% of those under age 18 and 6.3% of those age 65 or over.

The Colorado City/Hildale, Utah area has the world's highest incidence of fumarase deficiency, an extremely rare genetic condition which causes severe intellectual disability. Geneticists attribute this to the prevalence of cousin marriage between descendants of two of the town's founders, Joseph Smith Jessop and John Y. Barlow; at least half the area's roughly 8,000 inhabitants are descended from one or both.

Government and infrastructure
The United States Postal Service operates the Colorado City, AZ/Hildale, UT Post Office in Colorado City.

The town is policed by the Colorado City/Hilldale Police Department.

The former Leroy S. Johnson Meetinghouse is now used as a local community center.

Education
Colorado City is a part of the Colorado City Unified School District. There is only one school, the El Capitan School (formerly the Colorado City K–12 Public School), in Colorado City. Many FLDS-affiliated board members resigned due to the political takeover of the district.

The Arizona state government attempted to take over the district in 2005 due to mismanagement.

In addition to the district public school, there is a charter school, Masada Charter School, serving students in grades K–9. The charter school is outside of the Colorado City town limits in the community of Centennial Park.

The Mohave Community College North Mohave Campus is in Colorado City.

Notable people

 * Carolyn Jessop, author, social activist
 * Flora Jessop, author, social activist

Twin city

 * Hildale, Utah – just over the AZ/UT border

title: Colorado City, Arizona


text:
Desert Hills, Arizona

Desert Hills is an unincorporated community and census-designated place (CDP) in Mohave County, Arizona, United States. The population was 2,764 at the 2020 census, up from 2,245 at the 2010 census.

Geography
Desert Hills is located in western Mohave County at 34.5475°N, -114.36667°W (34.547363, -114.366781). It is sits on the east side of the Colorado River, impounded as Lake Havasu. The CDP is bordered to the south and east by Lake Havasu City, to the north by Crystal Beach, and to the west, across the Colorado, by San Bernardino County, California. Arizona State Route 95 runs along the eastern edge of the CDP, leading south 4 mi to the center of Lake Havasu City and north 18 mi to Interstate 40.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the Desert Hills CDP has a total area of 4.9 sqmi, of which 4.3 sqmi are land and 0.6 sqmi, or 12.07%, are on the waters of Lake Havasu.

Demographics
As of the census of 2000, there were 2,183 people, 997 households, and 677 families living in the CDP. The population density was 463.8 PD/sqmi. There were 1,463 housing units at an average density of 310.8 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the CDP was 93.1% White, 0.1% Black or African American, 0.6% Native American, 0.4% Asian, 4.4% from other races, and 1.4% from two or more races. 9.3% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 997 households, out of which 17.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 55.7% were married couples living together, 7.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.0% were non-families. 25.2% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.19 and the average family size was 2.54.

In the CDP, the population was spread out, with 16.6% under the age of 18, 5.0% from 18 to 24, 19.9% from 25 to 44, 31.1% from 45 to 64, and 27.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 52 years. For every 100 females, there were 99.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 99.5 males.

The median income for a household in the CDP was $26,678, and the median income for a family was $32,685. Males had a median income of $21,690 versus $20,433 for females. The per capita income for the CDP was $14,322. About 10.5% of families and 14.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 14.4% of those under age 18 and 11.0% of those age 65 or over.

Education
It is in the Lake Havasu Unified School District, which operates Lake Havasu High School.

title: Desert Hills, Arizona


text:
Dolan Springs, Arizona

Dolan Springs is an unincorporated community and census-designated place (CDP) in Mohave County, Arizona, United States. The population was 1,989 at the 2020 census, down from 2,033 at the 2010 census.

Geography
Dolan Springs is located in north-central Mohave County at 35.61583°N, -114.26083°W (35.615835, -114.260804). U.S. Route 93 forms the western boundary of the community, which extends northeast across Detrital Valley and into a smaller valley between the Cerbat Mountains to the south and Table Mountain Plateau to the north. The town center is 6 mi northeast of US 93, along County Highway 25 (Pierce Ferry Road). US 93 leads southeast 30 mi to Kingman, the Mohave county seat, and northwest 47 mi to Boulder City, Nevada.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the Dolan Springs CDP has a total area of 58.1 sqmi, all land.

Demographics
As of the census of 2020, there were 1,734 people living in the CDP, for a population density of 29.8 people per square mile (11.5/km2). There were 1,320 housing units, of which 837, or 63.4%, were occupied. The racial makeup of the CDP was 76.7% White, 0.8% Black or African American, 1.4% Native American, 0.8% Asian, 0.3% Pacific Islander, 7.3% from some other race, and 12.6% from two or more races. 20.1% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

According to the U.S. Census American Community Survey, for the period 2016–2020 the estimated median annual income for a household in the CDP was $28,292, and the median income for a family was $47,821. About 41% of the population were living below the poverty line, including 88% of those under age 18 and 12% of those age 65 or over. About 25% of the population were employed, and 14% of the population had a bachelor's degree or higher.

Emergency services
EMS response in the Dolan Springs area can take hours. The Lake Mohave Ranchos Fire District LMRFD has one ambulance that covers 2200 square miles of Mohave County. The LMRFD ambulance covers the first 50 miles of US93 from milepost one at Hoover Dam to milepost 50 near Dolan springs, and from the Hualapai Indian reservation to the Nevada Arizona border at the Colorado River.

The LMRFD has a couple volunteer firefighters with no emergency medical training and two paid firefighter EMT's who are first out for fire protection, but also drive the ambulance, at times creating an either-or-or-situation.

The section of US Route 93 in Arizona was ranked as the most dangerous highway in the U.S. This 200-mile-long road runs between Wickenburg, Arizona, and the Hoover Dam Bypass Bridge, also known as the Mike O'Callaghan–Pat Tillman Memorial Bridge, near Nevada's border. Many drivers use this route when driving between Las Vegas and Phoenix. Most of the fatal crashes occur along the segment in Mohave County, Arizona. Overall, 70 fatal crashes reportedly took place on this highway from 2010 to 2016.

Recent changes to the intersection of US93 and Pierce Ferry, the road to the Grand Canyon West, and the addition of several truck stops on US93 North of Dolan Springs have made the highway far more dangerous. Slow speed trucks entering and crossing US93 create a situation ripe for high-speed crashes. In 2022 there have been several fatal crashes between milepost-1 and milepost-50 on US93.

Response Times
Response times can be long in the LMRFD, at times taking hours for EMS to arrive. If the LMRFD is responding to a call in Meadview when you have an accident near Hover Dam, it can take over four hours for EMS to arrive. It would take 40 minutes for the LMRFD ambulance to respond to the call in Meadview, another 20 minutes to assess and load the patient, an hour to transport the patient to the hospital in Kingman, and 20 minutes to unload the patient. Once they clear the hospital it would take an hour to respond to your accident near Hoover Dam, 20–40 minutes on-scene, and an hour to transport you to the hospital in Kingman. The total time to transport you to the definitive care of a physician is 4 hours and 50 minutes. Medical helicopters do respond to accidents on US93, but protocols don't allow them to transport a patient until a firefighter from the LMRFD arrives and assesses the patient.

Average Response Times
Emergency medical service units average more than 14 minutes in rural settings, with nearly 1 of 10 encounters waiting almost a half hour for the arrival of EMS personnel. Longer EMS response times have been associated with worse outcomes in trauma patients. ''NOTE The study excluded all encounters with arrival times 120 minutes or longer as these outliers were not representative of the general EMS experience. Some LMRFD EMS calls would have been excluded under these criteria''.

Problems within the LMRFD going from six advanced life support ambulances and many volunteers to one ambulance and a handful of volunteers, but still covering 2200 Square Miles Blog Life and Death in Dolan Springs the Lake Mohave Ranchos Fire District

title: Dolan Springs, Arizona


text:
Golden Valley, Arizona

Golden Valley is an unincorporated area and census-designated place (CDP) in Mohave County, Arizona, United States, located halfway between Kingman and Bullhead City. The population was 8,801 at the 2020 census.

History
Golden Valley was named after a company from Hollywood, California, that went into partnership with Crystal Collins to develop most of the land south of Arizona State Route 68 into 2.5 acre parcels. The company's name was Golden Valley Development Company. The land was split into 2.5 acre parcels and sold for $695 each: $10 down and $10 per month.

Geography
The community of Golden Valley lies in the Sacramento Valley, separated from the larger neighboring cities of Kingman and Bullhead City by the surrounding mountain ranges. State Route 68 runs through the heart of Golden Valley, leading east 10 mi to Kingman and west over the Black Mountains 23 mi to Bullhead City. At the eastern end of Golden Valley, Arizona 68 terminates at U.S. Route 93, which leads to Kingman to the south, or Las Vegas, Nevada, to the north. The center of the community is at 35.22306°N, -114.215°W (35.223016, -114.214988).

According to the United States Census Bureau, the Golden Valley CDP has a total area 78.7 sqmi, all of it land. The Golden Valley ZIP Code (86413) extends 10 mi north and 15 mi south of the CDP proper, but all population statistics refer to the CDP area only.

Residents work in Golden Valley, Kingman, Bullhead, Laughlin, Lake Havasu and even as far as Las Vegas.

Demographics
As of the census of 2000, there were 4,515 people, 1,822 households, and 1,288 families residing in the CDP. The population density was 161.0 PD/sqmi. There were 2,175 housing units at an average density of 77.6 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the CDP was 94.0% White, 0.5% Black or African American, 1.0% Native American, 0.7% Asian, 0.2% Pacific Islander, 1.8% from other races, and 1.8% from two or more races. 8.0% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 1,822 households, out of which 23.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 57.1% were married couples living together, 9.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.3% were non-families. 22.6% of all households were made up of individuals, and 9.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.48 and the average family size was 2.87.

In the CDP, the population was spread out, with 22.4% under the age of 18, 4.7% from 18 to 24, 21.7% from 25 to 44, 33.1% from 45 to 64, and 18.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 46 years. For every 100 females, there were 105.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 101.7 males.

The median income for a household in the CDP was $27,857, and the median income for a family was $30,662. Males had a median income of $26,319 versus $19,556 for females. The per capita income for the CDP was $13,948. About 10.6% of families and 15.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 22.3% of those under age 18 and 11.7% of those age 65 or over.

Infrastructure
Golden Valley is an unincorporated area and is administered directly by Mohave County. Police protection is provided by the Mohave County Sheriff's Office; fire protection is provided by the Golden Valley Fire Department. K–12 education is provided by Kingman Unified School District. One elementary school, Black Mountain Elementary, is located in Golden Valley, but older students must be bused to Kingman for high school.

State prison
The Arizona State Prison – Kingman has a Golden Valley address and is 10 mi south of the community. When it was being sold to the residents of Golden Valley it was promised it would be a prison for DUI offenders only. Due to control of the inmate population problems the contract for the prison has changed hands since its opening. It is a for-profit prison operated by GEO Group under contract to hold inmates for the Arizona Department of Corrections.

2010 escapes
On July 30, 2010, three inmates, two incarcerated for murders, one for attempted homicides, escaped from the facility. One was recaptured in western Colorado on August 1, after a shootout with a Garfield County deputy and city police in Rifle, Colorado. A second was recaptured by U.S. Marshals on August 9 in Meeteetse, Wyoming. The third escapee and his accomplice cousin were captured near Springerville on August 19, 2010, also by U.S. Marshals, in an east-central Arizona, White Mountains, U.S. Forest Service campground.

July 2015 riots
On July 1, 2 and 4, riots broke out once again at the Arizona State Prison – Kingman, at Golden Valley, which had "a long history of problems." Nine guards and seven inmates were injured, and the state brought in 96 members of its special tactical unit to quell the disturbances.

MTC contract termination
In August 2015, Arizona governor Doug Ducey terminated the contract with MTC after an Arizona Department of Corrections investigative report revealed the company had "a culture of disorganization, disengagement, and disregard" of DOC policies.

title: Golden Valley, Arizona


text:
Kingman, Arizona

Kingman is a city in and the county seat of Mohave County, Arizona, United States. It is named after Lewis Kingman, an engineer for the Atlantic and Pacific Railroad. It is located 105 mi southeast of Las Vegas, Nevada, and 180 mi northwest of Arizona's state capital, Phoenix. The population was 32,689 at the 2020 census.

History
Lt. Edward Fitzgerald Beale, a U.S. Navy officer in the service of the Army Corps of Topographical Engineers, was ordered by the U.S. War Department to build a federal wagon road across the 35th parallel. His secondary orders were to test the feasibility of the use of camels as pack animals in the Southwestern desert. Beale traveled through the present-day Kingman in 1857 surveying the road and in 1859 to build the road. Beale's Wagon Road became part of U.S. Route 66 and later Interstate 40. Remnants of the wagon road can still be seen in White Cliffs Canyon in Kingman.

Kingman was founded in 1882 before statehood, in Arizona Territory. Situated in the Hualapai Valley between the Cerbat and Hualapai mountain ranges, Kingman had its modest beginnings as a simple railroad siding near Beale Springs. Civil engineer Lewis Kingman supervised the building of the railroad from Winslow to Beale Springs. This spring had been used by Native Americans living in the area for centuries.

The Mohave County seat was originally located in Mohave City from 1864 to 1867. In 1865, the portion of Arizona Territory west of the Colorado River was transferred to Nevada after Nevada's statehood, and became part of Lincoln County, now Clark County, Nevada. The remaining territory of Pah-Ute County became part of Mohave County. Its seat was moved to Hardyville (now within Bullhead City) in 1867. The county seat transferred to the mining town of Cerbat in 1873, then to Mineral Park near Chloride. After some time, the county seat and all instruments were permanently moved to Kingman in 1887.

During World War II, Kingman was the site of a U.S. Army Air Force (USAAF) airfield. The Kingman Army Airfield was founded at the beginning of the war as an aerial gunnery training base. It became one of the USAAF's largest, training some 35,000 soldiers and airmen. The airfield and Kingman played a significant role in this important era of America's history. Following the war, the Kingman Airfield was one of the largest reclamation sites for obsolete military aircraft.

Postwar, Kingman experienced growth as several major employers moved into the vicinity. In 1953, Kingman was used to detain those men accused of practicing polygamy in the Short Creek raid, which was at the time one of the largest arrests in American history. In 1955, Ford Motor Company established a proving ground (now one of the Chrysler Proving Grounds) in nearby Yucca at the former Yucca Army Airfield. Several major new neighborhoods in Kingman were developed to house the skilled workers and professionals employed at the proving ground. Likewise, the development of the Mineral Park mine near adjacent Chloride, and construction of the Mohave Generating Station in nearby Laughlin, Nevada, in 1971 contributed to Kingman's population growth. Also, the location of a General Cable plant at the Kingman Airport Industrial Park provided steady employment.

Kingman explosion
The Kingman Explosion, also known as the Doxol Disaster or Kingman BLEVE, was a catastrophic boiling liquid expanding vapor explosion (BLEVE) that occurred on July 5, 1973, during a propane transfer from a Doxol railroad car to a storage tank on the Getz rail siding near Andy Devine Avenue/Route 66.

Firefighters Memorial Park in Kingman is dedicated to the 11 firefighters who died in the blaze.

1980s and on
The 1915-built Mohave County Courthouse and 1909-built Jail were listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1983. The downtown and other areas of Kingman were evaluated for historic resources in a 1985 study, the Kingman Multiple Resources Area study. The study identified 63 historic resources in Kingman and led to many of them being listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1986. The county courthouse and jail, a 1928-built locomotive (the Santa Fe 3759), a World War II gunnery school radio tower, and about 50 various houses and other buildings in Kingman are listed on the National Register, comprising the majority of National Register listings in Mohave County.

Geography
Kingman is in central Mohave County, along Interstate 40 and U.S. Route 93. The city is served by three exits on I-40, which leads east 147 mi to Flagstaff and southwest 62 mi to Needles, California. US-93 leads northwest 107 mi to Las Vegas and southeast 130 mi to Wickenburg, 54 mi from Phoenix. US 93 is planned to be replaced by Interstate 11 once built to interstate highway standards. According to the United States Census Bureau, the city of Kingman has a total area of 37.5 sqmi, all land.

Climate
Kingman sits on the eastern edge of the Mojave Desert, but it is located in a cold desert climate (Köppen BWk) due to its plateau location. Kingman's higher elevation and location between the Colorado Plateau and the Lower Colorado River Valley keeps summer high temperatures away from the extremes (115 F or more) experienced by Phoenix and the Colorado River Valley. The higher elevation also contributes to winter cold and occasional snowfall. Summer daytime highs reach above 90 F frequently, but rarely exceed 107 F. Summertime lows usually remain between 60 and 70 F. Winter highs are generally mild, ranging from around 50 to 60 F, but winter nighttime lows often fall to freezing, with significantly lower temperatures possible, and occasional snow.

The record low temperature in Kingman was set on January 9, 1937, at 6 F, and the record high temperature occurred on July 15, 2023, at 114 °F. The wettest year was 1919 with 21.22 in and the driest year was 1947 with 3.58 in. The most rainfall in one month was 9.85 in in September 1939. The most rainfall in 24 hours was 6.03 in on November 28, 1919. The snowiest year was 1949 with 18.2 in. The most snowfall in one month was 14.0 in in December 1932. On December 31, 2014, and January 1, 2015, Kingman received 6.5 inches of snow. The storm was so significant that it was a contributing factor for closing Interstate 40 at the US 93 Junction for 24 hours.

2022 American Community Survey
American Community Survey estimates, there were 33,052 people and 14,029 households. The population density was 880.3 PD/sqmi. There were 14,929 housing units at an average density of 397.6 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the city was 85.2% White, 2.9% some other race, 2.0% Black or African American, 1.6% Asian, and 1.0% Native American or Alaskan Native, with 7.4% from two or more races. Hispanics or Latinos of any race were 16.6% of the population.

Of the 14,029 households, 27.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 40.1% had seniors 65 years or older living with them, 43.9% were married couples living together, 7.8% were couples cohabitating, 20.3% had a male householder with no partner present, and 27.9% had a female householder with no partner present. The median household size was 2.25 and the median family size was 2.77.

The age distribution was 21.1% under 18, 6.6% from 18 to 24, 25.2% from 25 to 44, 23.1% from 45 to 64, and 24.1% who were 65 or older. The median age was 42.1 years. For every 100 females, there were 99.9 males.

The median income for a household was $56,360, with family households having a median income of $63,614 and non-family households $34,468. The per capita income was $31,806. Out of the 31,655 people with a determined poverty status, 13.4% were below the poverty line. Further, 18.7% of minors and 9.4% of seniors were below the poverty line.

In the survey, residents self-identified with various ethnic ancestries. People of German descent made up 17.8% of the population of the town, followed by English at 13.3%, Irish at 10.5%, American at 5.2%, Italian at 4.9%, French at 3.5%, Polish at 2.5%, Norwegian at 2.4%, Dutch at 1.8%, Scottish at 1.7%, Swedish at 1.2%, Russian at 1.0%, Scotch-Irish at 1.0%, Welsh at 0.9%, Portuguese at 0.6%, French Canadian at 0.5%, and Hungarian at 0.5%.

2020 census
At the 2020 census, there were 32,689 people.

2010 census
At the 2010 census, there were 28,068 people.

2000 census
At the 2000 census, there were 20,069 people, 7,854 households and 5,427 families residing in the city. The population density was 669.7 /mi2. There were 8,604 housing units at an average density of 287.1 /mi2. The racial make-up of the city was 88.0% White, <0.1% Black or African American, 1.0% Native American, 0.1% Asian, 0.1% Pacific Islander, 3.4% from other races and 3.1% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino people of any race comprised 12.2% of the population.

There were 7,854 households, of which 30.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.6% were married couples living together, 10.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.9% were non-families. 25.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.47 and the average family size was 2.94.

25.0% of the population were under the age of 18, 7.4% from 18 to 24, 25.6% from 25 to 44, 24.2% from 45 to 64 and 17.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females, there were 97.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 94.4 males.

The median household income was $34,086 and the median family income was $41,327. Males had a median income of $32,036 and females $21,134. The per capita income was $17,181. About 8.2% of families and 11.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 15.3% of those under age 18 and 7.9% of those age 65 or over.

Government and infrastructure
The city operates under the council-manager form of government. The city council, which is the policymaking and legitimate authority, consists of a mayor, vice-mayor, a five-member council and the city manager. The mayor is Ken Watkins and the vice-mayor seat is vacant. The city council consists of five elected officials – councilmembers SueAnn Mello, Jamie Scott Stehly, Deana Nelson, Cherish Sammeli and Keith Walker. The city manager is Ron Foggin. The city attorney is Carl Cooper.

The city government also includes boards and commissions that assist the council in decision making. They are the:
 * Clean City Commission
 * Economic Development & Marketing Commission
 * Golf Course Advisory Commission
 * Historical Preservation Commission
 * Municipal Utilities Commission
 * Parks and Recreations Commission
 * Planning and Zoning Commission
 * Transit Advisory Commission
 * Tourism Development Commission
 * Youth Advisory Commission
 * Tri-City Council

Arizona State Prison – Kingman, a privately run prison of the Arizona Department of Corrections, is located in unincorporated Mohave County near Kingman.

The United States Department of the Interior Bureau of Land Management has a field office located in Kingman.

Mohave County Superior Court is located in Kingman.

Mohave County Administration offices are located in Kingman.

The Mohave County Fairgrounds are located in Kingman.

Top employers
According to Kingman's 2019 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report, the top employers in the city are:

Major highways

 * [[Image:I-40 (AZ).svg|20px|link= |alt=]] Interstate 40
 * [[Image:US 93.svg|20px|link= |alt=]] U.S. Route 93
 * [[Image:Arizona 66.svg|20px|link= |alt=]] Arizona State Route 66
 * [[Image:Business Loop 40.svg|20px|link= |alt=]] Business Loop 40 and Arizona SR 66 are composed of the remnants of what was [[Image:US 66 Arizona 1926.svg|20px|link= |alt=]] U.S. Route 66.
 * [[Image:Arizona 68.svg|20px|link= |alt=]] Arizona State Route 68
 * [[Image:I-11.svg|20px|link= |alt=]] Interstate 11 is proposed to replace U.S. Route 93.

Airport
The Kingman Airport is located 9 mi northeast of Kingman on Arizona State Route 66. The airport was originally built as Kingman Army Air Field during World War II and was the location of the Kingman Aerial Gunnery School. The airport was turned over to Mohave County for civilian use in 1949. There are air ambulance and air charter services, but no commercial flights. The closest commercial airport is Harry Reid International Airport in Paradise, Nevada, approximately 104 mi northwest of Kingman. The Kingman airport now primarily exists as a location for long-term aircraft storage due to its suitable large ramp space and a long, decommissioned runway. Kingman is a non-towered airport.

Rail
Located downtown, the Kingman station station has daily services on Amtrak's Amtrak Southwest Chief between Los Angeles and Chicago. The historically significant station is constructed in Mission Revival style. Prior to the establishment of Amtrak in 1971, the building had fallen into disrepair. A total renovation was completed in 2010. The station houses a model railroad museum. Amtrak Thruway offers connecting service to Las Vegas.

Kingman is located on the Southern Transcon route of the BNSF Railway which is the main transcontinental route between Los Angeles and Chicago, which carries approximately 100 to 150 freight trains per day.

In August 2012, the Kingman Terminal Railroad (KGTR) opened at the Kingman Airport Authority and Industrial Park. The KGTR is a short line railroad owned by Patriot Rail. Patriot Rail owns and operates 13 railroads in 13 states across the U.S. The KGTR interchanges with BNSF and delivers to businesses at the industrial park.

Buses and shuttles
The City of Kingman operates Kingman Area Regional Transit. Kingman is served by the intercity bus companies Greyhound and TUFESA. FlixBus boards from a stop at 915 W Beale St. Tri-State Shuttle connects Kingman with Harry Reid International Airport in Paradise.

Amtrak Thruway is Kingman station bus service that travels to Las Vegas's stations at South Strip Transit Terminal, Airport Terminal One and Las Vegas downtown, called the Amtrak Kingman-Las Vegas Thruway Motorcoach, a 107 mi trip. There is also a Laughlin to Kingman Amtrak Station at the Tropicana Laughlin in Laughlin, Nevada, a 34 mi trip.

Water
The water system uses groundwater. The same aquifer serving the city is used by the industrial agriculture in the surrounding desert.

Education
Kingman has one public school district, one charter school district and one Christian school.

Public schools
Kingman Unified School District (KUSD) consists of 12 schools, ranging from Kindergarten to high school.

Elementary schools
 * Hualapai Elementary School
 * Cerbat Elementary School
 * Palo Christi Elementary School (closed)
 * Black Mountain Elementary School (located in the neighboring town of Golden Valley)
 * La Senita Elementary School
 * Manzanita Elementary School
 * Desert Willow Elementary School
 * Kingman Academy of Learning Primary/Intermediate School

Middle schools
 * Golden Valley Middle School
 * Kingman Middle School
 * White Cliffs Middle School
 * Kingman Academy of Learning Middle School

High schools
 * Kingman High School
 * Lee Williams High School
 * Kingman Academy of Learning High School

K–12
 * Mt. Tipton School, a KUSD K–12 school, is located in Dolan Springs, approximately 30 miles northwest of Kingman.

Other schools

 * The Kingman Academy of Learning, a charter school, is split into four schools: a primary (pre-school – 2nd grade), intermediate (3–5), middle (6–8), and high school (9–12).
 * The Emmanuel Christian Academy teaches students from kindergarten to 8th grade.
 * Arizona Virtual Academy is a (K–12) Blended learning center.

Post-secondary education

 * One of four main campuses, Mohave Community College, a junior college, is located in Kingman.
 * Northern Arizona University has an extension campus located in Kingman.

Notable people

 * Andy Devine (1905–1977), actor, was raised in Kingman, where his father opened the Beale Hotel. One of the major streets of Kingman is named "Andy Devine Avenue" and the town holds the annual "Andy Devine Days".
 * Michael Fortier, Timothy McVeigh's co-conspirator, lived in Kingman from the age of seven.
 * Miki Garcia, model and Playboy magazine's Playmate for the January 1973 issue, was born in Kingman.
 * Doris Hill (1905–1976), born Roberta M. Hill, was an American film actress of the 1920s and 1930s.
 * Paul Kalanithi (1977–2015), neurosurgeon and writer, was raised in Kingman..
 * Timothy McVeigh (1968–2001), who carried out the Oklahoma City bombing, was a resident of Kingman for various periods between 1993 and 1995.
 * Doug Mirabelli, former Boston Red Sox catcher, was born in Kingman.
 * Aron Ra, atheist activist, regional director of American Atheists, and public speaker, was born in Kingman.
 * Joseph Rosenberg, bank executive, worked as a banker in Kingman before moving to Los Angeles. Rosenberg was later Walt Disney's banker.
 * Tarik Skubal, MLB pitcher for the Detroit Tigers.
 * Karen Steele, actress, lived and died in Kingman.

Off screen

 * Clark Gable and Carole Lombard were married at the rectory of Saint John's Methodist Episcopal Church in 1939, during a break in the shooting of Gone with the Wind.

Onscreen
Kingman has been used as a filming location for several movies and television shows.

In films

 * The films Roadhouse 66 and Two-Lane Blacktop were shot in Kingman.
 * The movie Management takes place but was not shot in Kingman.
 * Scenes from the movie Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas were filmed at the Kingman Airport; in the scene, it is possible to see a clear shot of the Hualapai Mountains.
 * Scenes from the 1992 movie Universal Soldier were filmed in the downtown area as well as a local grocery store and at the Kingman Airport.

In television

 * In "Otis", an episode from the television series Prison Break, LJ Burrows is sent to an adult facility in Kingman, Arizona. In a subsequent episode, "Buried", LJ is released from the aforementioned facility.
 * In "Native Tongue", an episode from the television series "Medium" (NBC: 2005–09; CBS: 2009–2011), Alison has a dream about a man being threatened to be burned alive unless he revels the whereabouts of something the killer wants. The man tells the killer that 'it' is near Kingman, where his partner lives. As the story progresses, it is discovered that the man is associated with the Navajo Reservation located 20 E of Kingman.
 * In the HBO series The Sopranos, when Tony Soprano was shot at the beginning of season 6, he fell into a coma and believed he was involved in a case of mistaken identity with Kevin Finnerty who lived in Kingman (see "Join the Club").
 * In "The Locomotion Interruption," the season 8 premiere of The Big Bang Theory, Sheldon Cooper finds his belongings stolen at Kingman train station.
 * In episode 2 of the Showtime political satire documentary Who Is America?, residents of the town are shown making anti-Muslim and anti-black statements when told by a disguised Sacha Baron Cohen that a super mosque would be built in Kingman.

In literature and publications

 * The town is mentioned in Barbara Kingsolver's novel Pigs in Heaven.
 * In the post-apocalyptic novel Warday, Kingman is the "point of entry" to California; the Golden State, spared by the nuclear attacks that hit much of the rest of the country, is strictly guarded by troops, and "illegals" are jailed.

In music

 * The town is mentioned in the lyrics of Bobby Troup's song "Route 66".

Points of interest

 * Hualapai Mountain Recreation Area, 12 mi to the southeast of Kingman
 * Oatman, a "ghost town" tourist attraction 28 mi southwest of Kingman

title: Kingman, Arizona


text:
Lake Havasu City, Arizona

Lake Havasu City is a city in Mohave County, Arizona, United States. As of the 2020 census, the population of the city was 57,144, up from 52,527 in 2010. It is served by Lake Havasu City Airport.

History
The community first started during World War II as Site Six, an Army Air Corps rest camp on the shores of Lake Havasu. In 1958, American businessman Robert P. McCulloch purchased 3,353 acre of property on the east side of the lake along Pittsburgh Point, a peninsula that would eventually be transformed into an island.

After four years of planning, McCulloch Properties acquired another 13,000 acre of federal land in the surrounding area. Lake Havasu City was established on September 30, 1963, by a resolution of the Mohave County Board of Supervisors, as the Lake Havasu Irrigation and Drainage District, making it a legal entity (the act is referenced in resolution #63-12-1). The city was incorporated in 1978.

London Bridge
London Bridge crosses the narrow Bridgewater Channel that leads from Lake Havasu (a segment of the Colorado River) to Thompson Bay (also on the river). Hoping to attract tourists and prospective buyers of residential lots, McCulloch bought it for US$2.5 million from the City of London, England, when the bridge was replaced in 1968. The bridge was disassembled on contract with Sundt Construction of Tucson, and the marked stones were shipped to Lake Havasu City and reassembled by Sundt for another US$7 million. The construction took three years to complete.

McCulloch gave an acre of land in Lake Havasu City to London. When Lake Havasu City wanted to use this land for a visitors' center, London leased it back for a quit rent of a Hopi Kachina figure.

Since its inauguration on October 5, 1971, London Bridge has become the second-largest tourist attraction in Arizona, after the Grand Canyon.

Events
Lake Havasu City is an active event destination for a wide range of people. During spring months, the community is joined by university students for spring break. In 1995, Lake Havasu City was featured during MTV's Spring Break coverage. Attendance during Spring Break has taken a downturn in recent years, as the city has declined to issue permits to the large party organizers.

For boaters, March to September are the prime months on Lake Havasu. The city is also home to the International World Jet Ski Final Races, multiple professional fishing tournaments, custom boat regattas, the Western Winter Blast pyrotechnics convention, Havasu 95 Speedway, the Chilln-n-Swilln Beer Festival annual charity event, the Havasu Triathlon, and the Havasu Balloon Festival & Fair.

During the winter months, the community is joined by retirees from colder regions of the country and Canada. During this period, multiple events are held on McCulloch Boulevard. Typically during the second weekend of February, McCulloch Boulevard is home to Winterfest, an annual event which draws thousands of visitors and residents for two days of food, activities, entertainment, and products from over 200 vendors from across the United States.

Geography
Lake Havasu City is located in southwestern Mohave County on the east side of Lake Havasu, a reservoir on the Colorado River, at 34.48333°N, -114.31667°W. It is 60 mi south of Kingman, the Mohave county seat, and 193 mi northwest of Phoenix.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 46.4 sqmi, of which 0.05 sqmi, or 0.10%, are water.

Transportation
The only surface access to Lake Havasu City is by road via Arizona State Route 95, which meets Interstate 40 19 mi to the north of the city and Interstate 10 74 mi to the south. C. V. Wood, who designed Disneyland, was hired by Robert McCulloch to lay out Lake Havasu's unique road system.

In the early stages of development of the city, McCulloch Properties operated a fleet of secondhand airliners such as the Lockheed Constellation and the Lockheed L-188 Electra to fly prospective property purchasers to the area from California and elsewhere in the United States.

The city operates Lake Havasu City Transit. Vegas Airporter provides service from Lake Havasu City to Harry Reid International Airport in Las Vegas. Havasu Landing Resort and Casino provides a ferry to Havasu Lake, California.

Lake Havasu City Airport, also known as Lake Havasu City Municipal Airport, is a general aviation airport owned by the city and located 6 miles north of the central business district of Lake Havasu City.

Climate
Lake Havasu City has a hot desert climate (BWh), with extremely hot summers, mild winters, and very little rainfall. The hottest temperature in Arizona was recorded in Havasu City. Lake Havasu City is a very hot city, even by Arizona standards; here, the highest temperature ever recorded in the state, 128 °F (53 °C), was set on June 29, 1994. Temperatures may exceed 100 °F (38 °C) as early as April or as late as October, and in the summer months, it routinely reaches 110 °F (43 °C), and can even get up to 120 °F (49 °C) or higher during the worst heat waves. Overnight low temperatures generally stay between 80 °F to 90 °F (27–32 °C) for the months of July and August, but the highest overnight low temperature (record high minimum) ever recorded was 98 °F (37 °C) on July 22, 2003.

The winters, on the other hand, are very pleasant, with typical daily highs in the 60s and 70s Fahrenheit (16–26 °C), and infrequent night frosts. Mean annual rainfall is only 4.16 inches (106 millimeters); winter is the wettest season, but even then, rain occurs on an average of only 2–3 days per month.

Demographics
As of the census of 2000, there were 41,938 people, 17,911 households, and 12,716 families residing in the city. The population density was 974.4 PD/sqmi. There were 23,018 housing units at an average density of 534.8 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the city was 94.4% White, 0.3% Black or African American, 0.7% Native American, 0.6% Asian, 0.1% Pacific Islander, 2.5% from other races, and 1.5% from two or more races. 7.9% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 17,911 households, out of which 22.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 59.4% were married couples living together, 7.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.0% were non-families. 22.8% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.32 and the average family size was 2.69.

In the city, the population was spread out, with 19.4% under the age of 18, 5.7% from 18 to 24, 21.6% from 25 to 44, 27.7% from 45 to 64, and 25.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 48 years. For every 100 females, there were 96.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 94.3 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $36,499, and the median income for a family was $41,393. Males had a median income of $31,594 versus $21,576 for females. The per capita income for the city was $20,403. About 6.6% of families and 9.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 15.8% of those under age 18 and 5.2% of those age 65 or over.

Education
Lake Havasu City is served by the Lake Havasu Unified School District. There are currently six elementary schools: Jamaica Elementary, Oro Grande Classical Academy, Starline Elementary, Smoketree Elementary, Nautilus Elementary, and Havasupai Elementary), one middle school (Thunderbolt Middle School), one high school (Lake Havasu High School), and several alternative schools in the city. Lake Havasu Unified went through some strict budget cuts, closing one of its two middle schools (Daytona Middle School), and distributing 6th graders throughout the elementaries and 7th and 8th grades to Thunderbolt Middle School. Local voters passed a bond and a budget override for the district in 2016, helping to alleviate some school district budget problems.

A campus of Mohave Community College is located in Lake Havasu City. MCC also is home of one of the Northern Arizona University extended campuses. Arizona State University opened a new lower-tuition 4-year college campus, the ASU Colleges at Lake Havasu City, in August 2012.

Government
The city operates under a council-manager form of government. The mayor and six councilmembers are elected to staggered four-year terms. The City Council sets the city's policy and direction, and appoints the City Manager who is tasked with the responsibility for carrying out council policies and administering the day-to-day operations. Per the City Code, the Department Directors are appointed by the City Manager.

As of November, 2008, 64 percent of registered voters in Lake Havasu City are Republican, 35 percent Democrat, and the remaining 1 percent Independent.

Lake Havasu City hosted the final appreciation dinner for retiring United States Senator Barry Goldwater, the 1964 Republican Party presidential nominee, at the Nautical Inn Convention Center on October 21, 1986.

Notable people

 * David Bazan, indie rock singer-songwriter, most notably of Pedro the Lion
 * Michael Biehn, actor
 * Chuck Crim, former Major League baseball pitcher
 * Crystal Hefner, Playboy Miss December 2009, widow of the late Hugh Hefner
 * Robert P. McCulloch, CEO of McCulloch chainsaws and purchaser of the London Bridge tourist attraction
 * Bob Milacki, former Major League baseball pitcher
 * Gary Simmons, former National hockey league player

In popular culture
The Day of the Wolves is a 1971 heist film starring Richard Egan. It was directed, written and produced by Ferde Grofe Jr. It was the first movie to be made on location in the new town of Lake Havasu City.

The London Bridge's relocation to Arizona was the basis of a 1985 made-for-TV movie Bridge Across Time (also known as Arizona Ripper or Terror at London Bridge), directed by E.W. Swackhamer and starring David Hasselhoff and Stepfanie Kramer. In the film, a series of murders in Lake Havasu is attributed to the spirit of Jack the Ripper, whose soul is transported to America in one of the bricks of the London Bridge.

The director Andy Sidaris has directed three soft-core adult films in Lake Havasu: 1989's Savage Beach, 1990's Guns, and 1992's Hard Hunted.

MTV featured Lake Havasu during its Spring Break coverage in 1995.

The comedy-adventure Border to Border was filmed in Lake Havasu in 1998. Actor Curtis Armstrong and Lisa Arturo were the leads, with a cameo by porn star Ron Jeremy.

Piranha 3D was filmed in Lake Havasu in 2009. The city was called Lake Victoria in the film. It was directed by Alexandre Aja and starred Adam Scott, Elisabeth Shue, Kelly Brook, Richard Dreyfuss, Jerry O'Connell, Ving Rhames and Christopher Lloyd. The film is a remake of the 1978 film Piranha. It debuted in Lake Havasu on August 19, 2010, and was released nationally on August 20, 2010.

The Concepts x New Balance Made in U.K. 991.5 "Lake Havasu" athletic shoe was inspired by the story of the London Bridge's relocation to Arizona, and the transatlantic partnership between U.K. shoe manufacturer New Balance and American shoe retailer Concepts. Lake Havasu City Mayor Mark Nexsen officially declared February 27, 2018 as "Concepts/New Balance 991.5 'Made in U.K.' Lake Havasu Shoe Day."

Indie rock band Pedro the Lion's sixth studio album Havasu was written about the one year of childhood the singer spent living in the city.

Attractions

 * London Bridge
 * London Bridge Resort
 * Lake Havasu Golf Club (36 holes)
 * The Nautical Beachfront Resort
 * Lake Havasu and Colorado River
 * Wheeler Park
 * Lake Havasu Historical Society
 * The Aquatic Center
 * Patrick Tinell Memorial Skatepark
 * Rotary Community Park
 * The Shops at Lake Havasu
 * Lake Havasu Art Collective
 * Lake Havasu City Airport (KHII)
 * Minor league baseball: the Blythe Heat of the Arizona Winter League and the Lake Havasu Heat of the Pacific Southwest Baseball League play regular season games.
 * Lighthouses on the Colorado River

title: Lake Havasu City, Arizona