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Lake Havasu City, Arizona

 
Lake Havasu City, Arizona

 
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Lake Havasu City, Arizona
 
 
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Lake Havasu City is a city in Mohave County
Mohave County, Arizona

Mohave County is located in the northwestern corner of the U.S. state of Arizona. As of 2007, its population was estimated to be 194,944, an increase of 39,912 people since the 2000 census count of 155,032....
, Arizona
Arizona

The State of Arizona is a U.S. state located in the Southwestern United States of the United States. The capital and largest city is Phoenix, Arizona....
, United States
United States

The United States of America is a Federal government constitutional republic comprising U.S. state and a federal district. The country is situated mostly in central North America, where its Contiguous United States and Washington, D.C., the Capital districts and territories, lie between the Pacific Ocean and Atlantic Oceans, Borders of the U...
. According to 2006 Census Bureau estimates, the population of the town is 56,355. It was founded in 1964 on the shores of Lake Havasu
Lake Havasu

Lake Havasu is a large reservoir behind Parker Dam on the Colorado River, on the border between California and Arizona. Lake Havasu City sits on the lake's eastern shore....
.

Havasu City was established in 1964 by Robert P. McCulloch
Robert McCulloch

Robert Paxton McCulloch was an United States entrepreneur most notable for McCulloch chainsaws and purchasing the new London Bridge and moving it to one of the cities he founded, Lake Havasu City, Arizona....
 (of McCulloch Chainsaws) as a planned community. McCulloch had purchased 3,500 acres (14 km²) of property on the east side of Lake Havasu
Lake Havasu

Lake Havasu is a large reservoir behind Parker Dam on the Colorado River, on the border between California and Arizona. Lake Havasu City sits on the lake's eastern shore....
 along Pittsburgh Point, the peninsula that eventually would be transformed into "the island".






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Encyclopedia


Lake Havasu City is a city in Mohave County
Mohave County, Arizona

Mohave County is located in the northwestern corner of the U.S. state of Arizona. As of 2007, its population was estimated to be 194,944, an increase of 39,912 people since the 2000 census count of 155,032....
, Arizona
Arizona

The State of Arizona is a U.S. state located in the Southwestern United States of the United States. The capital and largest city is Phoenix, Arizona....
, United States
United States

The United States of America is a Federal government constitutional republic comprising U.S. state and a federal district. The country is situated mostly in central North America, where its Contiguous United States and Washington, D.C., the Capital districts and territories, lie between the Pacific Ocean and Atlantic Oceans, Borders of the U...
. According to 2006 Census Bureau estimates, the population of the town is 56,355. It was founded in 1964 on the shores of Lake Havasu
Lake Havasu

Lake Havasu is a large reservoir behind Parker Dam on the Colorado River, on the border between California and Arizona. Lake Havasu City sits on the lake's eastern shore....
.

History

Lake Havasu City was established in 1964 by Robert P. McCulloch
Robert McCulloch

Robert Paxton McCulloch was an United States entrepreneur most notable for McCulloch chainsaws and purchasing the new London Bridge and moving it to one of the cities he founded, Lake Havasu City, Arizona....
 (of McCulloch Chainsaws) as a planned community. McCulloch had purchased 3,500 acres (14 km²) of property on the east side of Lake Havasu
Lake Havasu

Lake Havasu is a large reservoir behind Parker Dam on the Colorado River, on the border between California and Arizona. Lake Havasu City sits on the lake's eastern shore....
 along Pittsburgh Point, the peninsula that eventually would be transformed into "the island". The city was incorporated in 1978. The present city grew around an old mining town established in the early 20th century.

The lake was formed in 1938 by Parker Dam
Parker Dam

Parker Dam is a concrete arch-gravity dam which spans the Colorado river, at a point 155 miles downstream of Hoover Dam. It is 320 feet high, 235 feet of which are below the riverbed, making it the deepest, although not the highest, dam in the world....
 on the Colorado River
Colorado River

The Colorado River is a river in the southwestern United States and northwestern Mexico, approximately 1,450 mi long, draining a part of the arid regions on the western slope of the Rocky Mountains....
. One cannot reach the Grand Canyon
Grand Canyon

The Grand Canyon is a steep-sided gorge carved by the Colorado River in the United States in the state of Arizona....
 from Lake Havasu, however, due to the dams: Davis Dam
Davis Dam

The Davis Dam is a dam on the Colorado River downstream from Hoover Dam . It stretches across the border between Arizona and Nevada. Originally called Bullhead Dam, Davis dam was renamed after Arthur Powell Davis, who was the director of the U.S....
 (creating Lake Mohave
Lake Mohave

Lake Mohave is a lake formed by Davis Dam on the Colorado River, which defines the border between Nevada and Arizona in the United States. The lake lies at an elevation of near Laughlin, Nevada and Bullhead City, AZ, about downstream from Hoover Dam....
) and Hoover Dam
Hoover Dam

Hoover Dam, originally known as Boulder Dam, is a concrete arch-gravity dam in the Black Canyon of the Colorado of the Colorado River , on the border between the United States U.S....
 (creating Lake Mead
Lake Mead

Lake Mead is the largest man-made lake and reservoir in the United States. It is located on the Colorado River about 30 miles southeast of Las Vegas, Nevada, Nevada, in the states of Nevada and Arizona....
) and Parker Dam.

Bridge

A popular tourist attraction in Lake Havasu City is the London Bridge
London Bridge (Lake Havasu City)

The London Bridge, currently located in Lake Havasu City, Arizona, USA, was originally constructed in London, in 1831. The bridge was the last project of engineer John Rennie and completed by his son, also named John Rennie ....
, which crosses an 8ft (2.4m) deep man-made canal that leads from Lake Havasu
Lake Havasu

Lake Havasu is a large reservoir behind Parker Dam on the Colorado River, on the border between California and Arizona. Lake Havasu City sits on the lake's eastern shore....
 (on the Colorado River) to Thompson Bay. It was bought for US$2.5 million from the City of London
City of London

The City of London is a geographically small city status in the United Kingdom within Greater London, England. It is the historic core of London around which, along with Westminster, the modern conurbation grew....
 when the bridge was replaced in 1968. The bridge was disassembled, and the marked stones were shipped to Lake Havasu City and reassembled for another US $7 million. It opened in October 1971. It is a popular rumour that the bridge was bought in the belief that it was, in fact, London's more recognisable Tower Bridge
Tower Bridge

Tower Bridge is a combined bascule bridge and suspension bridge in London, England, over the River Thames. It is close to the Tower of London, which gives it its name....
, but this has been debunked by Ivan Luckin, who sold the bridge.

Events

Lake Havasu City is an active destination for a wide range of people. During the spring months, the community is joined by university students during Spring Break
Spring break

Spring break, also known as March break, Study Week or Reading Week in some parts of Canada, is a week long recess from studying in early spring at universities and schools in the United States, Canada, Korea, Japan, Taiwan, China, and other countries....
 (indeed, the city has something of a reputation for being a spring break party town) while the California boaters begin to stream in as the weather warms. March to September are the prime boating 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
Western Winter Blast

Western Winter Blast is a four-day fireworks convention in Lake Havasu City, Arizona, held annually by the Western Pyrotechnic Association during the Presidents' Day weekend, in which pyrotechnicians gather to buy, manufacture, and shoot both professional and consumer-grade fireworks....
 pyrotechnics convention, and the Havasu Half Marathon .

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.

Geography

Lake Havasu City is located at .

According to the United States Census Bureau
United States Census Bureau

The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data....
, the city has a total area of 43.1 square miles (111.6 km²), of which, 43.0 square miles (111.5 km²) of it is land and 0.04 square miles (0.1 km²) of it (0.07%) is water.

The only access to Lake Havasu City by road is via Arizona State Route 95, which meets Interstate 40
Interstate 40

Interstate 40 is a major west-east Interstate Highway in the United States. Its western terminus is at Interstate 15 in California in Barstow, California; its eastern terminus is at a concurrency of U.S....
 to the north of the city and Interstate 10
Interstate 10

Interstate 10 is the southernmost east-west, coast-to-coast Interstate Highway in the United States. It stretches from the Pacific Ocean at California State Route 1 in Santa Monica, California, California to Interstate 95 in Florida in Jacksonville, Florida, Florida....
 to the south. The city is served by several intersecting loop roads which connect with AZ 95. This somewhat unorthodox road layout has been a source of confusion for many newcomers. Many of the houses in the city are vacation homes.

Climate


Lake Havasu City has an arid desert climate
Arid

A region is said to be arid when it is characterized by a severe lack of available water, to the extent of hindering or even preventing the Individual growth and Morphogenesis of plant and animal life....
. In the winter
Winter

Winter is one of the four seasons of temperate zones. Calculated astronomy, it begins on the solstice and ends on the equinox. It is the season with the shortest days and the lowest average temperatures....
 months, daytime highs are usually in the mid to upper 60s, with an occasional day not reaching 60 °F (16 °C). Lows in winter average about 43 °F (6 °C); temperatures do occasionally dip below 40 °F (4 °C), but frost
Frost

Frost is the solid deposition of water vapor from Saturation air. It is formed when solid surfaces are cooled to below the dew point of the adjacent air....
 is uncommon for the area. The city has extremely hot summers
Summer

Summer generally refers to the warmest and most humid season between spring and autumn, from the summer solstice to the autumnal equinox. In the Northern Hemisphere, this falls from the June solstice to the September equinox, while in the Southern Hemisphere it falls from the December solstice to the March equinox....
, with highs remaining between 100 °F (38 °C) and 110 °F (43 °C) for about four months. Highs above 115 °F (46 °C) are not rare in the city during the summer months. Low temperatures tend to stay above 80 °F (27 °C) for the months of July and August, lowering to a more tolerable range of to in September.

Lake Havasu City reached 124 °F (51 °C) on July 1, 1950, the all-time highest recorded temperature in the city. Earlier that very same year on January 4, Lake Havasu City had reached its all time low temperature of 25 °F (-4 °C), though this was recorded again in 1990 for three consecutive days -- December 22, 23, and 24.

Demographics


As of the census
Census

A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population....
 of 2000, there were 41,938 people, 17,911 households, and 12,716 families residing in the city. The population density
Population density

Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans....
 was 974.4 people per square mile (376.2/km²). There were 23,018 housing units at an average density of 534.8/sq mi (206.5/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 94.35% White
Race (United States Census)

Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the United States Census Bureau and the Federal Office of Management and Budget , are Self-concept data items in which residents choose the Race in the United States or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are of Hispanic or Latino origin ....
, 0.31% Black
Race (United States Census)

Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the United States Census Bureau and the Federal Office of Management and Budget , are Self-concept data items in which residents choose the Race in the United States or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are of Hispanic or Latino origin ....
 or African American
Race (United States Census)

Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the United States Census Bureau and the Federal Office of Management and Budget , are Self-concept data items in which residents choose the Race in the United States or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are of Hispanic or Latino origin ....
, 0.69% Native American
Race (United States Census)

Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the United States Census Bureau and the Federal Office of Management and Budget , are Self-concept data items in which residents choose the Race in the United States or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are of Hispanic or Latino origin ....
, 0.58% Asian
Race (United States Census)

Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the United States Census Bureau and the Federal Office of Management and Budget , are Self-concept data items in which residents choose the Race in the United States or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are of Hispanic or Latino origin ....
, 0.10% Pacific Islander
Race (United States Census)

Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the United States Census Bureau and the Federal Office of Management and Budget , are Self-concept data items in which residents choose the Race in the United States or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are of Hispanic or Latino origin ....
, 2.51% from other races
Race (United States Census)

Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the United States Census Bureau and the Federal Office of Management and Budget , are Self-concept data items in which residents choose the Race in the United States or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are of Hispanic or Latino origin ....
, and 1.46% from two or more races. 7.86% of the population were Hispanic
Race (United States Census)

Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the United States Census Bureau and the Federal Office of Management and Budget , are Self-concept data items in which residents choose the Race in the United States or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are of Hispanic or Latino origin ....
 or Latino
Race (United States Census)

Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the United States Census Bureau and the Federal Office of Management and Budget , are Self-concept data items in which residents choose the Race in the United States or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are of Hispanic or Latino origin ....
 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
Marriage

Marriage is a social, spirituality, or law union of individuals. This union may also be called matrimony, while the ceremony that marks its beginning is usually called a wedding and the married status created is sometimes called wedlock....
 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
Per capita income

Per capita income means how much each individual receives, in monetary terms, of the yearly income generated in the country. This is what each citizen is to receive if the yearly national income is divided equally among everyone....
 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, two middle schools, one high school, and several alternative schools in the city. In a 2008 nationwide survey, Forbes magazine ranked Lake Havasu City last in the number of college graduates living there.

Government

Lake Havasu City has a mayor-council system of government. Besides the mayor, there are seven countil members elected city-wide. After incorporation in 1978, Gene Pinto was elected the community's first mayor. As of November, 2008,64 percent of registered voters in Lake Havasu City are Republican, 35 percent Democrat, and the remaining 1 percent Independent.

Attractions

  • London Bridge
  • London Bridge Resort
  • Havasu 95 Speedway
  • Many tourist shops on the banks of Lake Havasu; Boat rentals are also popular among tourists
  • Attractions for young adults and kids
    • The Aquatic Center (Water Park)
    • Rotary Park
    • Havasu Lanes (Bowling Alley)
    • Movies Havasu
    • Lake Havasu
    • Lake Havasu Art Collective
    • Minor league baseball: the Blythe Heat
      Blythe Heat

      The Blythe Heat are a professional baseball team based in Blythe, California. They play in the Arizona Winter League, a short-season instructional winter league affiliated with the Golden Baseball League....
       of the Arizona Winter League
      Arizona Winter League

      The Arizona Winter League is the short-season instructional winter professional baseball league affiliated with the independent Golden Baseball League....
       and the Lake Havasu Heat of the Pacific Southwest Baseball League
      Pacific Southwest Baseball League

      The Pacific Southwest Baseball League is a collegiate summer league made up of six teams consisting of semi-professional players....
       play regular season games.


Lake Havasu City London Bridge

External links

  • , official city website