Lake Havasu City, Arizona

Lake Havasu City (hav-UHH-soo) is a city in Mohave County, Arizona, United States. According to 2010 census, the population of the city was 52,527 people.[2] It is served by Lake Havasu City Airport. Lake Havasu City is geographically isolated from the other cities in Mohave County[4] and is the southernmost community of the Las Vegas–Henderson, NV–AZ CSA.

Lake Havasu City
City
London Bridge, Lake Havasu City
Location of Lake Havasu City in Mohave County, Arizona
Lake Havasu City
Location in the United States
Coordinates: 34°29′24″N 114°18′32″W
CountryUnited States
StateArizona
CountyMohave
Incorporated1978
Government
 • MayorCal Sheehy
Area
 • City46.38 sq mi (120.14 km2)
 • Land46.34 sq mi (120.02 km2)
 • Water0.05 sq mi (0.12 km2)
Elevation
735 ft (224 m)
Population
 • City52,527
 • Estimate 
(2019)[3]
55,865
 • Density1,205.57/sq mi (465.48/km2)
 • Metro
203,361 (US: 213th)
Time zoneUTC−7 (MST)
ZIP codes
86403-86406
Area code(s)928
FIPS code04-39370
GNIS feature ID6840
Websitehttp://www.lhcaz.gov/

History

The community first started as an Army Air Corps rest camp, called "Site Six". during World War II on the shores of Lake Havasu. In 1958, American businessman Robert P. McCulloch purchased 3,353 acres (13.57 km2) of property on the east side of the lake along Pittsburgh Point, the peninsula that eventually would be transformed into "the Island".

After four years of planning, McCulloch Properties acquired another 13,000 acres 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 a narrow 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 when the bridge was replaced in 1968. The bridge was disassembled on contract with Sundt Construction, Tucson, Arizona,[5] and the marked stones were shipped to Lake Havasu City and reassembled by Sundt[5] 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, it leased it back for a quit rent of a Hopi Kachina figure.[6]

Since its inauguration on October 5, 1971, London Bridge has become the second-largest tourist attraction in Arizona, after the Grand Canyon. In 2017, a panel of experts partnering with USA Today's 10Best.com chose London Bridge as one of 20 initial nominees for Best Arizona Attraction. 10Best.com readers voted London Bridge as a top 5 favorite.[7]

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.[8]

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,[9] and the Havasu Balloon Festival & Fair.[10]

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
McCulloch Properties Lockheed Constellation used to transport prospective purchasers to Lake Havasu City in the early 1970s and wearing the city's name.

Lake Havasu City is located at 34°29′24″N 114°18′32″W.[11]

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 43.1 square miles (112 km2), of which, 43.0 square miles (111 km2) of it is land and 0.04 square miles (0.10 km2) of it (0.07%) is water.

Transportation

The only surface access to Lake Havasu City is by road via Arizona State Route 95, which meets Interstate 40 to the north of the city and Interstate 10 to the south. C.V. Wood, who designed Disneyland, was hired by Robert McCulloch to lay out Lake Havasu's unique road system.[12]

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 US.

As of 2016 Lake Havasu City does not have a public transit system.[13] Lake Havasu Shuttle provides transportation to Phoenix, Las Vegas and Laughlin, Nevada.[14] Havasu Landing Resort and Casino provides a ferry to Havasu Lake, California.[15]

Climate

Lake Havasu City has a hot desert climate. In the winter months, daytime highs usually range from 60 °F (16 °C) to 70 °F (21 °C). Lows in winter average between 40 °F to 50 °F (4 °C-10 °C); temperatures do occasionally dip below 40 °F (4 °C). The city has extremely hot summers, with highs normally remaining between 100 °F and 115 °F (38 °C - 46 °C). Highs are known to exceed 120 °F (49 °C) during the summer months. Overnight low temperatures stay between 80 °F to 90 °F (27 °C - 32 °C) for the months of July and August.

The highest overnight low temperature (record high minimum) ever recorded in Lake Havasu City was 98 °F (37 °C) on July 22, 2003.[16] Lake Havasu City also recorded the hottest temperature in Arizona at 128°F (53°C) on June 29, 1994.[17]

Mean annual precipitation is 3.84 inches. The annual mean temperature is 74.6 °F (23.7 °C).[18]

Climate data for Lake Havasu City Arizona (1981–2010 normals, extremes 1967–present)
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Record high °F (°C) 86
(30)		 92
(33)		 100
(38)		 107
(42)		 117
(47)		 128
(53)		 126
(52)		 123
(51)		 118
(48)		 112
(44)		 95
(35)		 82
(28)		 128
(53)
Average high °F (°C) 64.4
(18.0)		 69.8
(21.0)		 77.1
(25.1)		 85.5
(29.7)		 95.6
(35.3)		 104.9
(40.5)		 109.2
(42.9)		 108.0
(42.2)		 101.2
(38.4)		 88.3
(31.3)		 74.1
(23.4)		 62.9
(17.2)		 86.8
(30.4)
Average low °F (°C) 43.7
(6.5)		 46.8
(8.2)		 51.8
(11.0)		 59.2
(15.1)		 68.9
(20.5)		 77.0
(25.0)		 84.5
(29.2)		 83.8
(28.8)		 75.4
(24.1)		 62.4
(16.9)		 51.0
(10.6)		 43.0
(6.1)		 62.4
(16.9)
Record low °F (°C) 29
(−2)		 28
(−2)		 37
(3)		 44
(7)		 49
(9)		 52
(11)		 68
(20)		 68
(20)		 56
(13)		 44
(7)		 35
(2)		 25
(−4)		 25
(−4)
Average precipitation inches (mm) 0.76
(19)		 0.45
(11)		 0.62
(16)		 0.06
(1.5)		 0.03
(0.76)		 0.01
(0.25)		 0.15
(3.8)		 0.33
(8.4)		 0.36
(9.1)		 0.30
(7.6)		 0.33
(8.4)		 0.44
(11)		 3.84
(98)
Average precipitation days (≥ 0.01 in) 2.9 2.7 2.2 0.9 0.2 0.3 1.2 1.7 1.2 1.0 1.2 2.1 17.6
Mean monthly sunshine hours 248.0 254.3 310.0 360.0 403.0 390.0 372.0 372.0 330.0 310.0 240.0 248.0 3,837.3
Mean daily sunshine hours 8.0 9.0 10.0 12.0 13.0 13.0 12.0 12.0 11.0 10.0 8.0 8.0 10.5
Percent possible sunshine 80 82 83 92 93 93 86 92 92 91 80 80 87
Average ultraviolet index 3 4 6 8 9 10 11 10 8 5 4 2 7
Source 1: National Weather Service[19][20] / Western Regional Climate Center [21]
Source 2: Weather Atlas [22]

Demographics
Historical population
CensusPop.%±
19704,111—
198015,909287.0%
199024,36353.1%
200041,93872.1%
201052,52725.2%
Est. 201955,865[3]6.4%
U.S. Decennial Census[23]

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 people per square mile (376.2/km2). There were 23,018 housing units at an average density of 534.8 per square mile (206.5/km2). 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.

In 2007, Lake Havasu was named one of the Top 100 places to live in America by RelocateAmerica.[24] CNN has also listed the community among their top retirement cities in the country.

Education

Lake Havasu City is served by the Lake Havasu Unified School District.[25] 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.[26][27]

In a 2008 nationwide survey, Forbes magazine ranked Lake Havasu City "The Least Educated City in America", using information from statistics on the Lake Havasu - Kingman Metropolitan Statistical Area which encompasses Mohave County Arizona coming up last in the number of college graduates living in the city.[28]

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.[29]

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.[30]

As of November, 2008, 64 percent of registered voters in Lake Havasu City are Republican, 35 percent Democrat, and the remaining 1 percent Independent.[31]

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

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, Arizona.[32]

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.[33]

The director Andy Sidaris has directed three soft-core adult films in Lake Havasu: 1989's Savage Beach,[34] 1990's Guns,[35] and 1992's Hard Hunted.[36]

MTV featured Lake Havasu during its Spring Break coverage in 1995.[8]

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.[37]

Piranha 3-D 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 Thursday, August 19, 2010, and was released nationally on August 20, 2010.[38]

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.[39] 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."[40]

Attractions
  • London Bridge
  • London Bridge Resort
  • Lake Havasu Golf Club (36 holes)
  • Islander RV Resort
  • The Nautical Beachfront Resort
  • Lake Havasu and Colorado River
  • Wheeler Park
  • Lake Havasu Historical Society
  • Havasu 95 Speedway
  • The Aquatic Center
  • Patrick Tinell Memorial Skatepark
  • Rotary Park
  • The Famous Turtle Beach Bar
  • 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.
  • Sandpoint Marina RV Resort
  • Lighthouses on the Colorado River[41]
London Bridge
Lake Havasu City from the west
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References
  1. "2019 U.S. Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved June 30, 2020.
  2. "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 2014-06-19.
  3. "Population and Housing Unit Estimates". United States Census Bureau. May 24, 2020. Retrieved May 27, 2020.
  4. County, Mohave. "Mohave County - Government Agency". www.mohavecounty.us.
  5. "Construction Company & General Contractor - Sundt".
  6. "London Is Still Paying Rent to the Queen on a Property Leased in 1211". 17 October 2016.
  7. "Best Arizona Attraction Winners: 2017 10Best Readers' Choice Travel Awards". 10Best.
  8. "Find - IMDb". IMDb.
  9. http://www.tucsonracing.com/ Tucson Racing Inc., retrieved 2018-03-06.
  10. "Havasu Balloon Festival and Fair - Jan 2019". www.havasuballoonfest.com.
  11. "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. 2011-02-12. Retrieved 2011-04-23.
  12. "Lake Havasu City, AZ – London Bridge". RoadsideAmerica.com.
  13. Calloway, Christina. "City scrambling to find transit fix after shuttle company quits". Havasu News. Retrieved 2016-08-28.
  14. "Phoenix to Lake Havasu City AZ – PHX Airport Shuttle". Airport Shuttle of Phoenix.
  15. "Transportation – Lake Havasu City".
  16. "LAKE HAVASU CITY, ARIZONA - Climate Summary". www.wrcc.dri.edu.
  17. Johnson, Weldon B. "Hottest city in Arizona? That'd be Lake Havasu City". The Arizona Republic. Retrieved 2020-08-15.
  18. "LAKE HAVASU CITY, ARIZONA NCDC 1981-2010 Monthly Normals". www.wrcc.dri.edu.
  19. "NOWData - NOAA Online Weather Data". National Weather Service. Retrieved 2019-10-25.
  20. "Station Name: AZ LAKE HAVASU CITY". National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved 2019-10-25.
  21. WRCC. "NCDC 1981-2010 Monthly Normals". NCDC. Retrieved 2015-03-14.
  22. "Lake Havasu City, Arizona, USA - Monthly weather forecast and Climate data". Weather Atlas. Retrieved 17 May 2019.
  23. "Census of Population and Housing". Census.gov. Retrieved June 4, 2016.
  24. "Four Arizona cities make list of best places to live". April 19, 2007.
  25. 1, Lake Havasu USD No. "Lake Havasu USD No. 1". www.havasu.k12.az.us.CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  26. NEWS-HERALD, DAVID LOUIS TODAY’S. "Passage of bond, override allows Havasu's school district to cut sports fees in half". Havasu News. Retrieved 2018-06-11.
  27. News-Herald, BRANDON MESSICK Today’s. "Lake Havasu Unified School Board OKs budget, teacher raises". Havasu News. Retrieved 2018-06-11.
  28. Zumbrun, Joshua. "In Pictures: America's Best- And Worst-Educated Cities". Forbes.
  29. "Havasu ASU". ASU. Retrieved 8 June 2012.
  30. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2015-08-23. Retrieved 2015-07-05.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  31. "Page Not Found". www.bestplaces.net.
  32. Day of the Wolves
  33. "Terror at London Bridge" – via www.imdb.com.
  34. "Savage Beach" – via www.imdb.com.
  35. "Guns" – via www.imdb.com.
  36. "Hard Hunted" – via www.imdb.com.
  37. "Border to Border" – via www.imdb.com.
  38. "Piranha 3D" – via www.imdb.com.
  39. "Concepts International - Concepts x New Balance Made in U.K. 991.5 "Lake Havasu"". cncpts.com.
  40. report, Staff. "New Balance releases shoe honoring Lake Havasu City".
  41. "LHC Lighthouse Club – Famous replica lighthouses". www.lh-lighthouseclub.org.
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