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Lake Havasu City (, ) is a city in Mohave County,
Arizona Arizona ( ; nv, Hoozdo Hahoodzo ; ood, Alĭ ṣonak ) is a state in the Southwestern United States. It is the 6th largest and the 14th most populous of the 50 states. Its capital and largest city is Phoenix. Arizona is part of the Fou ...
, 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 as an Army Air Corps rest camp, called "Site Six" during
World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the World War II by country, vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great power ...
, on the shores of Lake Havasu. In 1958, American businessman
Robert P. McCulloch Robert Paxton McCulloch (May 11, 1911 – February 25, 1977) was an American entrepreneur from Missouri, best known for McCulloch chainsaws and purchasing the "New" London Bridge, which he moved to Lake Havasu City, Arizona — one of the cities ...
purchased 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 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 Several bridges named London Bridge have spanned the River Thames between the City of London and Southwark, in central London. The current crossing, which opened to traffic in 1973, is a box girder bridge built from concrete and steel. It re ...
crosses a narrow channel that leads from Lake Havasu (a segment of the
Colorado River The Colorado River ( es, Río Colorado) is one of the principal rivers (along with the Rio Grande) in the Southwestern United States and northern Mexico. The river drains an expansive, arid watershed that encompasses parts of seven U.S. s ...
) 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 The City of London is a city, ceremonial county and local government district that contains the historic centre and constitutes, alongside Canary Wharf, the primary central business district (CBD) of London. It constituted most of London f ...
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 Quit rent, quit-rent, or quitrent is a tax or land tax imposed on occupants of freehold or leased land in lieu of services to a higher landowning authority, usually a government or its assigns. Under feudal law, the payment of quit rent (La ...
of a
Hopi Kachina figure Hopi katsina figures (Hopi language: or ), also known as kachina dolls, are figures carved, typically from cottonwood root, by Hopi people to instruct young girls and new brides about katsinas or ''katsinam'', the immortal beings that bring rain ...
. Since its inauguration on October 5, 1971, London Bridge has become the second-largest tourist attraction in Arizona, after the
Grand Canyon The Grand Canyon (, yuf-x-yav, Wi:kaʼi:la, , Southern Paiute language: Paxa’uipi, ) is a steep-sided canyon carved by the Colorado River in Arizona, United States. The Grand Canyon is long, up to wide and attains a depth of over a m ...
. 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.


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 MTV (Originally an initialism of Music Television) is an American cable channel that launched on August 1, 1981. Based in New York City, it serves as the flagship property of the MTV Entertainment Group, part of Paramount Media Networks, a di ...
'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 The Colorado River ( es, Río Colorado) is one of the principal rivers (along with the Rio Grande) in the Southwestern United States and northern Mexico. The river drains an expansive, arid watershed that encompasses parts of seven U.S. s ...
, at . It is south of Kingman, the Mohave
county seat A county seat is an administrative center, seat of government, or capital city of a county or civil parish. The term is in use in Canada, China, Hungary, Romania, Taiwan, and the United States. The equivalent term shire town is used in the US ...
, and northwest of Phoenix. According to the
United States Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau (USCB), officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the U.S. Federal Statistical System, responsible for producing data about the American people and economy. The Census Bureau is part of th ...
, the city has a total area of , of which , or 0.10%, are water.


Transportation

The only surface access to Lake Havasu City is by road via
Arizona State Route 95 State Route 95, also known as SR 95, is a north–south state highway along the western edge of Arizona that is split into two sections. Route description The southern segment begins in Quartzsite at its junction with U.S. Route 95, travel ...
, which meets Interstate 40 to the north of the city and
Interstate 10 Interstate 10 (I-10) is the southernmost cross-country highway in the American Interstate Highway System. I-10 is the fourth-longest Interstate in the United States at , following I-90, I-80, and I-40. This freeway is part of the originally p ...
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 The Lockheed Constellation ("Connie") is a propeller-driven, four-engined airliner built by Lockheed Corporation starting in 1943. The Constellation series was the first pressurized-cabin civil airliner series to go into widespread use. Its press ...
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 General aviation (GA) is defined by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) as all civil aviation aircraft operations with the exception of commercial air transport or aerial work, which is defined as specialized aviation services ...
airport An airport is an aerodrome with extended facilities, mostly for commercial air transport. Airports usually consists of a landing area, which comprises an aerially accessible open space including at least one operationally active surfa ...
owned by the city and located 6 miles north of the
central business district A central business district (CBD) is the commercial and business centre of a city. It contains commercial space and offices, and in larger cities will often be described as a financial district. Geographically, it often coincides with the "city ...
of Lake Havasu City.


Climate

Lake Havasu City has a hot desert climate ( BWh), with extremely hot
summer Summer is the hottest of the four temperate seasons, occurring after spring and before autumn. At or centred on the summer solstice, the earliest sunrise and latest sunset occurs, daylight hours are longest and dark hours are shortest, wit ...
s, mild
winter Winter is the coldest season of the year in polar and temperate climates. It occurs after autumn and before spring. The tilt of Earth's axis causes seasons; winter occurs when a hemisphere is oriented away from the Sun. Different cultur ...
s, and very little
rain Rain is water droplets that have condensed from atmospheric water vapor and then fall under gravity. Rain is a major component of the water cycle and is responsible for depositing most of the fresh water on the Earth. It provides water f ...
fall. The hottest temperature in
Arizona Arizona ( ; nv, Hoozdo Hahoodzo ; ood, Alĭ ṣonak ) is a state in the Southwestern United States. It is the 6th largest and the 14th most populous of the 50 states. Its capital and largest city is Phoenix. Arizona is part of the Fou ...
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 A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording and calculating information about the members of a given population. This term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common censuses inc ...
of 2000, there were 41,938 people, 17,911 households, and 12,716 families residing in the city. The population density was . There were 23,018 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 94.4%
White White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no hue). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully reflect and scatter all the visible wavelengths of light. White ...
, 0.3%
Black Black is a color which results from the absence or complete absorption of visible light. It is an achromatic color, without hue, like white and grey. It is often used symbolically or figuratively to represent darkness. Black and white ha ...
or
African American African Americans (also referred to as Black Americans and Afro-Americans) are an ethnic group consisting of Americans with partial or total ancestry from sub-Saharan Africa. The term "African American" generally denotes descendants of ens ...
, 0.7% Native American, 0.6% Asian, 0.1%
Pacific Islander Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the Pacific Islands. As an ethnic/ racial term, it is used to describe the original peoples—inhabitants and diasporas—of any of the three major subregions of O ...
, 2.5% from other races, and 1.5% from two or more races. 7.9% of the population were
Hispanic The term ''Hispanic'' ( es, hispano) refers to people, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or Hispanidad. The term commonly applies to countries with a cultural and historical link to Spain and to viceroyalties for ...
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 Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognized union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children, and between ...
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 (PCI) or total income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. It is calculated by dividing the area's total income by its total population. Per capita i ...
for the city was $20,403. About 6.6% of families and 9.5% of the population were below the
poverty line The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for ...
, 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. 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. 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. 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. A campus of
Mohave Community College Mohave Community College (MCC) is a public community college with campuses in Kingman, Lake Havasu City, Bullhead City, and Colorado City, serving Mohave County, Arizona and the surrounding communities. MCC is accredited by the Higher Learnin ...
is located in Lake Havasu City. MCC also is home of one of the
Northern Arizona University Northern Arizona University (NAU) is a public research university based in Flagstaff, Arizona. It was founded in 1899 as the final public university established in the Arizona Territory, 13 years before Arizona was admitted as the 48th state. ...
extended campuses.
Arizona State University Arizona State University (Arizona State or ASU) is a public research university in the Phoenix metropolitan area. Founded in 1885 by the 13th Arizona Territorial Legislature, ASU is one of the largest public universities by enrollment in the ...
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 Barry Morris Goldwater (January 2, 1909 – May 29, 1998) was an American politician and United States Air Force officer who was a five-term U.S. Senator from Arizona (1953–1965, 1969–1987) and the Republican Party nominee for president ...
, the 1964 Republican Party presidential nominee, at the Nautical Inn Convention Center on October 21, 1986.


Notable people

*
David Bazan David Bazan (; born January 22, 1976) is an American indie rock singer-songwriter from Phoenix, Arizona who now resides in Seattle, Washington. Bazan is the lead singer and creative force behind the band Pedro the Lion and was the lead sing ...
, indie rock singer-songwriter, most notably of
Pedro the Lion Pedro the Lion is an American indie rock band from Seattle, Washington, United States. David Bazan formed the band in 1995 and represented its main creative force, backed by a varying rotation of collaborating musicians. In 2006 Pedro the Lion ...
*
Michael Biehn Michael Connell Biehn ( ; born July 31, 1956) is an American actor, primarily known for his roles in science fiction films directed by James Cameron; as Sgt. Kyle Reese in '' The Terminator'' (1984), Cpl. Dwayne Hicks in ''Aliens'' (1986), and ...
, actor * Crystal Hefner, ''Playboy'' Miss December 2009, widow of the late
Hugh Hefner Hugh Marston Hefner (April 9, 1926 – September 27, 2017) was an American magazine publisher. He was the founder and editor-in-chief of ''Playboy'' magazine, a publication with revealing photographs and articles which provoked charges of obsc ...
*
Robert P. McCulloch Robert Paxton McCulloch (May 11, 1911 – February 25, 1977) was an American entrepreneur from Missouri, best known for McCulloch chainsaws and purchasing the "New" London Bridge, which he moved to Lake Havasu City, Arizona — one of the cities ...
, 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

'' Route 66'' filmed a 1962 episode entitled "Go Read the River" in the area which became Lake Havasu City just a few years later. The "Site Six" test site and Thompson Bay are mentioned prominently in the fictional story of a McCulloch company engineer working on a new speedboat motor which he tests while racing across Lake Havasu. '' 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 ''Bridge Across Time'', also known as ''Terror at London Bridge'', is a 1985 American made-for-television drama film. It was an NBC movie of the week, written by William F. Nolan, directed by E.W. Swackhamer and starred David Hasselhoff, Stepfa ...
'' (also known as ''Arizona Ripper'' or ''Terror at London Bridge''), directed by E.W. Swackhamer and starring
David Hasselhoff David Michael Hasselhoff (born July 17, 1952), nicknamed "The Hoff", is an American actor, singer, and television personality. He has set a Guinness World Record as the most watched man on TV. Hasselhoff first gained recognition on '' The Yo ...
and
Stepfanie Kramer Stepfanie Kramer (born Stephanie Lyla Kramer; August 6, 1956) is an American actress best known for having played Detective Sgt. Dee Dee McCall on the 1980s NBC police series ''Hunter''. She was nominated for an Emmy in Special Class Programmin ...
. 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 Andrew W. Sidaris (February 20, 1931 – March 7, 2007) was an American television and film director, film producer, screenwriter, and actor. Early life Sidaris was born in Chicago, Illinois, to first-generation Greek immigrants. He grew up ...
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 Curtis Armstrong (born November 27, 1953) is an American actor and singer best known for playing the role of Booger in the '' Revenge of the Nerds'' movies, Herbert Viola on the TV series ''Moonlighting'', Miles Dalby in the film ''Risky Busines ...
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 Richard Stephen Dreyfuss (; born Dreyfus; October 29, 1947) is an American actor. He is known for starring in popular films during the 1970s, 1980s, and 1990s, including '' American Graffiti'' (1973), ''Jaws'' (1975), '' Close Encounters of the ...
,
Jerry O'Connell Jerry O'Connell (born February 17, 1974) is an American actor and television host. He is known for his roles as Quinn Mallory in the television series ''Sliders'', Andrew Clements in ''My Secret Identity'', Vern Tessio in the film '' Stand by M ...
, Ving Rhames and
Christopher Lloyd Christopher Allen Lloyd (born October 22, 1938) is an American actor. He has appeared in many theater productions, films, and on television since the 1960s. He is known for portraying Dr. Emmett "Doc" Brown in the ''Back to the Future'' tril ...
. The film is a remake of the 1978 film ''
Piranha A piranha or piraña (, , or ; or , ) is one of a number of freshwater fish in the family Serrasalmidae, or the subfamily Serrasalminae within the tetra family, Characidae in order Characiformes. These fish inhabit South American rivers, f ...
''. 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 Pedro the Lion is an American indie rock band from Seattle, Washington, United States. David Bazan formed the band in 1995 and represented its main creative force, backed by a varying rotation of collaborating musicians. In 2006 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) * 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 The Arizona Winter League was an independent instructional winter baseball league. Arizona Winter League games were all played at Desert Sun Stadium in Yuma, Arizona. The league was founded in 2007. It disbanded in 2013 due to parent league, t ...
and the Lake Havasu Heat of the Pacific Southwest Baseball League play regular season games. * Sandpoint Marina RV Resort * Lighthouses on the Colorado River{{cite web, url=http://www.lh-lighthouseclub.org/, title=LHC Lighthouse Club – Famous replica lighthouses, website=www.lh-lighthouseclub.org


References

{{reflist, 30em


External links

{{Commons category, Lake Havasu City, Arizona * {{Official, www.lhcaz.gov
Lake Havasu City Guide

Lake Havasu City Visitors Bureau

Lake Havasu City Chamber of Commerce
{{Mohave County, Arizona {{authority control Cities in Arizona Arizona placenames of Native American origin Lake Havasu Micropolitan areas of Arizona Cities in Mohave County, Arizona Lower Colorado River Valley Populated places in the Sonoran Desert Populated places established in 1964 1964 establishments in Arizona Arizona populated places on the Colorado River