About the Lake Havasu, Arizona Area 

Founded in 1964, Lake Havasu City has over 57,000 permanent residents, one airline, a bus line, five car rental agencies, and a hospital. There are four golf courses, motels, RV parks, public beaches and resorts. 

Boaters will span over 200 miles of shoreline, and see waterfowl, desert creatures, pelicans and even eagles in the skies.
One of the most famous sites is the famous London Bridge. It once served Londoners for 137 years. In the spring of 1968, the late Robert McCulloch purchased the bridge at an auction for $2,460,000 and had its 10,276 granite blocks shipped to Long Beach California from the Panama Canal. It took 40 craftsmen 23 months to put the bridge back together. The span is 928 feet long and 63 feet wide. On October 10th, 1971, London Bridge was dedicated by the Lord Mayor of London and the Governor of Arizona. 10 years later the structure was deeded to the city’s citizens. 

Lake Havasu City, which is located on the east shore of beautiful Lake Havasu, is surrounded by the desert and the Chemehuevi Mountains but is a water paradise as well. The stunning, rugged desert panorama contrasts the blue waters of the lake. The lake was first created in 1938 by the Parker Dam and is 40 miles long. Its name “Havasu” means blue waters. By 1975, there were 15,500 people living in the area. Lake Havasu City was planned to be a self-supporting community. The wise planners designed an economy that would be balanced with 40% light industry, 40% resort and recreation and 20% commercial services. Come see for yourself this ideal desert town set on the shore of a beautiful lake. 

Mohave County is one of the fastest growing counties in the country. Lake Havasu is a major population center in Southern Mohave County and has a population of 49,000 and growing. The labor force is 21,000 and there is only 2.6% unemployment. The median household income is $36,500 and the median family income is $41,400. Tourism is a big part of the City’s income. Major manufacturing companies are based here. Research and development for personal watercraft are employers in Lake Havasu City. There are over 4700 businesses that include retail stores and shops, restaurants, travel services, and short-term accommodations. The community has a hospital, 30 doctors, 3 fire stations, 35 churches, local newspapers, and local am-fm radio stations. The community facilities include parks, a library, beaches, bowling alley, and an aquatic center with competition pools, therapeutic pools, lagoon with wave action and a waterslide. The schools are good but are in need of more credentialed teachers, especially in math and science. There are 6 elementary schools, 2 middle schools, 2 high schools, and charter and private schools. The community gets involved with the schools with special fund raising organizations that provide funds for enrichment programs. Mohave Community College provides an associate arts degree in science, art and specialized programs. Through the Northern Arizona University you can take courses and get credits without leaving town.  

If you like the sun and lots of outdoor recreation, Lake Havasu is the place for you to live and work. There are plenty of water sports and fun for the whole family, including fishing, waterskiing, kayaking, and house boating and on land-- golf, tennis, hiking and camping. There is plenty of shoreline to explore along the Lake and the Colorado River, jeep tours of the desert, and hiking trails galore. There are 6 wilderness areas surrounding the lake that are little traveled but have geological, historical and wildlife interests. Other activities provided are an ice skating rink, movie theatre, miniature golf and festivals for the whole family to enjoy. There is a large game fish population in the lake and the many fishing and boating competitions are held on the lake each year. The warm dry air is the primary characteristic of the weather. In the winter the temperature can be as low as 40 and as high as 80. There are only 5 inches of rain per year. 

One of Lake Havasu most unusual and unique landmarks is the London Bridge from London, England. Robert McCullough purchased it for $2,460,000.00 in 1968 and dedicated it in 1971. There is an authentic English Village, with Tudor-style buildings, under the London Bridge that takes you back to ole’ England. McCullough had a vision, which began when he first flew over the area and bringing the London Bridge from London served to attract residents and visitors alike to this water paradise in the middle of the desert. 

LOCATION
Lake Havasu is located on the western border of Arizona and California and is in Mohave County. The latitude is 34.483N and the longitude is –114.321W. It is 735 feet above sea level. It is located on the scenic route of Arizona highway 95, which goes further north to connect with Interstate 40 or goes south from Lake Havasu and connects to Interstate 10. It is south of Las Vegas, Nevada and east of Los Angeles and Santa Barbara, California. Lake Havasu is northwest of Phoenix, Arizona. 

TRANSPORTATION/AIRPORTS
Travel in and out and around Lake Havasu is easy. City Transit services offer bus service around the city. The average commute time in Lake Havasu City is 17 minutes.
Scenic highway 95 travels right along the shore of Lake Havasu and through the city to reach points outside the city.  

Lake Havasu City has its own municipal airport 6 miles away. Eight miles away is an airport in Chemehuevi Valley, California. Avi Suquilla Airport in Parker, Arizona is 24 miles away. Laughlin/Bullhead International Airport is 49 miles north in Bullhead with daily flights across the country. Kingman Airport is 49 miles away. McCarran International Airport in Las Vegas, Nevada is 123 miles away. Sky Harbor Phoenix Airport has 23 airlines that fly there with nonstop flights to 89 cities in the US and 17 cities in Canada, Mexico and Europe.  

The Greyhound Bus station is located south of the lake in Parker City. For traveling to Las Vegas there are 2 shuttle services offering daily shuttles between Lake Havasu and Las Vegas. Cars can be rented for more personalized travel.  

BRIEF HISTORY
In the 1800’s mountain men found their way in the rugged terrain to trap beavers in the streams in the area. By the 1830’s the Mohave Indians re-asserted themselves and became unfriendly to the trappers, which made them move on to other places. The Spaniards also came to the area and started mining along the riverbanks. When the dams started being constructed along the Colorado River, many villages and communities were flooded. The mining camps soon became fishing camps.  

In 1938, Parker Dam on the Colorado River on the border of Arizona and California created Lake Havasu. The owner of McCullough Oil, Robert P. McCullough, Sr. first bought an old Army Corp landing strip and recreation camp after World War II for motor testing the outboard motors he manufactured. He bought 3500 acres that later became the “island” that the London Bridge connected to the main part of Lake Havasu City. He brought in 100 mobile homes to house the workers since there was no housing. This was the beginning of Lake Havasu City.  

In 1963, McCullough purchased 26 square miles of bare desert land at $75 per acre to manifest his vision of a city on the lake in the middle of the desert. To promote his dream, Lake Havasu Hotel was built to house prospective residents and McCullough started an airport nearby offering free flights to Lake Havasu for anyone interested in buying property there. In 1964, he opened a chainsaw manufacturing plant, shortly followed by 3 more which employed 400 people.  

In 1968 Robert McCullough purchased the London Bridge for $2,460,000.00 and had it dismantled and transported to Lake Havasu over sea and land. It took 3 years to re-construct it and it was dedicated in 1971. By 1975, there were 15,500 people living in Lake Havasu. In 1978 Lake Havasu City was incorporated.