LAKE HAVASU CITY, ARIZONA

'Lake Havasu City' is a city in Mohave County, Arizona, USA. According to 2005 Census Bureau estimates, the population of the city is 55,338. Annual Estimates of the Population for All Incorporated Places in Arizona

Contents

Bridge

History

Economy

Geography

Demographics

Education

Attractions

References

External links

Bridge

A popular tourist attraction in Lake Havasu City is the London Bridge, which crosses an 8ft (2.4m) deep man-made canal that leads from Lake Havasu (on the Colorado River) to Thompson Bay. It was bought for US$2.5 million from the City of London 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[1][2][3], but this has been debunked by Ivan Luckin, who sold the bridge. [4]

History

Lake Havasu City was established in 1964 by Robert P. McCulloch (of McCulloch Chainsaws) as a planned community. It was incorporated in 1978. The present city grew around an old mining town established in the early 20th century.
The city is serviced by several intersecting loop roads which connect with Highway 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.
The city is a destination of choice for university students during Spring Break. Much of the spring break activity centers on the London Bridge Resort Village, a British-themed tourist district next to the bridge. The resort built a large patio extending out to the channel with a swimming pool and a stage equipped with disco lighting to accommodate parties.

Lake Havasu City is regularly host to other major events such as boating conventions and the Western Winter Blast.
Lake Havasu is also a part of the Colorado River which runs through the Grand Canyon, however, Davis Dam (creating Lake Mohave) and Hoover Dam (creating Lake Mead) both prevent boaters from reaching the Grand Canyon if attempting to reach there from Lake Havasu's downstream location.

Economy

Lake Havasu City's first regional mall broke ground in 2006. Slated to be called The Shops at Lake Havasu, the mall will occupy 741,871 sq ft (17 acre; 68,922 sq m; 6.9 ha) and will include a cinema, an enclosed food court and a water feature. The mall's anchors will be Dillard's, and JC Penney's. Walmart will also operate a Supercenter store in the mall. The mall is set for an early 2008 opening.

Geography

Lake Havasu City is located at . According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 111.6 km² (43.1 mi²). 111.5 km² (43.0 mi²) of it is land and 0.1 km² (0.04 mi²) of it (0.07%) is water.

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 376.2/km² (974.4/mi²). There were 23,018 housing units at an average density of 206.5/km² (534.8/mi²). The racial makeup of the city was 94.35% White, 0.31% Black or African American, 0.69% Native American, 0.58% Asian, 0.10% Pacific Islander, 2.51% from other races, and 1.46% from two or more races. 7.86% 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.^[1] There are currently six elementary schools, two middle schools, one high school, and several alternative schools in the city, including Telesis Prepatory Academy.

Attractions

★ London Bridge

★ London Bridge Resort

★ English Village, a shopping area inspired by classic English architecture, located by the London Bridge ^[2]

★ Many tourist shops on the banks of Lake Havasu; Boat rentals are also popular among tourists ^[3]

★ Attractions for young adults and kids

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★ The Aquatic Center (Water Park)

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★ Rotary Park

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★ Havasu Lanes (Bowling Alley)

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★ Movies Havasu

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★ Lake Havasu

★ Lake Havasu Art Collective

References

1. LHUSD Website
2. More than a bridge - AZCentral.com
3. DesertUSA Article on Lake Havasu City

External links

★ Lake Havasu City Chamber of Commerce

★ Lake Havasu Guide havasupages.com Lake Havasu History