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Henderson, Nevada
City of Henderson
Lake Las Vegas
Henderson Executive Airport
The District at Green Valley Ranch
St. Rose Dominican Hospital
Ethel M Chocolate Botanical Gardens
Clark County Heritage Museum
Left-right from top: Lake Las Vegas, Henderson Executive Airport, The District at Green Valley Ranch, St. Rose Dominican Hospital, Ethel M Chocolate Botanical Gardens, Clark County Heritage Museum
Motto(s): 
A Place to Call Home
Location within Clark County
Location within Clark County
U.S. Census map
U.S. Census map
Henderson, Nevada is located in Nevada
Henderson, Nevada
Henderson, Nevada
Location in Nevada
Henderson, Nevada is located in the United States
Henderson, Nevada
Henderson, Nevada
Location in the United States
Country United States
State Nevada
County Clark
Founded 1941; 83 years ago (1941)
Incorporated April 16, 1953; 70 years ago (1953-04-16)
Named for Charles Henderson
Government
 • Type Council-manager
Area
 • Total 106.62 sq mi (276.14 km2)
 • Land 106.13 sq mi (274.86 km2)
 • Water 0.49 sq mi (1.27 km2)
Elevation
1,864 ft (569 m)
Population
 (2010)
 • Total 257,729
 • Estimate 
(2019)
320,189
 • Density 3,017.06/sq mi (1,164.90/km2)
Time zone UTC−8 (PST)
 • Summer (DST) UTC−7 (PDT)
ZIP codes
89002, 89009, 89011, 89012, 89014-89016, 89044, 89052, 89053, 89074, 89077
Area code(s) 702 and 725
FIPS code 32-31900

Henderson is a city in Clark County, Nevada, United States, about 16 miles (26 km) southeast of downtown Las Vegas. It is the second largest city in Nevada, after Las Vegas, with an estimated population of 320,189 in 2019. The city is part of the Las Vegas Valley. Henderson occupies the southeastern end of the valley, at an elevation of 1,864 feet (568 m).

Henderson is known for its supply of magnesium during World War II. With the decline of magnesium production, the Nevada legislature approved a bill that gave Nevada's Colorado River Commission the authority to purchase the industrial plants, and Henderson was incorporated in 1953. Henderson is the location of Lake Las Vegas.

History

Charles B. Henderson
Henderson was named in honor of Senator Charles B. Henderson.

The township of Henderson first emerged in the 1940s during World War II with the building of the Basic Magnesium Plant. Henderson quickly became a main supplier of magnesium in the United States, which was called the "miracle metal" of World War II. The plant supplied the US War Department with magnesium for incendiary munition casings and airplane engines, frames, and other parts. A quarter of all US wartime magnesium came from the Henderson Plant to strengthen aluminum, using 25% of Hoover Dam's power to separate the metal from its ore by electrolysis. Mayor Jim Gibson's grandfather, Fred D. Gibson, was one of the original engineers sent to Great Britain to learn the secret of creating the "miracle metal" which would eventually help the United States and its allies win the war. The British liaison officer sent to Henderson, Major Charles Ball, had a street named after him. There was some concern that "Ball St," would sound improper, so the street was named "Major Avenue".

Although "born in America's defense", Henderson's future after World War II was uncertain. In 1947, magnesium production was no longer necessary for defense, and the majority of the 14,000 BMI employees moved away. Enrollment in the school system was reduced by two thirds, and well over half the townsite houses, built to house plant workers, became vacant. In 1947, the United States War Asset Administration had offered Henderson for sale as war surplus property.

In an effort to save the city, the Nevada Legislature spent a weekend visiting Henderson, evaluating the possibility of state administration of Basic Magnesium. Within days of the visit, the legislators unanimously approved a bill giving the Colorado River Commission of Nevada the authority to purchase the industrial plants. Governor Vail Pittman signed the bill on March 27, 1947, helping save Henderson from becoming war surplus property.

With the help of local industry, Henderson was incorporated on April 16, 1953 as the City of Henderson. On May 23, 1953, Henderson, with its population of 7,410, elected Dr. Jim French as the first mayor. Originally only about 13 square miles (34 km2) in size, the city quickly began to grow, reaching over 94 square miles (240 km2) in size today.

In 1988, the Pacific Engineering and Production Company of Nevada (PEPCON) rocket fuel factory, in the modern-day Gibson Springs neighborhood of Henderson, caught fire. The blaze quickly spread and engulfed the factory, spewing rocket fuel, smoke, and toxic fumes from the building, eventually obliterating it in a massive explosion, followed by six smaller explosions. These sent shockwaves throughout Henderson and parts of the Las Vegas Valley, shattering glass and damaging buildings. The explosions also caused earthquakes, some of which measured over 3.0 on the Richter magnitude scale. Two people were killed, and an additional 372 injured.

The events of the PEPCON factory disaster spurred development in Henderson years later, from its historical industrial development to residential and commercial development. There are now no signs of the explosion where it happened. Today, the site consists mostly of office buildings.

Geography

Henderson is located 16 miles (26 km) southeast of downtown Las Vegas at 36°2′23″N 114°58′52″W / 36.03972°N 114.98111°W / 36.03972; -114.98111 (36.03972, -114.98111).

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 107.7 square miles (279.0 km2), all land.

The mountains that surround Henderson mostly have gentle slopes. The McCullough Range is closest to the city; most of this range is covered by black rocks from a volcanic explosion millions of years ago. These mountains reach an average height of about 3,800 feet (1,200 m). The landscape consists of desert with barely any water. The only water that is in the city is from washes like Duck Creek.

Master-planned residential areas include Anthem, Anthem Country Club, Black Mountain Vistas, Calico Ridge, Champion Village, Green Valley, Green Valley Ranch, Inspirada, Lake Las Vegas, MacDonald Highlands, MacDonald Ranch, Madeira Canyon, Seven Hills, Sun City Anthem, Sun City MacDonald Ranch, Tuscany Residential Village, and Whitney Ranch.

Climate

Henderson is classified as having a hot desert climate (BWh) in the Köppen climate classification. It has mild winters and hot summers. Snow can occasionally fall in the winter. The monsoon can bring torrential storms in the summer, which can cause flash flooding, thunderstorms, and loss of electric power. The hottest month is July and the coldest month is November.

Climate data for Henderson, Nevada
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Record high °F (°C) 75
(24)
86
(30)
91
(33)
97
(36)
111
(44)
114
(46)
117
(47)
112
(44)
110
(43)
100
(38)
90
(32)
78
(26)
117
(47)
Average high °F (°C) 54
(12)
59
(15)
67
(19)
75
(24)
85
(29)
95
(35)
101
(38)
99
(37)
91
(33)
78
(26)
64
(18)
54
(12)
77
(25)
Average low °F (°C) 41
(5)
44
(7)
49
(9)
56
(13)
65
(18)
74
(23)
79
(26)
78
(26)
71
(22)
60
(16)
48
(9)
40
(4)
59
(15)
Record low °F (°C) 11
(−12)
12
(−11)
25
(−4)
31
(−1)
37
(3)
41
(5)
56
(13)
59
(15)
43
(6)
30
(−1)
4
(−16)
9
(−13)
4
(−16)
Average precipitation inches (mm) 0.70
(18)
0.96
(24)
0.57
(14)
0.23
(5.8)
0.11
(2.8)
0.11
(2.8)
0.46
(12)
0.72
(18)
0.42
(11)
0.36
(9.1)
0.49
(12)
0.60
(15)
5.73
(144.5)

Demographics

Historical population
Census Pop.
1950 3,643
1960 12,525 243.8%
1970 16,395 30.9%
1980 24,363 48.6%
1990 64,942 166.6%
2000 175,381 170.1%
2010 257,729 47.0%
2020 317,610 23.2%

At the census of 2010, 257,729 people resided in Henderson. The racial makeup was 76.9% White, 5.1% African American, 0.7% Native American, 7.2% Asian, 0.6% Pacific Islander, and 4.8% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 14.9% of the population and 68.7% of the population was non-Hispanic White.

According to the 2000 census, there were 175,381 people, 66,331 households, and 47,095 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,200.8 people per square mile (849.7/km2). There were 71,149 housing units at an average density of 892.8 per square mile (344.7/km2). The city's racial makeup was 80.49% White, 3.76% African American, 0.70% Native American, 3.98% Asian, 0.42% Pacific Islander, 3.16% from other races, and 3.49% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 13.71% of the population.

There were 66,331 households, out of which 33.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 56.4% were married couples living together, 10.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.0% were non-families. 20.3% of all households were made up of individuals, and 5.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.63 and the average family size was 3.05.

In the city, the population was spread out, with 25.1% under the age of 18, 7.9% from 18 to 24, 32.5% from 25 to 44, 24.4% from 45 to 64, and 10.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age for the city was 36 years. For every 100 females, there were 98.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 96.4 males.

The city's median household income was $63,830, and the median family income was $74,120. The per capita income for the city was $33,238. The Henderson zip code 89012 where MacDonald Highlands is located, has the 7th highest per-capita income in the United States at $148,899. About 3.9% of families and 5.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 6.4% of those under age 18 and 4.7% of those age 65 or over.

Culture and entertainment

An increasing number of major shopping malls, movie theater complexes, restaurants and casino resorts offer residents a variety of choices for leisure time in Henderson. The city also sits a few miles southeast of Las Vegas and is not too far from the world-famous Las Vegas Strip. "Shakespeare in the Park" celebrated its tenth anniversary in 1996, a testament to Henderson's long-standing support for the arts and cultural programs. The city also boasts the largest recreational facility – the Multigenerational Facility at Liberty Pointe – in Nevada as well as Nevada's only scenic Bird Preserve. The city supports a variety of other cultural events as well, many of which are held at the outdoor amphitheater, the largest one of its kind in Nevada.

Film history

  • Henderson is frequently featured on the TV drama ' as the location of residence of a victim or other person of interest, although the majority of the show's filming takes place in California.
  • The documentary Real CSI featured the Henderson Police Department (HPD) Crime Scene Analysts/Investigators.
  • The 1998 film Lethal Weapon 4 used Interstate 215 as a filming location.
  • A scene in the James Bond film Diamonds Are Forever in which Bond (Sean Connery) is nearly cremated alive was filmed at Palm Mortuary's Henderson location. Later in the movie he is dumped into a pipeline, which was filmed near Trailer Estates on Lake Mead Boulevard. The construction office for the Lake Mead to Las Vegas Water pipeline was located there during the building of the pipeline and the filming of the movie.
  • America's Sweethearts, starring Julia Roberts and John Cusack, featured many scenes filmed at Lake Las Vegas.
  • Paranormal Activity 4 takes place in Henderson.

Select points of interest

MacDonaldHighlands1
The entrance to MacDonald Highlands in Henderson.

Hiking trails

Henderson has more than 37 miles (60 km) of trails.

Transportation

The city is served by RTC Transit (formerly Citizens Area Transit/CAT) with its network of bus routes which run throughout the Las Vegas Valley.

Henderson is served by four major highways: Henderson Black Hills and (State Route 582), which is the main thoroughfare connecting with Las Vegas and Boulder City; Lake Mead Parkway (State Route 564); Interstate 515 and Interstate 215. State Route 146, also known as Saint Rose Parkway, connects Interstate 15 near Sloan with Interstate 215 in Green Valley. This stretch is formally a part of Lake Mead Parkway which is a direct link to Henderson for motorists traveling in and out of Southern California.

The city of Henderson has a low percentage of households without a car. In 2015, 2.8 percent of Henderson households lacked a car, and increased to 5 percent in 2016. The national average was 8.7 percent in 2016. Henderson averaged 1.74 cars per household in 2016, compared to a national average of 1.8.

Henderson is home for the Henderson Executive Airport. The main airport for the metropolitan area is Harry Reid International Airport, northwest of Henderson.

Street numbering is different within the city of Henderson than with the rest of the Las Vegas Valley. The center of Henderson lies within the intersection of Water Street and Lake Mead Parkway. The Henderson Police Department for years referred to Lake Mead Parkway (and its former name Lake Mead Drive) as "146", while Boulder Highway is often referred as "93", its former highway designation.

The Union Pacific Railroad serves Henderson over a branch line originally built to support construction of Hoover Dam. The final few miles of the line, owned by the U.S. Government, were abandoned after the dam was completed. The line still extends to Boulder City; in 1985, the state purchased the section east of appropriately I-515, with the Nevada Southern Railroad Museum operating excursion trains over the easternmost seven miles (11 km).

Economy

Top employers

According to the city's Comprehensive Annual Financial Report, fiscal year ending June 30, 2016, the city's largest employers are:

# Employer # of Employees
1 City of Henderson 2,985
2 St. Rose Dominican Hospital – Siena Campus 2,000-2,499
3 Green Valley Ranch Resort & Spa 1,500-1,999
4 Sunset Station Hotel & Casino 1,000-1,499
5 M Resort 1,000-1,499
6 Barclay's Services LLC 800-899
7 St. Rose Dominican Hospital – Rose de Lima Campus 700-799
8 Fiesta Henderson Casino Hotel 600-699
9 Las Vegas Raiders 604
10 Titanium Metals Corp. of America 500-599

In July 2020, Amazon announced the opening of a new, 600,000 square feet (56,000 m2) facility in Henderson.

Sports

Henderson is home to the headquarters of the Las Vegas Raiders. In February 2018, the then Oakland Raiders (who in 2017 announced they would relocate to Las Vegas in time for the 2020 NFL season) announced the signing of a deal for 55 acres of land near Henderson Executive Airport, on which the team's executive offices and practice facility were built. The Intermountain Healthcare Performance Center opened in June 2020.

Henderson is scheduled to be home to the headquarters of the Las Vegas Aces of the Women's National Basketball Association. In February 2021, ground was broken for a Aces facility next to the Raiders facility. The 50,000 square foot facility will house the Aces’ practice facility, offices, training room and lockers and is expected to be completed by 2022.

On February 6, 2020, the Vegas Golden Knights announced it had purchased the San Antonio Rampage of the American Hockey League from Spurs Sports & Entertainment with the intent to relocate it to the Las Vegas area. The purchase and relocation was approved by the league on February 28. The Henderson Silver Knights currently play at the Orleans Arena in Paradise, Nevada, while the club's new 6,000-seat arena, the Dollar Loan Center, is constructed in Henderson.

Minor professional teams

Team Sport League Venue (capacity) Established Titles
Henderson Silver Knights Ice hockey AHL Orleans Arena (7,773)
Dollar Loan Center (6,019)
2020 0
Vegas Knight Hawks Indoor football IFL Dollar Loan Center (6,019) 2021 0

Education

The Clark County School District provides elementary and secondary public education. Henderson is the location for 29 elementary schools, nine middle schools, and nine high schools. Five of the nine high schools are public schools, being Basic, Coronado, Green Valley, Foothill, and Liberty. The remaining four are private college preparatory schools, including the Henderson International School. A tenth high school, Silverado High School, also serves parts of Henderson but is in the unincorporated Clark County (Paradise).

Findlay College Prep

Findlay Prep was a high school basketball program sponsored by the Henderson International School. Henderson International School – a private preparatory school owned by Meritas – hosted Findlay College Prep. Since its creation in 2006 by businessman Cliff Findlay, its dozen students comprised the school's only high school students. Findlay has had several McDonald's All-Americans and alumni playing in the National Basketball Association (NBA).

Colleges and universities

Henderson is home to several colleges and universities. Nevada State College, a baccalaureate college in the Nevada System of Higher Education. The Roseman University of Health Sciences, a private university which awards degrees in nursing, pharmacy, and business, is in Henderson. The College of Southern Nevada, a community college based in Las Vegas, maintains a branch campus in Henderson. California's National University, Touro University Nevada and Devry University also maintain a campus in Henderson.

Several for-profit colleges also operate in the city, including the International Academy of Design & Technology (Henderson campus closed in 2016), The Art Institute of Las Vegas, and Everest College.

Library

Henderson has a public library, the Henderson District Public Libraries.

Notable people

The following is an incomplete list of notable Henderson residents:

  • Steve Aoki (born 1977), electro-house musician, record producer, DJ and music executive
  • Erica Blasberg (1984–2010), LPGA golfer
  • Toni Braxton (born 1967), singer
  • Lisa Cano Burkhead, 36th Lieutenant Governor of Nevada
  • Glen and Les Charles, creators of Cheers and Taxi
  • Andrew Cherng (born 1948), founder of Panda Express
  • Phyllis Davis (1940–2013), film and television actress
  • Hailey Dawson (born 2010), girl with 3D-printed robotic hand
  • Sheena Easton (born 1959), Scottish singer and actress
  • Flavor Flav (born 1959), rap music artist and reality television personality
  • Jeff Gillan (born 1957), journalist
  • Greg Haugen (born 1960), three-time world champion boxer
  • Joe Heck (born 1961), U.S. Army Brigadier General, former U.S. Representative, and 2016 Republican nominee for United States Senate in Nevada
  • Iris Kyle (born 1974), professional female bodybuilder
  • Pierre Omidyar (born 1967), CEO and founder of eBay
  • Jermaine O'Neal (born 1978), NBA player
  • Marie Osmond (born 1959), singer, doll designer, and talk show host
  • Paul Pierce (born 1977), NBA player
  • Harry Reid (1939–2021), retired United States Senator
  • Jacky Rosen (born 1957), United States Senator
  • Nia Sanchez (born 1990), Miss Nevada USA 2014, Miss USA 2014 and 1st runner-up Miss Universe 2014
  • David Sklansky (born 1947), professional poker player/author
  • Mike Tyson (born 1966), retired heavyweight boxer and television personality
  • Nancy Walton Laurie (born 1952), daughter of Walmart co-founder James "Bud" Walton
  • Chumlee (full name Austin Lee Russell, born 1982), star of History Channel TV show Pawn Stars

Images for kids

See also

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