Lake Havasu City, Arizona facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Lake Havasu City
City
London Bridge, Lake Havasu City
Flag
Nickname(s):  "LHC"
Location in Mohave County, Arizona
Lake Havasu City, Arizona Location in Arizona Show map of Arizona Lake Havasu City, Arizona Location in the United States Show map of the United States
Country	United States
State	Arizona
County	Mohave
Incorporated	1978
Area
• City	46.38 sq mi (120.14 km2)
• Land	46.34 sq mi (120.02 km2)
• Water	0.05 sq mi (0.12 km2)
Elevation	738 ft (225 m)
Population  (2020)
• City	57,144
• Density	1,233.17/sq mi (476.13/km2)
• Metro	203,361 (US: 213th)
Time zone	UTC−7 (MST Arizona Time (no DST))
ZIP codes	86403-86406
Area code(s)	928
FIPS code	04-39370
GNIS feature ID	6840

Lake Havasu City is a lively city in Mohave County, Arizona, United States. It is often called "LHC" for short. In 2020, about 57,144 people lived there. The city is served by the Lake Havasu City Airport.

History of Lake Havasu City

Lake Havasu City began during World War II. It was a rest camp called Site Six for the United States Army Air Corps by Lake Havasu. In 1958, a businessman named Robert P. McCulloch bought a large piece of land there.

After four years of planning, McCulloch bought even more land. Lake Havasu City was officially started on September 30, 1963.

McCulloch Properties wanted people to move to Lake Havasu City. They offered free flights to people from all over the United States. To get a free flight, people had to put down a deposit for land. From 1964 to 1978, over 2,700 flights brought potential buyers to the city. Lake Havasu City became an official city in 1978.

Why is London Bridge in Arizona?

The famous London Bridge crosses the Bridgewater Channel in Lake Havasu City. This channel connects Lake Havasu to Thompson Bay, both part of the Colorado River.

In 1968, the City of London, England, was replacing its old London Bridge. Robert McCulloch bought the bridge for $2.5 million. He hoped it would attract tourists and people to buy land in his new city.

The bridge was taken apart stone by stone. Each stone was marked to show where it belonged. Then, the stones were shipped all the way to Lake Havasu City. It cost another $7 million to put the bridge back together. The whole project took three years to finish.

McCulloch even gave an acre of land in Lake Havasu City to London. Later, when Lake Havasu City wanted to build a visitors' center on this land, London leased it back. The rent was a Hopi Kachina figure.

The London Bridge opened on October 5, 1971. Today, it is the second most popular tourist spot in Arizona, right after the Grand Canyon.

Fun Events in Lake Havasu City

Lake Havasu City is a popular place for many events. During spring, many university students visit for spring break. In 1995, MTV even covered Spring Break from Lake Havasu City. However, the city has reduced permits for big party organizers, so fewer students visit now.

For people who love boating, March to September are the best months on Lake Havasu. The city also hosts the International World Jet Ski Final Races. Many professional fishing tournaments and boat shows happen here too.

Other exciting events include:

• The Western Winter Blast, a fireworks convention.
• The Chilln-n-Swilln Beer Festival, a charity event.
• The Havasu Triathlon.
• The Havasu Balloon Festival & Fair.

In the winter, many retirees from colder places come to Lake Havasu City. During this time, McCulloch Boulevard hosts several events. In February, Winterfest is held, bringing thousands of visitors. This event features food, activities, entertainment, and products from over 200 vendors.

Geography of Lake Havasu City

Lake Havasu City is in southwestern Mohave County. It sits on the east side of Lake Havasu, which is a reservoir on the Colorado River. The city is about 60 miles south of Kingman. It is also about 193 miles northwest of Phoenix.

The city covers about 46.4 square miles of land. Only a tiny part, about 0.10%, is water.

How to Get Around Lake Havasu City

You can reach Lake Havasu City by road using Arizona State Route 95. This road connects to Interstate 40 to the north and Interstate 10 to the south. C. V. Wood, who helped design Disneyland, planned Lake Havasu's unique road system.

In the early days, McCulloch Properties used old airplanes to fly people to the city. This helped encourage people to buy land there.

Today, Lake Havasu City has its own public transportation system called Lake Havasu City Transit. You can also take the Vegas Airporter to Harry Reid International Airport in Las Vegas. A ferry service connects the city to Havasu Lake, California.

The Lake Havasu City Airport is located 6 miles north of the city center. It is used for general aviation.

Climate in Lake Havasu City

Lake Havasu City has a hot desert climate. This means it has extremely hot summers, mild winters, and very little rain. It is one of the hottest cities in Arizona.

The highest temperature ever recorded in Arizona was in Lake Havasu City. It reached 128 °F (53 °C) on June 29, 1994. Temperatures can go over 100 °F (38 °C) from April to October. In summer, it often reaches 110 °F (43 °C) or even 120 °F (49 °C). Nighttime temperatures in July and August usually stay between 80 °F and 90 °F (27–32 °C).

Winters are very pleasant. Daily high temperatures are usually in the 60s and 70s Fahrenheit (16–26 °C). Frosts at night are rare. The city gets very little rain, only about 4.16 inches (106 millimeters) each year. Winter is the wettest season, but it still only rains a few days each month.

Population of Lake Havasu City

In 2000, there were about 41,938 people living in Lake Havasu City. Most residents were White (94.4%). About 7.9% of the population was Hispanic or Latino.

The city's population was spread out in terms of age. About 19.4% were under 18 years old. About 25.5% were 65 years or older. The average age was 48 years.

The average income for a household in the city was $36,499. About 9.5% of the population lived below the poverty line. This included 15.8% of those under 18.

Education in Lake Havasu City

The Lake Havasu Unified School District serves Lake Havasu City. The city has:

• 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.

There are also other schools like Telesis Preparatory Academy and Havasu Preparatory Academy. The school district faced budget cuts in the past. Voters approved funding in 2016 to help the schools.

Mohave Community College has a campus in Lake Havasu City. Northern Arizona University also has a campus there. Arizona State University opened a new college campus in 2012. However, ASU announced in September 2024 that this campus will close in June 2025 due to state budget cuts.

Notable People from Lake Havasu City

• David Bazan, a singer-songwriter.
• Michael Biehn, an actor.
• Chuck Crim, a former Major League baseball pitcher.
• Robert P. McCulloch, the person who bought the London Bridge.
• Bob Milacki, a former Major League baseball pitcher.
• Gary Simmons, a former National Hockey League player.

Fun Places to Visit in Lake Havasu City

Lake Havasu City has many attractions for visitors and residents:

• London Bridge
• London Bridge Resort
• Lake Havasu Golf Club (with 36 holes)
• The Nautical Beachfront Resort
• Lake Havasu and Colorado River
• Wheeler Park
• Lake Havasu Historical Society
• The Aquatic Center
• Patrick Tinell Memorial Skatepark
• Rotary Community Park
• The Shops at Lake Havasu
• Lake Havasu Art Collective
• Lake Havasu City Airport (KHII)
• Minor league baseball games: the Blythe Heat and the Lake Havasu Heat play here.
• Havasu 95 Speedway
• Lighthouses on the Colorado River

Images for kids

• 

  London Bridge in Lake Havasu City

• 

  Lake Havasu City seen from the west

See also

In Spanish: Lake Havasu City para niños