Searchlight, Nevada facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Searchlight, Nevada
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View of Searchlight, from the southwest
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Location of Searchlight in Clark County, Nevada
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| Country | United States |
| State | Nevada |
| County | Clark |
| Founded | May 6, 1897 |
| Named for | Searchlight |
| Area | |
| • Total | 3.87 sq mi (10.03 km2) |
| • Land | 3.87 sq mi (10.03 km2) |
| • Water | 0.00 sq mi (0.00 km2) |
| Elevation | 3,547 ft (1,081 m) |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 445 |
| • Density | 114.87/sq mi (44.35/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-8 (PST) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-7 (PDT) |
| ZIP codes |
89039, 89046
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| Area code(s) | 702 and 725 |
| FIPS code | 32-65600 |
| GNIS feature ID | 0845654 |
| Reference #: | 116 |
Searchlight is a small community in Clark County, Nevada, United States. It is an unincorporated town, which means it's not officially a city but is governed by the county. It is also a census-designated place (CDP). This means the U.S. Census Bureau defines it for counting people. Searchlight is located in a low area between two mountain ranges. In 2020, about 445 people lived there.
Contents
Discovering Searchlight: A Look at Its Past
The town of Searchlight got its name in a fun way! According to former Nevada Senator Harry Reid, who grew up there, the most likely story is from 1897. A man named George Frederick Colton was searching for gold. He supposedly said it would take a searchlight to find gold ore in that area.
The Gold Rush Years
Between 1907 and 1910, the gold mines in Searchlight were very busy. They produced about $7 million worth of gold and other valuable minerals. During this time, the town grew quite a bit, with about 1,500 people living there.
There are other stories about the name, too. One says Colton was lighting a "Searchlight" brand match when he found the gold. But Senator Reid says those matches weren't around in 1898. Another story suggests Colton thought the area was good because it was on a hill. Colton's own mine was called the Duplex. This was because he found gold ore on two different levels.
Changes Over Time
After 1917, Searchlight became less important as a mining town. However, it stayed alive as a stop along the Arrowhead Highway. In 1927, a new road, U.S. Highway 91, was built that went around the town. This caused Searchlight's population to drop to only 50 people.
The town saw a boost in the 1930s and 1940s. This was thanks to the building of the nearby Hoover Dam. The last gold mine in Searchlight stopped working around 1953.
Understanding Searchlight's Environment
Climate and Weather
Searchlight has a desert climate. This means it has very hot summers and cool winters. It's not unusual for temperatures to drop below freezing in winter. Because Searchlight is higher up than some other places in the Mojave Desert, like Baker or Needles, its temperatures are a bit cooler.
Even so, summers can still be extremely hot. Due to its high elevation and dry air, temperatures in Searchlight cool down quickly after the sun sets, especially in the summer. In winter, daytime high temperatures are usually above freezing. Nighttime lows only drop below freezing a few nights each year.
| Climate data for Searchlight, elevation 3,550 ft | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °F (°C) | 77 (25) |
81 (27) |
90 (32) |
94 (34) |
102 (39) |
110 (43) |
111 (44) |
110 (43) |
107 (42) |
98 (37) |
86 (30) |
75 (24) |
111 (44) |
| Mean daily maximum °F (°C) | 53.7 (12.1) |
58.4 (14.7) |
65.0 (18.3) |
73.1 (22.8) |
82.5 (28.1) |
92.7 (33.7) |
97.6 (36.4) |
95.4 (35.2) |
89.0 (31.7) |
77.0 (25.0) |
63.6 (17.6) |
54.4 (12.4) |
75.2 (24.0) |
| Mean daily minimum °F (°C) | 35.6 (2.0) |
38.3 (3.5) |
41.8 (5.4) |
48.0 (8.9) |
55.9 (13.3) |
64.8 (18.2) |
71.4 (21.9) |
69.6 (20.9) |
63.9 (17.7) |
53.9 (12.2) |
43.0 (6.1) |
36.4 (2.4) |
51.9 (11.1) |
| Record low °F (°C) | 7 (−14) |
11 (−12) |
20 (−7) |
27 (−3) |
30 (−1) |
40 (4) |
52 (11) |
51 (11) |
41 (5) |
23 (−5) |
15 (−9) |
8 (−13) |
7 (−14) |
| Average precipitation inches (mm) | 0.92 (23) |
0.96 (24) |
0.77 (20) |
0.40 (10) |
0.20 (5.1) |
0.11 (2.8) |
0.91 (23) |
1.08 (27) |
0.61 (15) |
0.52 (13) |
0.43 (11) |
0.79 (20) |
7.70 (196) |
| Source: WRCC | |||||||||||||
People and Community
Population in 2020
In 2020, a census was taken in Searchlight. It showed that 445 people lived there. These people made up 229 households, with 99 of them being families.
| Historical population | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 2000 | 576 | — | |
| 2020 | 445 | — | |
| U.S. Decennial Census | |||
Learning and Libraries
Schools and Education
Public schools in Searchlight are managed by the Clark County School District. The district runs Reid Elementary School, which teaches students from kindergarten through fifth grade.
Public Library Access
Searchlight also has a public library. It is a part of the Las Vegas-Clark County Library District. Libraries are great places to find books, learn new things, and use computers.
Getting Around Searchlight
Public Transportation Options
The Silver Rider Transit offers express bus services. These buses connect Searchlight with nearby towns like Laughlin and the city of Las Vegas. There are also private shuttle companies. They can take people from Searchlight to Harry Reid International Airport in Las Vegas.
Major Roads and Highways
Searchlight is located where two important highways meet. U.S. Route 95 goes north towards Boulder City and the Las Vegas Valley. South of Searchlight, it leads to Needles, California. The other road is Nevada State Route 164. This highway starts in Searchlight and heads west towards the California border. Once it crosses into California, it becomes Nipton Road and eventually connects to Interstate 15.
Famous People from Searchlight
Searchlight has been home to some interesting people!
- Rex Bell: He was an actor in Western movies and also a politician. He owned a ranch called the Walking Box Ranch with his wife, Clara Bow. Many Hollywood actors loved to visit their ranch.
- Edith Head: She was a very famous costume designer. She won more Academy Awards (Oscars) than any other woman for her amazing costume designs.
- William Harrell Nellis: He was an aviator, which means he was a pilot. Nellis Air Force Base, a large military base, is named after him.
- Harry Reid: He was a very important politician. He served as a United States Senator from 1987 to 2017. He was even the Senate Majority Leader from 2007 to 2015, which is a very powerful position in the U.S. government.
See also
In Spanish: Searchlight (Nevada) para niños
