West Wendover, Nevada facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
West Wendover
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West Wendover, Nevada viewed from a hill west of town
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| Nickname(s):
A Young City... An Old History, Where the West Begins
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| Motto(s):
Come Grow with Us
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Location of West Wendover, Nevada
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 West Wendover
Location in Nevada
West Wendover
Location in the United States
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| Country |  United States |
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| State |  Nevada |
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| County | Elko | |
| Area | ||
| • Total | 7.48 sq mi (19.37 km2) | |
| • Land | 7.48 sq mi (19.37 km2) | |
| • Water | 0.00 sq mi (0.00 km2) | |
| Elevation | 4,524 ft (1,379 m) | |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 4,512 | |
| • Density | 603.37/sq mi (232.97/km2) | |
| Time zone | UTC−7 (Mountain (MST)) | |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−6 (MDT) | |
| ZIP code |
89883
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| Area code(s) | 775 | |
| FIPS code | 32-83730 | |
| GNIS feature ID | 2412232 | |
West Wendover is a small city in Elko County, Nevada, United States. In 2020, about 4,512 people lived there. It is part of the Elko area.
West Wendover is right on the eastern border of Nevada. It sits at the western edge of the Great Salt Lake Desert. It is next to Wendover, Utah, and people sometimes get the two cities mixed up. West Wendover has five casinos. These places bring many visitors from nearby Utah, where casino games are not allowed. Interstate 80 runs just north of the cities. Another road, Interstate 80 Business, goes through both cities.
Contents
History of West Wendover
West Wendover started to grow in the 1930s and 1940s. This happened when Nevada made gambling legal. A man named William "Bill" Smith opened a small service station. It gave travelers a place to rest while crossing the desert. Today, this place is known as the Wendover Nugget. For over 66 years, it was the oldest casino in Nevada that was always open. It lost this title in 2001 when a new owner took over the State Line Casino and Hotel.
Growing as a Tourist Spot
In the 1970s and 1980s, West Wendover became a popular place for tourists. More casinos, hotels, and other businesses were built. Fun places like the Toana Vista Golf Course also appeared. As the town grew, the people of West Wendover decided they wanted to govern themselves. On July 1, 1991, West Wendover officially became a city. The city's motto, "Come Grow With Us," was chosen by Amber S Holt.
Time Zone Change
In October 1999, something interesting happened. The U.S. Department of Transportation moved West Wendover out of the Pacific Time Zone. This was because West Wendover had strong business connections with Utah. Utah is in the Mountain Time Zone. This change made West Wendover the only part of Nevada officially in the Mountain Time Zone. Some other towns in northern Elko County also use Mountain Time, but it's not official for them.
A Community Divided
West Wendover has done well because of its gambling industry. This industry brings in money for city services and schools. Meanwhile, right next door, Wendover, Utah, has not grown as much. People in both cities have wanted Wendover, Utah, to join Nevada. They say they are one community that has been split for too long. Some politicians in both Utah and Nevada supported this idea.
However, in November 2006, politicians in Wendover, Utah, voted to stop the process. The vote was a tie, and the mayor of Wendover, Utah, voted to stop it. Before this, West Wendover had already decided to pause their efforts. Changing state borders is a big deal. The U.S. Constitution says that both states and the U.S. Congress must agree to any border changes.
Geography of West Wendover
West Wendover is located at 40°44′22″N 114°4′11″W / 40.73944°N 114.06972°W.
The city covers about 7.5 square miles (19.37 square kilometers) of land. There is no water area within the city limits.
Climate
| Climate data for West Wendover Air Force Base | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °F (°C) | — | 80 (27) |
81 (27) |
92 (33) |
103 (39) |
105 (41) |
112 (44) |
110 (43) |
103 (39) |
90 (32) |
78 (26) |
65 (18) |
112 (44) |
| Mean daily maximum °F (°C) | 35.8 (2.1) |
42.9 (6.1) |
53.1 (11.7) |
62.5 (16.9) |
72.7 (22.6) |
82.9 (28.3) |
92.5 (33.6) |
89.9 (32.2) |
78.9 (26.1) |
63.7 (17.6) |
47.6 (8.7) |
37.0 (2.8) |
63.3 (17.4) |
| Mean daily minimum °F (°C) | 18.7 (−7.4) |
24.4 (−4.2) |
32.0 (0.0) |
40.1 (4.5) |
49.4 (9.7) |
58.4 (14.7) |
67.0 (19.4) |
64.4 (18.0) |
53.3 (11.8) |
41.3 (5.2) |
28.9 (−1.7) |
20.5 (−6.4) |
41.5 (5.3) |
| Record low °F (°C) | −16 (−27) |
−12 (−24) |
8 (−13) |
19 (−7) |
26 (−3) |
31 (−1) |
43 (6) |
36 (2) |
28 (−2) |
18 (−8) |
5 (−15) |
−18 (−28) |
−18 (−28) |
| Average precipitation inches (mm) | 0.28 (7.1) |
0.28 (7.1) |
0.37 (9.4) |
0.48 (12) |
0.72 (18) |
0.51 (13) |
0.25 (6.4) |
0.34 (8.6) |
0.34 (8.6) |
0.47 (12) |
0.29 (7.4) |
0.25 (6.4) |
4.58 (116) |
| Average snowfall inches (cm) | 1.6 (4.1) |
1.4 (3.6) |
0.5 (1.3) |
0.2 (0.51) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.1 (0.25) |
0.4 (1.0) |
1.3 (3.3) |
5.5 (14.06) |
People of West Wendover (Demographics)
| Historical population | |||
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| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1990 | 2,007 | — | |
| 2000 | 4,721 | 135.2% | |
| 2010 | 4,410 | −6.6% | |
| 2020 | 4,512 | 2.3% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census | |||
In 2010, West Wendover had 4,410 people. Most of the people (61.7%) were Hispanic or Latino. About 33.8% were non-Hispanic white. Other groups included non-Hispanic black, Native American, Asian, and Pacific Islander people.
In 2000, there were 4,721 people living in the city. There were 1,363 households, which are groups of people living together. About 55.3% of these households had children under 18. Most households (58.0%) were married couples. The average household had 3.46 people.
The population was quite young. About 39.0% of people were under 18 years old. The average age was 24 years. For every 100 females, there were about 109.9 males.
The average yearly income for a household in the city was $34,116. For families, it was $34,297. About 16.9% of the people lived below the poverty line. This included 19.5% of those under 18.
Education in West Wendover
The schools in West Wendover are part of the Elko County School District.
The city also has a public library. It is a branch of the Elko-Lander-Eureka County Library System.
Casino Industry
West Wendover is known for its five main casino hotels:
- Red Garter
- Wendover Nugget
- Rainbow
- Peppermill
- Montego Bay
See also
In Spanish: West Wendover para niños
