Large reservoir formed by Parker Dam on the Colorado River, on the border between California and Arizona

How to Get There

How to Get There: From Las Vegas (153mi) Get on I-515 S/US-93 S/US-95 S from N 6th St. Continue on US-95 S. Take I-40 E to AZ-95 S in Mohave County. Take exit 9 from I-40 E. Continue on AZ-95 S. Drive to Mescal Loop in Lake Havasu City. From Phoenix (193mi) Get on I-10 W. Follow I-10 W to Vicksburg Rd in La Paz County. Take exit 45 from I-10 W. Take AZ-72 W and AZ-95 N to Mescal Loop in Lake Havasu City.

Lake Havasu

Lake Havasu is a large reservoir formed by Parker Dam on the Colorado River, on the border between San Bernardino County, California and La Paz County, Arizona. Lake Havasu City sits on the Arizona (eastern) side of the lake with its Californian counterpart of Havasu Lake directly across the lake. The reservoir has an available capacity of 619,400 acre feet (764,000,000 m3). The concrete arch dam was built by the United States Bureau of Reclamation between 1934 and 1938. The lake's primary purpose is to store water for pumping into two aqueducts. Prior to the dam construction, the area was home to the Mojave Indians. The lake was named (in 1939) after the Mojave word for blue.

Lake Havasu City

Lake Havasu City first started as an Army Air Corps rest camp, called "Site Six". during World War II on the shores of Lake Havasu. In 1958, American businessman Robert P. McCulloch purchased 3,353 acres (13.57 km2) of property on the east side of the lake along Pittsburgh Point, the peninsula that eventually would be transformed into "the Island".

After four years of planning, McCulloch Properties acquired another 13,000 acres of federal land in the surrounding area. Lake Havasu City was established on September 30, 1963, by a resolution of the Mohave County Board of Supervisors as the Lake Havasu Irrigation and Drainage District, making it a legal entity. The city was incorporated in 1978.

London Bridge

London Bridge crosses a narrow channel that leads from Lake Havasu (a segment of the Colorado River) to Thompson Bay (also on the river). Hoping to attract tourists and prospective buyers of residential lots, McCulloch bought it for US$2.5 million from the City of London when the bridge was replaced in 1968. The bridge was disassembled on contract and the marked stones were shipped to Lake Havasu City and reassembled for another US$7 million. The construction took three years to complete.

Lake Havasu City is an active event destination for a wide range of people. During spring months, the community is joined by university students for spring break. Attendance during Spring Break has taken a downturn in recent years, as the city has declined to issue permits to the large party organizers. For boaters, March to September are the prime months on Lake Havasu. During the winter months, the community is joined by retirees from colder regions of the country and Canada.

This article uses material from the Wikipedia article "Lake Havasu", and "Lake Havasu City, Arizona", which is released under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share-Alike License 3.0