History of Bullhead
City, AZ
Bullhead City is rich in history, yet moving forward with high
hopes of prosperous years to come. The community has become the
economic hub and retail shopping center for Western Mohave County
and Southeastern Clark County, Nevada.
William Harrison Hardy was one of the first men to call this area
his home in the 1860s. Back then, it was calledHardyville. The
founder of Hardyville was a colorful figure who tried any kind of
enterprise. He was a postmaster, county supervisor and a member of
the Territorial Legislature.
At the turn of the century, mining activities pushed away from
the Colorado River and Hardyville. When a railroadwas constructed
from Needles through Yucca to Kingman and farther, Hardyville was
abandoned and became a ghost town. Now only a cemetery marks
Hardyville's existence. But Hardyville would be resurrected, as
Bullhead City, with the coming of Davis Dam.
Bullhead City was named for Bull's Head Rock, an old landmark
located along the Colorado River. In the years of steamboat travel
up the river, it was used as a navigation point. As the waters rose
behind Davis Dam, creating Lake Mohave, Bull's Head Rock was
gradually covered, with only a small, undistinguishable part of it
remaining uncovered.
Spanish explorer, Melchlor Diaz, discovered this area in 1540,
years before Mayflower landed on the East Coast.And, in 1776, Father
Garces crossed the Colorado River here, nearly a month before the
Declaration of independence was signed.
From 1852 to 1909, steamboats made regular trips up the Colorado
River from Port Isabel in the Gulf of California. These sternwheeler
river boats played an important part in the early development of the
areas bordering the Colorado River.
In October, 1857, a caravan of 28 camels crossed the Colorado
River below the present Bullhead City. Lieutenant Edward F. Beale
was testing camels for desert travel for the War Department. With
him was Hi-Jolly, a trained camel handler from Asia Minor.
The site for Davis Dam was selected in 1902, but construction did
not start until 1942. It was discontinued in December of that year
due to the war. Construction resumed in April, 1946, and the dam was
completed in 1953.
The Katherine Gold Mine just north of Bullhead City was
discovered in 1900 and operated intermittently until 1930. The mine
and, subsequently, the surrounding area, was named for the sister of
one of the discoverers.
Of course, the success of Laughlin, Nevada, helped spur much of
the growth in the area. Bullhead City was incorporated on Aug. 28,
1984.
Information
from www.BullheadCity.com
