page_title: Bullhead City, Arizona
section_title: Bullhead City
hierarchical_section_title: Bullhead City, Arizona / History / Bullhead City
caption_attribution_description: English: Southern city limits sign for the city of Bullhead City, Arizona as seen from the northbound lane of State Route 95 (Mohave Valley Highway) near East Sterling Road. View looking northeast.This photograph was taken with an Olympus E-510 DSLR camera and edited (brightness, contrast, saturation) using ArcSoft PhotoStudio 5.5)
context_page_description: Bullhead City is a city located on the Colorado River in Mohave County, Arizona, United States, roughly 90 mi south of Las Vegas, Nevada, and directly across the Colorado River from Laughlin, Nevada, whose casinos and ancillary services supply much of the employment for Bullhead City. Bullhead City is located on the southern border of Lake Mohave.
  According to the 2010 census, the population of the city is 39,540. The nearby communities of Laughlin, Needles, California, Fort Mohave and Mohave Valley bring the Bullhead area's total population to about 100,000, making it the largest micropolitan area in Mohave County.
  With over 59 square miles, Bullhead City is the largest city in Mohave County in terms of total land area.
  In 2011, the Laughlin/Bullhead International Airport was named Airport of the Year by the Arizona Department of Transportation. The latest figures indicate that "...more than 115,000 people flew into Laughlin/Bullhead International Airport on casino-sponsored charters in 2010." In the 1980s the airport was home to the helicopters of the TV show Airwolf.
context_section_description: Decades later, Hardyville would be resurrected as Bullhead City with the construction of Davis Dam between 1942 and 1953.  The dam was originally called Bullhead Dam after "Bull's Head Rock", a well-known rock formation along the Colorado River. Steam boats on the Colorado River used the rock as a navigation point. After the construction of Davis Dam, the water level rose and now almost completely covers the landmark.  The community that arose during the construction of Bullhead Dam was nicknamed Bullhead. Bullhead City became the headquarters for the construction project, which was completed in 1953. Thus the name Bullhead City was born.  As the nearby Lake Mohave developed into a major tourism destination, and as the casino and resort town of Laughlin, Nevada sprouted up across the river, Bullhead City grew rapidly.
  In 1970, Bullhead City was the name of the six blocks that ran north–south along Highway 95 across the river from Don Laughlin's casino.  About a thousand people lived in the original Bullhead City at that time, with about 3,000 people in Riviera.  In 1984, the small communities of Bullhead City, Riviera, and Holiday Shores voted to incorporate, choosing the name "Bullhead City" for its historical significance.
  Bullhead City and the neighboring town of Laughlin, Nevada, have grown in popularity as tourist destinations, and so has the population.  Today, tourism is by far the main economy in Bullhead City.  In the summer months, tourists from all over come for water recreation on Lake Mohave and the Colorado River.  Starting in the fall, tourists from colder states flock by the thousands in their motor homes because of the mild winters.
  Bullhead City is home to an international airport, two full-service hospitals, and a community college. The city has a stabilizing housing market. It also serves as the shopping hub of the tri-state area.
caption: Bullhead City's southern city limits as seen from SR 95
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