Seniors Stop in Historic Boulder City

These seniors just returned to Phoenix from Las Vegas.  On our return, we drove through Boulder City on Hwy 93. A huge arch over the main entrance to the city reads HISTORIC BOULDER CITY.  The entire downtown property as been placed on the National Register Of Historic Places by the US Dept. of Interior.

I hope that you will find Boulder City as interesting as I did. Boulder City like Las Vegas is in Clark County, with a population that runs just over 15,000. Boulder City is one of only two cities in the State of Nevada that prohibit gambling, the other for your information, is Panaca.

 The City That Built Hoover Dam

Boulder City is called “The City That Built Hoover Dam” and rightfully so. The land upon which Boulder City was founded was a harsh, desert environment. Its sole reason for existence was the need to house workers contracted to build the Hoover Dam, known commonly as Boulder Dam from 1933 to 1947, when it was officially renamed Hoover Dam by a joint resolution of Congress.

The sheer scale of the dam and duration of the project required the Bureau of Reclamation to consider the construction of a semi-permanent town rather than a temporary arrangement. The huge number of men working on the federal project lived in ramshackle edifices that were collectively, at that time, known as “Ragtown.”

Boulder City was designed to house approximately 5,000 workers. No hospitals were provided in the city and all injured workers had to be transported over 30 miles northwest to a hospital in Las Vegas.

 Senior Railroad Enthusiasts Like Boulder City

Boulder City has fun attractions and things for senior visitors to see and do. One the favorites is the Hoover Dam Museum. Enjoy train rides? The Nevada Southern RR Station on Yucca Street travels 3.5 miles along an historic branch line and makes for a memorable experience.

If you are up for a thrill ride, then soar from mountaintops with a bird’s eye view of the desert below with the new Bootleg Canyon Flightlinez. Remember Desi Arnaz and Lucille Ball?  Their son and his wife own the historic Boulder Theater just outside Boulder City, also worth a visit.

Have a cup of coffee at the Coffee Cup. The “Cup”, as the locals refer to it, has been around since Hoover Dam was being built back in the 30s. Here is a rather “folksy” tour of Boulder City.

 Seniors Enjoy View of Lake Mead

Boulder City is popular with retirees, who enjoy a dry, sunny climate, several housing developments with super views of Lake Mead and two golf courses.

Lake Mead National Recreation Area was established October 8, 1964, as the National Park Service’s first national recreation area. With more than 350 million visitors over the past fifty years, the 1.5 million-acre park is the largest national recreation area and one of the most visited units of the National Park Service.  jeb