LAKE HAVASU CITY

Nestled on the gentle slopes of the Chemehuevi Mountains as they dip to the shores of beautiful blue Lake Havasu on the west central border of Arizona is a unique new urban community Lake Havasu City.

A report on the brief history of this unusual “desert community with a shoreline” might well start with the expression “Once upon a time .” since its story has a fairy tale quality. But Lake Havasu City is a reality, no longer just the vision of one of this country's leading industrialists, Robert P. McCulloch.

VISION & PLANNING PLUS IDEAL WATER & DESERT

LITTLE MORE THAN 25 YEARS AGO, Parker Dam was completed on the Colorado River, backing up waters that created the 45-mile-long Lake Havasu. Lake Havasu City occupies 26 square miles of sloping terrain along part of the lake's eastern shore including a mile-long peninsula that juts out into the lake's crystalclear, blue-green waters. Preplanned to the finest detail and considered one of the country's most ambitious projects in the field of community planning, Lake Havasu City is well on its way to being many communities in one a light industry center a sportsmen's mecca vacation resort a retirement haven and an all around good place in which to work and live far from the smog, traffic and other disadvantages found in most unplanned, fast growing urban centers. The city was conceived by McCulloch, whose interests included the nation's largest chain saw manufacturing operation, outboard motor manufacturing, oil and real estate. McCulloch Properties, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of McCulloch Oil Corp., is developing its founder's dream: to take an ideal but uninhabited property and mold it into a community designed for a projected population of 60,000. Lake Havasu City includes an area formerly known as Site Six that served as an auxiliary Air Force landing strip and rehabilitation center during World War II. Later, four ex-servicemen who had been stationed at the site installed a small fishing and boating center there. During 1958, McCulloch spotted Site Six from the air while searching for fresh water sites to conduct tests on his firm's outboard motors. He landed on the still usable World War II airstrip and three days later acquired 3,530 acres at the site on which his company built a test facility for outboard motors. Two years later, when McCulloch needed a new site for expansion of his company's extensive manufacturing operations, he visualized the Site Six region as not only a location for his company's future growth, but as an ideal location for an industrial-resort community available to businesses and individuals alike seeking a refuge from the usual urban-oriented factory complex.

LAKE HAVASU CITY SITUATIONS ASSURE ARIZONA'S NEWEST CITY'S GROWTH

The story on the problems he faced in acquiring more land in the area of Site Six that was government owned and involved many complications, is a long one. Eventually, his purchase of additional land to make feasible his plans for a complete city at the lake, was made possible through the State of Arizona's acquisition of the property from the federal government and its subsequent sale to McCulloch at public auction in the fall of 1963. To bring his dream to reality, McCulloch engaged the services of C. V. Wood, Jr., famed designer, former Stanford Research Institute executive and chief industrial engineer at Convair, and master planner of many of the nation's best known recreational facilities including Dis-neyland, New York City's Freedomland, U.S.A., Six Flags Over Texas near Dallas, and Cedar Point. Even prior to acquisition of the bulk of its land from the state in August, 1963, the McCulloch interests had spent a half million dollars in surveys, engineering, architectural and area planning work. More than $6 million was spent on site improvements before residential home construction began at Lake Havasu City, which will mark its second anniversary this February as a rapidly growing community rather than marks on a blueprint or map. The growth of the area has been phenomenal, the impetus coming from location, wise planning and additional industrial developments.

ACCESS TO LAKE HAVASU City other than by aircraft or boat is naturally an important facet in the com munity's growth. Presently, the city is reached from the north via Arizona 95, a 21-mile long paved road running south from U. S. Highway 66. Arizona 95 joins High-way 66 at a point 10 miles east of Topock.The northern portion of Arizona 95 presently ter minates at Lake Havasu City. However, construction is under way that will extend the existing southern portion of Arizona 95 some 22 miles from a point near Parker Dam to Lake Havasu City. This will enable the use of U. S. Highway 60-70 as a primary route to the ciry and will reduce driving time from both the Phoenix and Los Angeles areas. The extension of Arizona 95 will require a bridge over the Bill Williams River arm of the Colorado River and will provide the city with a paved, scenic access from either the north or south.

The boating enthusiast who launches his craft onto the waters of Lake Havasu, finds more than 75 miles oflake and river on which he can travel between Parker and Davis Dams without taking his boat from the water.

NATURALLY SLOPING LAND/A SCENIC LOCATION/AFFA

The water is exceptionally clear in most areas with warm and cool undercurrents. The wide expanse of the lake west of Lake Havasu City and warm breezes make for exceptional sailing. The calmer waters of Thompson Bay are an attraction, especially for the water skier.

Regularly scheduled events that attract visitors to the lake from throughout the world include the Lake Havasu City National Invitational Boat & Ski Champion ships in Jane; the $20,000 Lake Havasu City Outboard World Championships (the richest outboard races ever held) in November; and the Desert Regatta for Pacific Class Catamarans in May.

Only a non-fisherman needs to be told that the lower Colorado River and Lake Havasu are a fisherman's para dise. Lake Havasu is reportedly the best black crappie lake on the Colorado. Some weigh up to two pounds. Catfish average 4 to 7 pounds. Bass average 3 to 6 pounds and trout and bluegill abound. A Public Bass Derby is sponsored annually by Lake Havasu City.

Thirteen thousand acres of Lake Havasu frontage adjacent to the new community have been leased by the federal government to the State of Arizona for public parks and recreation. This assures that the natural beauty of the region will be preserved as a year-around outdoor recreation area.

Campsites abound all along the city's 23 miles of public shoreline and trailer parking is permitted. Lake Havasu City has developed a bathing and picnic area along with an extensive beach dotted with palms at the terminus of Thompson Bay and only a stone's throw from the city's main thoroughfare. Bathing beaches, campsites, picnic grounds, and boating facilities are already in use in a 112acre recreational park being completed on the northwest side of the peninsula.

Since Lake Havasu has no shoreline road the illusion of open space and isolation remains despite the growth of a modern community along part of its meandering water's edge.

BLE WEATHER/ADD TO RECREATIONAL ADVANTAGES

A CRUISE ON THE LAKE affords scenic and spectacu lar views. An endless variety of mountains, cliffs, and rolling hills border the lake. In some areas north of Lake Havasu City sheer cliffs tower several hundred feet from the water's edge especially at Devil's Elbow where the lake narrows and makes tortuous turns while jutting red walls dwarf the sightseer's boat.

Ironwood, bush sage and smoke trees mingle with growths of mesquite, cottonwood, salt cedar and willow close to the lakeshore.

From Lake Havasu City north, much of the lake lies within the Lake Havasu National Wildlife Refuge, the home of wintering songbirds, quail, dove, peregrine falcons and nesting herons, egrets and cormorants. Wild burros and even bighorn sheep roam the hillsides.

Pre-historic Indian petroglyphs on Picture Rock are close to the shore and three Indian reservations are in the area. Other reminders of passed eras include ore dumps, mine shafts and old log trails. Rockhounds find the area lucrative in their search for semi-precious stones, gems and petrified wood.

BUSINESS RESIDENTIAL AND CIVIC CONSTRUCTION IS IN LINE WITH THE FOUNDER'S DESIGN FOR A GOOD PLACE TO WORK AND LIVE

Construction of a civic center on the city's main thoroughfare is now under way. The 7,000 square foot complex will be surrounded by other structures expected to house the telephone company and post office and municipal service offices now located in temporary quarters.

The community's independent Lake Havasu City post office designation was granted early last fall, but not without a crisis. The postmaster general at the time the application was made struck off the designation "City" in view of the community's still small population. Discussions with civic and political leaders from Arizona, however, convinced the postmaster to allow the "City" designation to remain in view of its growth potential.

The city's public utility system includes electricity, telephone and more than 50 miles of water lines. The city is served with domestic water from wells rather than from the lake. The present wells can supply enough water for a city of 15,000 people and more wells will be put into service when needed. Southern Union Gas Co. is working on a 23-mile pipeline to deliver natural gas to the community from a cross country main pipeline to the north.

The community also has an irrigation and drainage district to provide irrigation and domestic water and a sanitary district to handle sewage, and treatment and disposal of waste materials.

The responsibility for supervision of all these activities belongs to Frederic V. Schumacher, vice president of McCulloch Properties, Inc. and executive director of the new city.

With the development program for Lake Havasu City, McCulloch Oil Corporation's property subsidiary has established a general policy to sell land in the comCommunity only after it has been personally inspected on the site by the prospective buyer. To implement this policy the company provides free transportation to the city, generally by air, from a number of cities in Arizona, California, Utah and New Mexico. The company's two four-engine Lockheed Constellations also make weekend long inspection trips possible from such midwestern cities as Chicago, Kansas City, St. Louis and Des Moines.

THIS “SEE BEFORE YOU BUY” sales program has attracted praise from Arizona and national governmental authorities and has been recommended as a model for other land developers who are not afraid to expose their properties and projects to close personal inspection before a sale is closed.

What lies in the future for Lake Havasu City? The community obviously has passed its infancy stage. As Mr. McCulloch comments, “All our master goals for the first years of the master plan have been completed on or ahead of schedule.

“Obviously, we have encountered problems which were expected, and unavoidable. Because we anticipated them we were able to prepare solutions in advance with the result that the principal problems have been overcome.

“We planned a modern and attractive city with plenty of elbow room for people of all ages and from all sections of the nation and with light industrial and recreational facilities second to none.

“We plan to be the third largest city in Arizona with an eventual population of 60,000. “I believe we are well on our way toward these final achievements.”