History, Geography and Climate of Las Vegas - Essay Example

Table of Contents Contents Page Introduction…………………………………..3 History of Las Vegas………………………...3 Geography and Climate………………………4 Demographics…………………………………6 Culture and Sports……………………………….7 Conclusion……………………………………….8 Bibliography …………………………………….9 Las Vegas, NV Las Vegas is Nevada’s most populous city, and Clark County’s county seat. As a destination, it is renowned for quality dining, shopping, and gambling. The city is most known for its casino-hotels and the entertainment associated with them. The 2010 census put the city’s population at 478,434, making it the twenty eighth most populous cities, in the United States. During the same period, its metropolitan area had a population of 1,951, 269. Las Vegas was established as a city in the year 1911, just six years after its establishment. Its tolerance for adult entertainment earned it the moniker Sin City, making it a popular setting for TV programs and films. Las Vegas refers to the city plus some regions found beyond the limits of the city. Some of these beyond limit areas include the Las Vegas strip, resorts near it, and the Las Vegas Valley. History of Las Vegas Prehistorically, the area south of Nevada was a marsh filled with vegetation and water. The marshes receded with time, leaving an arid and parched landscape. The water trapped underground surfaced sporadically, creating an oasis. Rafael Rivera became the first non-Indian to discover the Las Vegas Valley. This shortened the Los Angeles trail for Spanish traders, as well as hastening the rush for California gold. The word Vegas was changed to Las Vegas in 1848, meaning the meadows. Mormon settlers travelled from Salt Lake City to Las Vegas in order to protect the LA-Salt Lake City mail route (Eugene & Michael, 2010 p16). However, the Indians forced them to abandon the settlement. Work on the rail road into Las Vegas began in 1904, connecting Las Vegas to the track’s eastern segment. The Salt lake, Los Angeles, and San Pedro railroad made an inaugural run to points east from California on the 20th of January 1905. Nevada, though the last state in the west to outlaw gaming in the 20th century’s first decade, was the first to legalize gambling casino-style (Eugene & Michael, 2010 p16). Accepted, but illegal, gambling flourished up to 1931 until the legislative assembly approved a bill that legalized it. Las Vegas did not suffer as much as the other American cities during the 1930s depression. This came about because of Hoover Dam project, legal gambling, and railroad development. In the 1950s, resort building accelerated. Some of the resorts that flourished during this time included the Desert Inn, the Sands Hotel, the Riviera Hotel, Royal Dunes, and the Stardust Hotel. Legalization of casino-style gaming in Atlantic City hastened the building of mega resorts in order to maintain its competitive edge. By New Year of 1994, the former dusty railroad town boasted over eighty six thousand motel rooms and hotels, hosting thirteen of twenty largest resorts in the world. Geography and climate of Las Vegas Las Vegas is one of the United State’s fastest growing metropolitans (Eugene & Michael, 2010 p40). The population, from 1980 to 2000, grew from 400,000 to 1.4 million. The Las Vegas metropolitan area serves as the busiest and fastest growing entertainment spots in the US. It is located in Southern Nevada’s extreme region, in hydrographic area 212. Mountains surrounding the valley extend two thousand to ten thousand feet above the floor of the valley. The Las Vegas valley, running from northwest to northeast, comprises of approximately six hundred square miles. The Sheep Range borders the valley to the north binding it. To the south, it is bound by the Black Mountains and to the west by the Spring Mountains. The Eldorado Range and the Muddy Mountains rim the valley to the east. The valley slopes to the east, significantly affecting local climatology by driving wind variations, storm water runoff, and precipitation. The apex valley, located to the northeast of the valley, comprises of hydrographic areas 217 and 216. The Apex Valley does not host any residential areas, though it hosts mineral processing facilities, mining operations, power plants, and a regional landfill. The 2 hydrographic areas setting Apex Valley’s boundaries comprise 236 square miles, split by Arrow Canyon Range (Eugene & Michael, 2010 p40). This range separates hydrographic area 217 from 216. The Las Vegas range binds Apex valley to the west and has a peak elevation of 5,880 feet. The valley’s slope orientates southwestward to Arrow Canyon range southerly foot, then northwest to hydrographic area 216’s dry lake, whose elevation is 1970 feet. The Dry Lake range binds the valley to the east. Official weather observation in Las Vegas started in 1937 at the Nellis Air force base1. The U.S. Weather Bureau moved it to McCarran International Airport, located in Clark County, seven miles South of Las Vegas’ downtown area (Eugene & Michael, 2010 p41). The airport stands 300 feet higher and five miles southwest of the lowest region of the valley. Generally, Las Vegas possesses a pleasant climate during spring, winter, and fall. The months during summer, however, see temperatures climb to over 100 degrees, with humidity reaching 90 and over. Annual precipitation, on average, ranges around 4.16 inches (Eugene & Michael, 2010 p41). From 1999 to the present day, however, a severe drought has ravaged the valley and Southern Nevada, with annual precipitation being .68 inches on average. Las Vegas, summers have hot and long days, with warm nights accompanied by mild winds. The region also has problematic windstorms in late winter and spring, with wind direction predominantly from the southwest. Las Vegas’ four seasons differ from traditional seasonal variation, even though well defined (Eugene & Michael, 2010 p43). Summers show characteristics of classic southwest deserts, with daily temperatures exceeding 100 degrees, and lows of 70. Low relative humidity tempers the summer heat. During July and August, humidity may increase markedly due to a southern moist monsoonal flow. These moist winds support spectacular desert thunderstorms, associated with strong downburst winds and flash flooding. Winters tend to be pleasant and mild, with clear skies and afternoon temperatures averaging sixty degrees. While Pacific storms occasionally bring rainfall to Las Vegas Valley, the Spring Mountains and the Sierra Nevada Mountains effectively block moisturized air currents. Spring and fall are the most ideal times in Las Vegas. While sharp changes in temperature occur during these months, they do not hamper outdoor activities. Strong persistent winds provoke weather hazards in the area during spring and fall. Spring and winter wind events generate sand and dust storms, with summer-associated strong winds connected to thunderstorms. Demographics The population of Las Vegas according to the 2011 US Census was 478,434 (Doggett, 2012 p45). Sex and Age Sex and Age Number Percent Male 243,077 50.81% Female 235,357 49.91% Under 5 years 3,6900 7.71% 10-14 32,467 6.79% 15-19 29,033 6.07% 20-24 30,616 6.4% 25 to 34 77,156 16.13% 35 to 44 76,139 15.91% 45 to 54 59,610 12.46% 55 to 59 23,896 4.99% 60 to 64 20,286 4.24% 65 to 74 33,985 7.1% 75 to 84 17,411 3.64% 85 years and over 3,901 0.82% (Doggett, 2012 p45) Race Race Las Vegas Nevada White 69.94% 74.48% African American 10.25% 6.98% American Indian 0.74% 1.05% Asian 4.52% 4.70% Native Hawaiian 0.35% 0.41% Mixed race 4.35% 4.17% Other race 9.85% 8.21% (Doggett, 2012 p46) Culture and Sports While most people visit Las Vegas for shows by world famous entertainers and gaming, the city affords much more. The Las Vegas streets, with glittering neon lights, act as an attraction by themselves. The old Mormon Fort, the oldest building in Las Vegas, offers daily tours. Lake Mead National Park boasts five hundred miles of shoreline, created during the Hoover Dam construction. Hoover Dam, the highest concrete dam in the western hemisphere, draws approximately one million visitors a year, with millions more driving over it (Ainlay & Gabaldon 90). The Red Rock Canyon, with its thirteen mile scenic route, winds through a landscape inhabited by bighorn sheep and wild burros. The Valley of Fire Park contains ancient rock drawings, and beautiful rock formations and desert land. Bonnie Springs Old Nevada acts as a recreated town, evoking the Old West’s lawless days. Las Vegas also hosts a number of sports competitions. These include the PGA golf tour, National Finals Rodeo, and Seniors Golf (Ainlay & Gabaldon 94). The City also has several sports teams that include the Las Vegas 51s baseball team, the Las Vegas Gladiators indoor football team, and the Las Vegas Wranglers. Championship boxing events at the MGM theatre also happens in Las Vegas. Facilities for water sports like fishing, canoeing, and waterskiing can be accessed at the Colorado River and Lake Mead. Wet ‘n’ Wild, a twenty six acre water park, contains a swimming area, wave pools, and water slides. Conclusion Las Vegas, as a travel destination, is not for everyone. It is certainly not a destination for children, despite efforts at marketing it to families some time back. The streets, littered with handouts advertising companionship for women, act as a killer for family time. The artificial environment may make some feel uncomfortable. However, the climate during spring and fall is perfect for a vacation. Falling hotel occupancy also makes a visit to Las Vegas cost-effective. However, the gambling may cancel out that advantage, and as such one must be careful to spend wisely. Work Cited Doggett, Scott. Las Vegas. Melbourne: Lonely Planet, 2012. Print Eugene P. Moehring, Michael S. Green. Las Vegas: A Centennial History. Reno: University of Nevada Press, 2010. Print Ainlay T, Gabaldon J. D. Las Vegas: The Fabulous First Century. Mount Pleasant: Arcadia Publishing, 2010. 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