With the damming of the Colorado River by the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation between 1934 and 1938, the lake that is the large reservoir behind Parker Dam, Lake Havasu was born. Located in north-western Arizona near the California border. Originally used for military training exercises and as a recreation area, Lake Havasu got it’s start when Robert McCulloch, founder of the McCullough empire, bought 26 square miles of desert land in 1963 for a master planned community called Lake Havasu. To spur the gowth of the town, McCulloch opened a chainsaw manufacturing plant in the new town. Within two years, three manufacturing plants were operational in the area, employing approximately 400 employees.
In 1968, McCulloch purchased the London Bridge at auction and began shipping his new purchase brick by brick to Lake Havasu. The reassembled bridge opened to the public on October 10th, 1971 complete with fireworks, hot air balloon landings and movie star appearances. Today, the bridge still attracts visitors from around the world and Lake Havasu serves as a sportsman’s paradise. Although the manufacturing operations have gone from the area, the city still serves as a vibrant and very alive community in northwest Arizona.
