Henderson, Nevada
As a city that borders high-octane, neon-lit Las Vegas, Henderson, Nevada has performed well enough to shed its “bedroom community” image. According to the City of Henderson’s 2004 Community Assessment Survey, three times more residents work within the city limits than on the Las Vegas Strip. The survey also reports that 29 percent of its residents moved to Henderson from Southern Nevada and nearby California. While a healthy local job market may be one of the reasons people are moving to Henderson in record numbers, there is a lot more to Henderson than sizeable in-city employment. Henderson boasts master-planned residential communities, a favorable business climate, world-class recreation facilities, and outstanding schools. Ultimately, professionals, families and retirees are moving to Henderson to enjoy the strong sense of community and high quality of life that the second-largest city of Nevada has to offer.
Economy:
A former center for magnesium production during World War II, the city of Henderson has diversified its economic base to include investments in sectors like finance and insurance, real estate, retail, education, health and social services, while remaining a major producer of metals and industrial chemicals. Additionally, Henderson has identified several growth industries, including administrative, back office and regional headquarters offices, computer and information services, research and development, medical, education and training, and furniture mart suppliers and related services. Moving to Henderson has become a strategic maneuver for businesses that are looking to take advantage of the city’s convenient location and easy accessibility. As a major business hub for Southern Nevada, Henderson has attracted such big names as Ford Motor Credit, Levi Strauss & Co., Ocean Spray Cranberries and Good Humor-Breyers. Henderson leads other Nevada cities in terms of income per capita and education levels. Henderson’s population grew from nearly 30,000 in 1985 to over 270,000 in 2005, and with more and more people moving to Henderson, that number is expected to swell to nearly 500,000 by 2025.
History:
When President John F. Kennedy visited Southern Nevada in 1963, he must have seen something special about the sleepy industrial town of Henderson to describe it as a “city of destiny.” The town started as a campsite for Hoover Dam construction workers in the 1930s. The discovery of magnesium and titanium deposits in the surrounding mountains led to the establishment of the first government housing units in the area and the Basic Magnesium Plant in 1942. The plant produced magnesium for munitions and airplane parts during World War II. Demand for magnesium declined sharply after the war, forcing the plant to lay off many of its workers. Most of the plant’s 14,000 workers left Henderson in search of work elsewhere, school enrollment was reduced by two thirds and half of the plant’s housing went vacant. The situation had become so desperate that, in 1947, the United States War Asset Administration offered the town for sale as war surplus property. The Nevada Legislature came to the town’s rescue when it unanimously passed a bill approving the plant’s sale to the Colorado River Commission of Nevada. Additionally, the State of Nevada assigned Basic Management Inc. to manage the plant, local utilities and underdeveloped parcels of land on its behalf. Before long, people started moving to Henderson to look for jobs and eventually settle there. The success of Basic Management and the establishment of chemicals and metals factories in the area by big-name industrial companies in the 1950s helped Henderson get back on its feet again. With the help of local businesses, Henderson was incorporated as a city on April 16, 1953.
Tourism:
Part of what makes moving to Henderson so exciting is knowing that the hustle and bustle of the Las Vegas Strip is a short seven miles away. However, Henderson has so much to offer than proximity to the world’s entertainment capital. Minutes way from the city are two of the world’s famous man-made attractions, the Hoover Dam and Lake Mead. Enjoy the great outdoors while you ski, hike and camp on nearby Mt. Charleston, while year-round recreation opportunities await you at the Colorado River. Moving to Henderson with your family? You’ll love the family-friendly attractions and amenities, such as the Henderson Bird Viewing Preserve, the Ethel M Chocolates factory and the MonteLago Village ice rink at Lake Las Vegas. Henderson offers a vast array of fine dining, gaming and entertainment choices that are comparable to all that Las Vegas has to offer.
Colleges/Universities:
• Nevada State College
• College of Southern Nevada
• Sierra Nevada College
• The Art Institute of Las Vegas
Interesting Facts:
• The city of Henderson is named after statesman Charles B. Henderson, who served as a United States Senator from Nevada from 1918 to 1921.
• Throughout its short history, the City of Henderson had been called many names, including Midway City, Pittman and Jericho Heights.
• Originally covering 13-square-miles when it was incorporated in 1953, Henderson has grown to over 94.5 miles currently. Today, Henderson is the second largest city in Nevada.
Helpful Links:
• Henderson Real Estate
• Henderson Storage Facility
• Henderson Insurance
• Henderson Dental Offices
• Henderson Moving Companies