Mesquite, Nevada
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Mesquite is a city in Clark County, Nevada, United States, adjacent to the Arizona state line and 77 miles northeast of Las Vegas. Recent estimates place its population at 18,012.[1]
The city is located in the Virgin River valley, and has boomed as a casino and resort getaway and retirement community.
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[edit] History
Mesquite appears to be named after Mezquita, a former mosque (the name is actually Spanish for mosque), now a Roman Catholic church in Córdoba, Spain[citation needed].
Mesquite, like nearby Bunkerville had its orgins in farming. The Peppermill casino, which opened in the 1970s, was an economic driver, but was by no means Mesquite's sole means of existence. In the mid-1990s, however, several other casino resorts opened. Mesquite was marketed as a getaway from Las Vegas and a more laid-back gambling option for out-of-state visitors. Its population boomed in earnest in the 2000s, as it was impacted by the booms both from Las Vegas and from Utah's Dixie — St. George, Utah is 35 miles from Mesquite.
In 1987, Virgin Valley's first newspaper, The Desert Echo, began distribution out of a local home on Riverside Road. By 1995, another newspaper, The Desert Valley Times, was in town. In about 1998, The Desert Echo was incorporated into The Desert Valley Times. By this time, The Desert Valley Times was bought and distributed by The Spectrum in St. George. In 2006, Mesquite Media Group (MMG) started Mesquite Local News.
[edit] Geography
Mesquite is located at (36.802582, -114.082168).GR1
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 40.5 km² (15.6 mi²). 39.7 km² (15.3 mi²) of it is land and 0.9 km² (0.3 mi²) of it (2.17%) is water.
[edit] Demographics
As of the federal censusGR2 of 2000, there were 9,389 people, 3,498 households, and 2,571 families residing in the city. The population density was 613.3/mi² (236.8/km²). There were 4,442 housing units at an average density of 290.1/mi² (112.0/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 80.30% White, 24.75% Hispanic or Latino, 0.65% African American, 0.98% Native American, 1.27% Asian, 0.07% Pacific Islander, 14.56% from other races, and 2.17% from two or more races.
There were 3,498 households, out of which 28.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 62.8% were married couples living together, 7.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 26.5% were non-families. Of all households, 20.4% were made up of individuals and 7.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.66 and the average family size was 3.08.
In the city, the age of the population was spread out with 25.6% under the age of 18, 7.7% from 18 to 24, 22.8% from 25 to 44, 27.3% from 45 to 64, and 16.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females there were 103.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 104.0 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $40,392, and the median income for a family was $42,941. Males had a median income of $27,083 versus $24,402 for females. The per capita income for the city was $20,191. About 6.2% of families and 10.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 18.3% of those under age 18 and 6.0% of those age 65 or over.
[edit] Education
Public education is provided by the Clark County School District. There are four schools in the valley:
| School | Location | Grades | Mascot |
|---|---|---|---|
| J.L. Bowler Elementary | Bunkerville | K–5 | Bighorns |
| Virgin Valley Elementary | Mesquite | K–5 | Bulldogs |
| Charles A. Hughes Middle School | Mesquite | 6–8 | Hawks |
| Virgin Valley High School | Mesquite | 9–12 | Bulldogs |
Up until 2002, when the new middle school was finished, Virgin Valley High School included grades 7 through 12.
[edit] Travel
Mesquite is a major stop for travelers going between Salt Lake City, Yellowstone National Park, Las Vegas and Los Angeles. Mesquite has these hotels/casinos:
- CasaBlanca Resort, Casino, Golf, and Spa[1]
- Eureka Casino Hotel [2]
- Oasis Resort Hotel & Casino [3]
- Virgin River Hotel [4]
- Falcon Ridge Hotel [5]
Mesquite Airport provides facilities for general aviation.
[edit] Notes
[edit] External links
- Maps and aerial photos
- Street map from Google Maps, or Yahoo! Maps, or Windows Live Local
- Satellite image from Google Maps, Windows Live Local, WikiMapia
- Topographic map from TopoZone
- Aerial image or topographic map from TerraServer-USA
- Official City Website
- Retire in Mesquite, Nevada
- The Desert Valley Times Web Page
