b"ANNUAL HAVASU BALLOON FESTIVAL AND FAIRhavasuballoonfestival.comt he area attracts 835,000 visitors annually with its historic London Bridge, pristine lake, friendly community, abundant sunshine, annual events, ideal weather, and wide range of restaurants and lodging. More than 400 miles of stunning coastline offer exceptional watersports, including fishing, skiing, Rated as one of the top 100 best bass fishing lakesLONDON BRIDGE haunted bridge is the most-visited built attraction in in America, Lake Havasu is ideal for catching largeThe London Bridge is the most famous landmark inArizona. Attracting visitors from around the world, and small-mouth bass and is a renowned stripedLake Havasu City. The bridge was originally built inits many fans include photographers, filmmakers, bass fishery. The Lake Havasu region is also host to1831 to span the River Thames in London, but by thetravel writers, history buffs, boaters, kayakers, paddle extensive off-road trails and undeveloped stretches 1960s, it was slowly sinking into the river and had toboarders, and music lovers at live concerts under its of river. be dismantled. acoustical arches. Lake Havasu City is currently home to over 57,000 residents and is a major driving force Boating on Lake Havasu is a favorite pastime forIt was put on the auction block and Robertfor tourism and industry in the region.locals and visitors alike. That super clear turquoiseMcCulloch, a rich tycoon from the states, won the water, along with towering cliffs, rugged mountains,bid at $2,460,000 for his new city in the ArizonaLIGHTHOUSESand incredible wildlife make Lake Havasu an excitingdesert. The historic London Bridge was dismantledWhen people think of lighthouse locations, a destination for tourists with boats of all shapes andbrick by brick and after it was dismantled, each oflandlocked, arid desert state like Arizona never comes sizes. And, its incredibly easy to get out on the water! its 10,276 exterior granite blocks fromto mind, but Lake Havasu City is also home to more the original bridge was shipped to Lakelighthouses than any other city in the entire country.Havasu City. Each block was numberedLake Havasu's 400 miles of stunning shoreline hosts before the bridge was disassembled. Thean impressive collection of 28 scaled-down lighthouse inside of the bridge is hollow because itreplicas. All are actual functioning navigational was rebuilt with a steel framework facedaids. They were built to the specifications of famous with granite. This reduced its weightlighthouses dotting the shores of the East Coast, West from 130,000 tons to 30,000 tons, whileCoast and Great Lakes. More than eighteen are visible strengthening the structure in order toalong Lake Havasu's shores. Most are accessible by accommodate auto traffic. After threehiking, others only by boat.years of reconstruction, Lake Havasu City rededicated the bridge in anBoating safety drove the need for the lighthouses. The extravagant ceremony held on Lake Havasu Lighthouse Club, an independent, non-October 10, 1971.profit group of citizens dedicated to the preservation, To welcome visitors and support theimprovement, and promotion of the lake and city, sale of residential lots in the new city,wanted to make the lake a safe place for night boating McCulloch Properties also built theand fishing. Instead of settling on simple, mundane, English Village; an open-air malland cheaply produced navigational beacons, the club to the north of the London Bridge.took pride in building exceptional lighthouse replicas golakehavasu.com Today the historic and, some say,paying homage to famous U.S. lighthouses. 24 January 2024"