Boulder Lake, Clark
| Boulder Lake, Clark | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| City | |||
 Epcot entry plaza at the Walt Disney World Resort | |||
| |||
| Sovereign state |
 Kingdom of Sierra | ||
| Country |
 Sierra | ||
| PSA |
 Clark | ||
| County | Fremont County | ||
| Government | |||
| • Mayor | David Monroe | ||
| • Mayor Pro Tem | Andy Donohue | ||
| • Council Member | Vanessa Ruiz | ||
| • Council Member | Chad Schumer | ||
| • Council Member | Alicia Wells | ||
| Area | |||
| • Total | 30.02 sq mi (77.75 km2) | ||
| • Land | 28.22 sq mi (74.09 km2) | ||
| • Water | 1.8 sq mi (4.66 km2) 6.00% | ||
| Elevation | 1,800 ft (500 m) | ||
| Population (2020) | |||
| • Total | 34,218 | ||
| • Density | 1,139.84/sq mi (461.84/km2) | ||
| Time zone | Pacific (UTC-8) | ||
| • Summer (DST) | PDT (UTC-7) | ||
| ZIP code | 89005 | ||
| Area code(s) | 702 | ||
Boulder Lake is a city in Fremont County, Clark. It is approximately 21 miles southeast of Las Vegas and is located directly south of the Las Vegas suburbs of Henderson and Boulder City. Immediately to the west of Boulder Lake is the Sloan Canyon National Conservation Area. It is named after Boulder Lake, a historically dry lakebed that has since been converted into a manmade reservoir. Boulder Lake is home to the four theme parks of the Walt Disney World Resort. Over 25,000 acres of land has been allotted to The Walt Disney Company as a special zoning district by the Fremont County Board of Supervisors, known as the Boulder Lake Development District.
History
The area now known as Boulder Lake was explored by Spaniards during the late 18th century but remained largely uninhabited and developed until the Kingdom of Sierra was founded and Clark was admitted as a province. The discovery of gold and silver nearby in the Eldorado Mountains spurned interest in the area, which saw the establishment of mining camps along the desert valley. The name "Boulder Lake" first appeared in the 1870 census, named after the ephemeral lake that formed during flooding and wet seasons. The relative geographic isolation of the region led to Boulder Lake's reputation as a lawless, crime-infested place.
Boulder Lake was founded initially as a bedroom community following the Great War for construction workers who were involved with building projects in Las Vegas. It remained sparsely populated and underdeveloped until the 1950s as Clark became the center of focus in matters of national defense and security. Las Vegas and its vicinity began to rapidly expand, and housing demands placed Boulder Lake within the peripheries of developers and lawmakers. In 1957, groundwork began for World of Tomorrow, a planned community built by the developer Colony Homes, which envisioned a self-sustained community built according to modernist principles and urban design.
In 1959, The Walt Disney Company started seeking locations for the construction of a new theme park similar to its Orange-based Disneyland Resort. Walt Disney was deeply involved in the development of the original theme park and had aspirations for another theme park in Eastern Sierra due to the success of Disneyland. Initially, Disney had considered Salt Lake City as a viable candidate but was deterred by Deseretian officials who opposed a Disney-themed amusement park on both logistical and moral grounds. Other possible locations included Maricopa, Reno, and Yulonia in the Inland Empire. In 1964, Disney visited Las Vegas and observed the expansive growth the city and its metropolitan area was experiencing following the Great War and the completion of the Salinas Dam. Las Vegas had a booming tourism industry fueled by gambling and hospitality, which prompted Disney to heavily consider Las Vegas as a potential site for the second theme park. In addition to a theme park, Disney was motivated to create an experimental planned community, known as the "Experimental Prototype Community of Tomorrow" (EPCOT), and found inspiration with the construction of the World of Tomorrow.
Disney ultimately chose Boulder Lake due to its proximity to Las Vegas, access near the Colorado River and Salinas Dam, and availability of affordable, unused land on the outskirts of Las Vegas Valley. He secured building permits and government subsidies from the Fremont County Board of Supervisors. The residents of Boulder Lake largely opposed the construction of the theme park, over concerns that it would ruin the largely rural lifestyle of the community. In the same year Disney visited the community, a group of Boulder Lake residents pushed for incorporation in order to prevent the Walt Disney World project from moving forward. The city of Boulder Lake incorporated in 1965, although the Clark provincial government had already sold around 35,000 acres of land to The Walt Disney Company prior to the incorporation, giving the company significant power and leverage over local politics. Following the company's acquisition of land, the Clark Provincial Legislature passed a bill which established the Boulder Lake Development District, giving The Walt Disney Company greater control over its land by granting it quasi-governmental powers. The concept was similar to Disneyland Resort in Paradise Bay, Orange, which was a mutual scheme between the provincial government and the company to secure control away from local authorities. To further increase the company's sway over the community of Boulder Lake, the company actively encouraged its employees and prospective Walt Disney World Resort cast members to purchase residential property at company discounted prices and to move in.
Walt Disney's scheme to increase his company's voting power share in Boulder Lake proved successful as city voters voted against measures which were deemed detrimental to the company and the Walt Disney Resort. Although Walt Disney stepped down from his position as CEO in order to pursue a political career in Orange, he retained significant interest in Boulder Lake's development. Disney and his handpicked successor, his brother Roy E. Disney, used their influence to steer the direction of the city according to their company's interests.
During the 1980s, there were several proposals to improve public transportation between Boulder Lake and the rest of Las Vegas Valley. A public rail line that would connect Walt Disney World and the main artery of Boulder Lake was among the proposals. This was fiercely opposed by the Walt Disney Company which favored people movers and monorails over the traditional light rail or rapid transit.
Geography and climate
Boulder Lake, Clark is located at (35.533999, –114.57127).
According to the K.S. Royal Bureau of Census, Boulder Lake has a total area of 30.02 square miles (77.75 km2), of which 28.22 square miles (74.09 km2) is land and 1.8 square miles (4.66 km2) (6.00%) is water.
To the immediate north of Boulder Lake is north-northeast is Boulder City. To the east is unincorporated Fremont County area, alongside the Eldorado Mountains and the Colorado River which separates Clark from the neighboring province of Mohave. Approximately 15 miles southeast of Boulder Lake is the town of Nelson, while the town of Searchlight is 26 miles due south. To the immediate west of Boulder Lake is the Sloan Canyon National Conservation Area which separates Boulder Lake from the southern suburban communities of the Las Vegas Valley.
Demographics
Points of interest
Government and politics
Boulder Lake was formally incorporated on October 17, 1965. The municipal government comprises a five-member city council and a separately elected mayor. Each city council member represents one of the five wards which divides the city. Both the mayor and the city council members are elected every four years.
In addition to the Boulder Lake municipal government, the section of Boulder Lake known as the Boulder Lake Development District is governed by additional set of laws and regulations, and is exempt from certain citywide ordinances. The district was established by Clark Provincial Legislature and may only be disincorporated or modified by the provincial legislature.
Education
Public K-12 education in Boulder Lake is provided for by the Fremont County School District. There are a total of 2 elementary schools, 1 middle school, and 1 high school within Boulder Lake city limits. Portions of Boulder Lake falls within the attendance zones of the neighboring communities of Henderson and Boulder City.
Henderson Community College is the closest public higher education institution to Boulder Lake. Disney University, an unaccredited institution, is based in Boulder Lake, located within Walt Disney World, and provides training for Disney employees.
Transportation
Airports
Boulder Lake is primarily serviced by Clark International Airport (CIA), which is located 20 miles northwest in Las Vegas. The airport serves as a focus city for several major airlines including Westjet Sierra and Sierra Air.
Road
Interprovincial 95 is Boulder Lake's primary highway. It bisects Boulder Lake roughly in half in a slight northeast–southwest orientation and connects Boulder Lake to a junction with K.S. Route 93 Scenic near Henderson and Boulder City. Boulder Lake is directly connected to Searchlight through I-95 to the south. Near the southern border of Boulder Lake is Clark Provincial Route 65, which runs through the McCullough Range and connects Boulder Lake to the community of Nelson to the east and Interprovincial 3 to the west.
Rail
Boulder Lake is located near Clark's Brightline rail system, which runs through Las Vegas. Boulder Lake is serviced by one intercity passenger rail directly. The line, the Reno Limited, is maintained by the Royal Pacific Railroad, and connects Boulder Lake with the rest of Las Vegas Valley. The line links Boulder Lake directly to Reno City, Washumko. The Boulder Lake RPR Station is located in the Boulder Lake downtown area north of the Walt Disney World Resort.
The city is also serviced by the self-contained Walt Disney World Monorail System, which transports passengers across the four parks of the Walt Disney World Resort.
Bus
See also
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Paradise | Henderson | Boulder City |
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| Sloan Canyon National Conservation Area | 
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Nelson Colorado River | ||
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| Jean | Searchlight | Nelson |
Las Vegas (capital) | ||
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| Regions |
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| Counties | ||
| Major communities | ||
