The Naming of Bullhead City

Bullhead City was born a construction town in the 1940’s when the construction began on the 77 million dollar Davis Dam project. The area had been known as Hardyville and then the town sprang up to support the workers at the large dam.  The town was named “Bulls Head” for a rock shaped like a sleeping bull’s head at the dam site. The rising waters of Lake Mohave came up, covered and basically drowned the bull’s head rock.  Following the rising waters Post Office officials changed the name to Bullhead City. The Davis Dam was completed in 1953 & the construction workers moved on to other projects. Eventually campgrounds, resorts, and trailer parks began to fill the area the construction workers left behind. As Lake Mohave backed up behind Davis Dam fishermen & water sport enthusiasts were attracted to Bullhead City in ever growing numbers.  Land along the Colorado River was quickly purchased as local businessmen realized the resort potential. Cabins, homes, mobile home parks, and motels sprang up along the lakeshore and riverbank.  Today, even though the bull’s head rock is no longer visible, Bullhead City thrives on a very brisk tourist and visitor economy that steadily increases each year. By Billie Ann Fancher-Copyrighted, 1967 Slightly revised & updated April 2008