Nevada Way - Boulder City, Nevada - Main Thoroughfare in a Quiet Town

Located just 20 miles southeast of Las Vegas along U.S. Highway 93 en route to Hoover Dam, Boulder City grew up during the Great Depression. It was founded in 1932 by the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation to house the workers who were building the dam. Ever since, Boulder City has endured as one of only two places in Nevada that prohibit gambling. For several decades, the consumption of alcohol was illegal, too.

Without casinos, the town has retained a quaint, small-town atmosphere. In fact, its growth is controlled by municipal ordinance so that it remains a small community. The city didn't add its second traffic light until the spring of 1998.

Nevertheless, Boulder City's primary attraction is its proximity to Hoover Dam and Lake Mead, making it a convenient lunch, breakfast, or shopping stop. Most of the town's businesses line Nevada Way, the name given to decommissioned State Road 500 that runs through the downtown. Although not well marked, this road is actually Business Loop U.S. 93 and runs parallel to the highway from the stoplight at Buchanan Boulevard to an exit point on the far east side of town.

Where Nevada Way passes Wyoming and Arizona streets, it offers a number of antique stores, several restaurants, a hardware store, and a few art galleries. The Boulder City Chamber of Commerce is located here, as is the main office of the Lake Mead National Recreation Area and the local newspaper.