Primm, Nevada

Primm
Unincorporated community

Downtown Primm off Interstate 15
Primm

Location within the state of Nevada

Coordinates: 35°36′46″N 115°23′25″W / 35.61278°N 115.39028°W / 35.61278; -115.39028Coordinates: 35°36′46″N 115°23′25″W / 35.61278°N 115.39028°W / 35.61278; -115.39028
Country United States
State Nevada
County Clark
Elevation 2,618 ft (798 m)
Population (2007)
 • Total 1,132
Time zone Pacific (PST) (UTC-8)
 • Summer (DST) PDT (UTC-7)
ZIP codes 89019
Area code(s) 702

Primm (formerly known as State Line and often called Primm Valley) is an unincorporated community in Clark County, Nevada, United States, primarily notable for its position straddling Interstate 15 where it crosses the state border between California and Nevada. It sits on Ivanpah Dry Lake, which extends to the north and south of town.

It was previously known by the name of State Line (two words), but was renamed in 1996 to avoid confusion with Stateline in northern Nevada. It is named after the original developer of the town, Ernest Jay Primm.[1]

The community's economy is based on its three casinos, which attract gamblers from Southern California wanting to stop before reaching Las Vegas 40 miles (64 km) to the north, or as a last chance to gamble before leaving Nevada. Most of Primm's residents are employees of the casinos.

While not a census-designated place, the 2000 census population for the community is 436. A Clark County Comprehensive Planning Department estimate placed the population at 284 on July 1, 2006, apparently using different boundaries for the area. In a December 5, 2007 article in the Las Vegas Review-Journal, Primm's population is listed as around 1,132.

Primm used to have its own post office on the north side of town, but that has been replaced. All U.S. mail addresses serving Primm (zip code 89019) were given Jean addresses and are now served out of the Jean post office.

History

In the 1920s Pete MacIntyre owned a gas station at the state line. MacIntyre apparently had a difficult time making ends meet selling gas, so he resorted to bootlegging. Primm history remembers him as "Whiskey Pete". When he died in 1933, legend has it that he wanted to be buried standing up with a bottle of bootleg in his hands so he could watch over the area. Whiskey Pete's unmarked grave was accidentally exhumed while workers were building a connecting bridge from Whiskey Pete's to Buffalo Bill's Hotel and Casino (on the other side of I-15). The body was moved and is now said to be buried in one of the caves where MacIntyre cooked up his moonshine.[2] Dale Hamilton owned State Line from the early 1950s to the early 1970s. After he bought the property he built a Chevron gas station, a building containing a small slots casino and a small cafe-lunch counter. He also built a small automotive garage and a towing service. He called the business simply "State Line Bar:Slots". When the Interstate was built an interchange was not planned for the site. Hamilton made several trips to Carson City to plead for an interchange, which was eventually granted.

In 2004, under MGM Mirage ownership, 52 apartment buildings were constructed in Primm to serve as housing for employees at the three casinos. The name of the apartment complex is the Desert Oasis, and its address is 355 E. Primm Boulevard.[3][4]

Climate

Primm's climate is a hot desert climate (Köppen climate classification: BWh).

Climate data for Primm, Nevada (2002–2014)
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Average high °F (°C) 57
(14)		 61
(16)		 69
(21)		 77
(25)		 88
(31)		 100
(38)		 105
(41)		 101
(38)		 94
(34)		 79
(26)		 66
(19)		 55
(13)		 79.3
(26.3)
Daily mean °F (°C) 47
(8)		 50
(10)		 58
(14)		 65
(18)		 76
(24)		 87
(31)		 93
(34)		 89
(32)		 82
(28)		 68
(20)		 56
(13)		 46
(8)		 68.1
(20)
Average low °F (°C) 37
(3)		 39
(4)		 47
(8)		 53
(12)		 63
(17)		 73
(23)		 80
(27)		 77
(25)		 69
(21)		 56
(13)		 45
(7)		 36
(2)		 56.3
(13.5)
Source: [5]

Events

In 1996, SCORE International started hosting an annual off-road race known as Terrible's SCORE Primm 300. The Primm 300 is one in a series of annual off-road races that include the Baja 1000, Baja 500, San Felipe 250 and the Laughlin Desert Challenge.

In 1997, the 20th World's Strongest Man competition was held in Primm.

Primm was the end location for the 2004 DARPA Grand Challenge. Additionally, it was the starting and ending location for the 2005 DARPA Grand Challenge. The $2 million prize was won by a team from Stanford University.

Stateline Supermoto Challenge also takes place at Buffalo Bill's casino every year attracting Pro and Amateur supermoto racers from around the country.

Attractions

Primm also has a large outlet mall, Fashion Outlets of Las Vegas, as well as gas stations, restaurants and apartments for the workers of Primm.

A convenience store, aptly named the Primm Valley Lotto Store, is located just over the California side of the border, and is the closest access for southern Nevadans wishing to play the California State Lottery. The only paved road access to the store is from Nevada (on Lotto Store Road). As a result, the store sells more California Lottery tickets than any other vendor in California, largely because Nevada does not have its own state lottery.[6] Before the California Lottery was instituted in 1985, the convenience store often did not have much financial success, since Nevada does not have a state tax for most convenience store items, and California does.

A new airport, Ivanpah Valley Airport, is planned to be built north of Primm, and the California-Nevada Interstate Maglev project has proposed building a maglev train that will pass through.

References

  1. ↑ "Las Vegas History: State Line Renamed to Primm after Ernest Jay Primm - 1996". Visitlasvegas.com. Retrieved 31 December 2010.
  2. ↑ Oesterle, Joe; Cridland, Tim; Moran, Mark; Sceurman, Mark (1 October 2007). Weird Las Vegas and Nevada: Your ... ISBN 978-1-4027-3940-8. Retrieved 31 December 2010.
  3. ↑ "Business: Primm casino staff gets new place to call home". reviewjournal.com. 18 November 2004. Retrieved 31 December 2010.
  4. ↑ "Columnist Susan Snyder: Housing is in Primm location - Monday, Nov. 22, 2004 | 8:25 a.m.". Las Vegas Sun. 22 November 2004. Retrieved 31 December 2010.
  5. ↑ "Weather History for KHND". Wunderground. Retrieved 29 September 2015.
  6. ↑ "A Nevada Lottery? The Line Forms in California". The New York Times. April 24, 2009. Retrieved July 17, 2011.

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