Primm, Nevada

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

Primm, Nevada
Primm off Interstate 15
Primm off Interstate 15
Primm is located in Nevada
Primm
Primm
Location within Nevada
Primm is located in the United States
Primm
Primm
Location within the United States
Coordinates: 35°36′46″N 115°23′25″W
CountryUnited States
StateNevada
CountyClark
Founded1920s
Founded byPete MacIntyre
Named forErnest Jay Primm
Elevation2,618 ft (798 m)
Population
 (2007)
  Total1,132
Time zoneUTC-8 (PST)
  Summer (DST)UTC-7 (PDT)
ZIP codes
89019
Area code(s)702 and 725
GNIS feature ID849405[1]

Primm was named State Line before being renamed in 1996 for its original developer, Earnest Jay Primm, to avoid confusion with Stateline in northern Nevada.[2]

The community's economy is based on its three casinos (the Primm Valley Resorts), 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. Conversely, a store located just over the California state line from Primm sells California State Lottery tickets and games (including the multi-state Mega Millions and Powerball games) mainly to residents of Nevada, whose constitution prohibits a state lottery.[3] In addition to gambling, shopping, and dining, Buffalo Bill’s Resort and Casino also features several rides and attractions, notably the 200’ rollercoaster Desperado, which was previously—at the time of its debut in 1996–the tallest and fastest steel coaster in America. The ride travels outside and inside parts of the casino. There is also a log flume ride inside the casino building.

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.

For 2020, Census Block 2156, Census Tract 57.03 and Block 2155, Census Tract 57.03 showed a total population of 650.[4]

Transportation

Primm, Nevada is located along Interstate 15, midway between Las Vegas, Nevada and Baker, California.

The nearest commercial airport is Harry Reid International Airport in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Primm hosted an Amtrak station at Whiskey Pete's Resort until late 2017, operating bi-directionally with a premium deluxe Amtrak Thruway Motorcoach service between Bakersfield, California and Las Vegas, Nevada.

History

In the 1920s, Pete MacIntyre owned a gas station at the state line, on a road later designated U.S. 91. MacIntyre, apparently, had a difficult time in the gas business, eventually resorting to bootlegging (alcohol); Primm historians remember him as “Whiskey Pete”. According to local legend, MacIntyre expressed his desire to—upon his death in 1933–be buried in a vertical coffin with his body in a standing posture, along with a bottle of bootleg placed in his hands to “drink” as he “watched over” the region. 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 remains were apparently relocated, and are now said to be buried in one of the caves where he cooked his moonshine.[5]

Dale Hamilton was the proprietor of State Line from the early 1950s to the early 1970s, as U.S. 91 was upgraded to today’s Interstate 15. After obtaining the property, Hamilton built a Chevron station, as well as a small-slots casino and a café/lunch counter. He also opened a basic automotive garage and maintained a towing service. He called the business simply "State Line Bar:Slots". Hamilton also campaigned legislators in Carson City to grant an Interstate 15 interchange to the site, which was not originally planned.

In 2004, under the then-ownership of MGM Mirage, 52 apartment buildings were constructed in Primm to serve as more convenient housing for employees of the three casinos. The name of the apartment complex is the Desert Oasis, and its current location is at 355 E. Primm Boulevard.[6][7]

Prizm Outlets, formerly known as the Fashion Outlets of Las Vegas, is a 370,000-square-foot mall that, as of 2023, is almost completely empty.[8] It was sold in 2021 for $400,000.[9]

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
(26)
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
(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
(14)
Source: [10]

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.

The Stateline Supermoto Challenge also takes place at Buffalo Bill's casino every year attracting pro and amateur supermoto racers from around the country.[11]

Primm is the location of the Mint 400, the American off-road race.

Primm is the location of WORCS, (World Off Road Championship) of two to four rounds of Motocross, UTV, Side by Side and ATV off-road racing.

Primm is where Simon Lizotte set the Flying Disc Distance World Record at 263.2 m (863.5 ft) on October 25, 2014. He used a 157-gram Innova Blizzard Champion Boss.[12]

Bonnie and Clyde Getaway Car

Primm is home to the Bonnie and Clyde Getaway Car,[13] the vehicle that Bonnie Parker and Clyde Barrow were in when they were shot and killed after being pursued by the police. It was previously located inside Whiskey Pete's, but was moved to the connecting annex between the Prizm Outlet Mall & Primm Valley Hotel & Casino in 2022.

The couple were actually shot and killed in Gibsland, Louisiana, some 1,500 miles from Primm.[14]

References

  1. U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Primm, Nevada
  2. "Las Vegas History: State Line Renamed to Primm after Ernest Jay Primm - 1996". Visitlasvegas.com. Retrieved 31 December 2010.
  3. "A Nevada Lottery? The Line Forms in California". The New York Times. April 24, 2009. Retrieved July 17, 2011.
  4. "Explore Census Data". data.census.gov. Retrieved 2022-01-16.
  5. 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.
  6. "Business: Primm casino staff gets new place to call home". reviewjournal.com. 18 November 2004. Retrieved 31 December 2010.
  7. "Columnist Susan Snyder: Housing is in Primm location". Las Vegas Sun. 22 November 2004. Retrieved 31 December 2010.
  8. Hitt, Christine (2023-07-01). "This town on Calif. border once bustled. Now, it's quiet and quirky". SFGATE. Retrieved 2023-07-06.
  9. Segall, Eli (2022-07-10). "Outlet mall in Primm, once filled with tenants, is largely empty". Las Vegas Review-Journal. Retrieved 2023-07-06.
  10. "Weather History for KHND". Wunderground. Retrieved 29 September 2015.
  11. "Stateline Supermoto Challenge".
  12. "Lizotte sets the new Distance World Record". Discmania Store. Retrieved 2020-06-14.
  13. "Bonnie & Clyde Getaway Car". www.Vegas.com.
  14. "Bonnie and Clyde's Getaway Car | Bonnie and Clyde Death Car".
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