Historical Facts and Information about Henderson Nevada

Henderson was actually "born in America's defense" ten years prior to its incorporation during World War II with the building of the Basic Magnesium Plant. The plant supplied the US War Department with magnesium for munitions and airplane parts. Mayor Jim Gibson's own grandfather, Fred Gibson, was one of the original engineers sent to Great Britain to learn the secret of creating the "miracle metal" which would eventually help the United States and the allies win the war.

In an effort to save the city, the Nevada Legislature spent a weekend visiting Henderson evaluating the possibility of state administration of Basic Magnesium. Within days of the visit, the legislators unanimously approved a bill giving the Colorado River Commission of Nevada the authority to purchase the industrial plants. Governor Vail Pittman signed the Bill on March 27, 1947, helping save Henderson from becoming war surplus property.

With the help of local industry, the City of Henderson, Nevada, was officially incorporated on April 16, 1953. On May 23, 1953, Henderson, with its population of 7,410, elected Dr. Jim French as the town's first Mayor. Originally about 13 square miles in size, the City quickly began to grow and flourish. Today, the City of Henderson has grown to more than 103 square miles and is the second largest city in Nevada. Henderson is often referred to as having small town values with big city efficiencies. The city's official slogan "Henderson-a Place to Call Home" reflects a community that enjoys small town values while benefiting from big city efficiencies.

Henderson was recognized as the nation's fastest growing large city from 1990-1998 by the U.S. Census Bureau.  The City's population of 276,065 (Jan 1, 2010) now ranks Henderson as the second largest city in the State of Nevada and comparable in size to Irvine, CA and Chandler, AZ.

"This is a very different place from what most people think of when they think of Las Vegas" says Vesta's owner, Dean McGlasson. "Here you can enjoy many parks and recreational opportunities that are commonly seen in the much more affluent communities in the area. The convenience factor is also another reason I chose the City Henderson as the place I wanted to live and run my business." Dean has performed home and commercial property inspections in Henderson, Las Vegas, Lake Las Vegas, Boulder City, Mount Charleston and surrounding Clark County since 2004, and has resided in the community of Green Valley Ranch since 1998.
Please visit the following links for more information. Courtesy of your Henderson home inspector!

City of Henderson Official website

Henderson Schools

Henderson City Data

Henderson Restaurants