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 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.

"State Line, Nevada" redirects here. For the census-designated place in Douglas County, Nevada, see Stateline, Nevada.
Primm, Nevada
Unincorporated community
Primm off Interstate 15
Primm
Location within Nevada
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
Elevation
2,618 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

It was previously known by the name of State Line, 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. In reverse, a 'lotto store' on the southwestern part of the development within California sells California State Lottery tickets and games, including the multi-state Mega Millions and Powerball games mainly to residents of the Silver State, as Nevada constitutionally prohibits a state lottery.[2]

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, on a road later designated U.S. 91. 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.[3]

Dale Hamilton owned State Line from the early 1950s to the early 1970s as U.S. 91 was upgraded to Interstate 15. After he bought the property, he built a Chevron 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". Hamilton also campaigned legislators in Carson City to grant an Interstate 15 interchange to the site, which was not originally planned.

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.[4][5]

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: [6]

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.[7]

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 25th 2014. He used a 157-gram Innova Blizzard Champion Boss.[8]

References
  1. "Las Vegas History: State Line Renamed to Primm after Ernest Jay Primm - 1996". Visitlasvegas.com. Retrieved 31 December 2010.
  2. "A Nevada Lottery? The Line Forms in California". The New York Times. April 24, 2009. Retrieved July 17, 2011.
  3. 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.
  4. "Business: Primm casino staff gets new place to call home". reviewjournal.com. 18 November 2004. Retrieved 31 December 2010.
  5. "Columnist Susan Snyder: Housing is in Primm location". Las Vegas Sun. 22 November 2004. Retrieved 31 December 2010.
  6. "Weather History for KHND". Wunderground. Retrieved 29 September 2015.
  7. Stateline Supermoto Challenge
  8. "Lizotte sets the new Distance World Record". Discmania Store. Retrieved 2020-06-14.
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