From 1852 to 1909, steamboats made regular trips up the Colorado River from Port Isabel, Sonora, passing Hardyville regularly. These stern-wheeler riverboats played an important part in the early development of the areas bordering the Colorado River. The small town saw the construction of a general store, a saloon, a blacksmith shop, a quartz mill, a billiard hall, and a respectable public hall.
Although the 19th century saw a population boom in Hardyville as mining became more profitable, the beginning of the 20th century saw mining activities move away from the Colorado River and Hardyville. When the railroad was constructed from Needles, California to Kingman, Arizona, Hardyville was abandoned and became a ghost town. A small cemetery, now a historic landmark, is the most significant existing remnant of Hardyville.
Decades later, Hardyville would be resurrected as Bullhead City with the construction of Davis Dam between 1942 and 1953. The dam was originally called Bullhead Dam after Bull's Head Rock, a well-known landmark along the Colorado River. Bullhead City became the headquarters for the construction project, which was completed in 1953. Thus the name "Bullhead City" was born. As the nearby Lake Mohave developed into a major tourism destination, and as the casino and resort town of Laughlin, Nevada, sprouted up across the river, Bullhead City grew rapidly.
In 1970, Bullhead City was the name of the six blocks that ran north-south along Highway 95 across the river from Don Laughlin's casino. About a thousand people lived in original Bullhead City at that time, about 3,000 people in Riviera. In 1984, the small communities of Bullhead City, Riviera, and Holiday Shores voted to incorporate, choosing the name "Bullhead City" for its historical significance. The annual celebration Hardyville Days pays homage to the history of the town, and the man that first settled this shoreline along the Colorado River.
