NEEDLES

city, San Bernardino county, southeastern California, U.S., on the Colorado River (impounded to form Lake Havasu). It was founded in 1883 as a way station on the Atlantic and Pacific Railroad (now the Santa Fe) and was named after a group of isolated needlelike peaks just across the border in Arizona. The city experiences extremely high temperatures often exceeding 100 F (38 C) with a wide range of low humidity and is often described as one of the hottest cities in the nation. Palms, cottonwoods, tamarisks, and pepper trees shade the streets from the sweltering heat. Tourism (based on Colorado River and Mojave Desert recreational facilities and nearby mining and ghost towns) provides a major source of income. Fort Mohave Indian Reservation is immediately to the north. Inc. 1913. Pop. (1990) 5,191; (1994 est.) 5,202.