# Needles, California

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**Needles** is a city in [San Bernardino County](/source/San_Bernardino_County), in the [Mojave Desert](/source/Mojave_Desert) region of [Southern California](/source/Southern_California). Situated on the western banks of the [Colorado River](/source/Colorado_River), Needles is located near the California border with [Arizona](/source/Arizona) and [Nevada](/source/Nevada).[2] The city is accessible via [Interstate 40](/source/Interstate_40_in_California) and [U.S. Route 95](/source/U.S._Route_95_in_California). The population was 4,931 at the [2020 census](/source/2020_United_States_census), up from 4,844 at the [2010 census](/source/2010_United_States_Census).

## History

The [Mojave people](/source/Mojave_people) first inhabited the area.[3]

Needles was founded in May 1883 during the construction of the [Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway](/source/Atchison,_Topeka_and_Santa_Fe_Railway),[4] which originally crossed the [Colorado River](/source/Colorado_River) at [Eastbridge, Arizona](/source/Eastbridge,_Arizona), three miles southeast of modern Needles. Needles was named after ["The Needles"](/source/The_Needles_(Arizona)), a group of [pinnacles](/source/Pinnacle_(geology)) in the [Mohave Mountains](/source/Mohave_Mountains) on the Arizona side of the river. The crossing was a poor site for a bridge, lacking firm banks and a solid bottom.[5]: 82

A bridge was built, but it was of poor quality. Not only was it a "flimsy looking structure", but it was an obstacle to navigation on the river. Flooding on the Colorado River destroyed the bridge three times – in 1884, 1886 and 1888. The railway built [Red Rock Bridge](/source/Red_Rock_Bridge), a high [cantilever bridge](/source/Cantilever_bridge), at a narrower point with solid rock footings, ten miles downstream near today's [Topock](/source/Topock,_Arizona). The bridge was completed in May 1890, and the old bridge was dismantled.[5]: 82

At first it was a tent town for railroad construction crews, but the railway would eventually build a hotel, car sheds, shops and a roundhouse. Within only a month, Needles would have a Chinese laundry, a newsstand, a restaurant, several general stores, and nine or ten saloons. Needles quickly became the largest port on the river above [Yuma, Arizona](/source/Yuma,_Arizona).[5]: 82 The railway and the [Fred Harvey Company](/source/Fred_Harvey_Company) built the elegant [Neoclassical](/source/Neoclassical_architecture) and [Beaux-Arts](/source/Beaux-Arts_architecture) style [El Garces Hotel](/source/El_Garces_Hotel) and Santa Fe Station in 1908, which was considered the "crown jewel" of the entire Fred Harvey chain.[4] The landmark building is on the [National Register of Historic Places](/source/National_Register_of_Historic_Places) and is being restored.

Needles was a major stop on the historic [U.S. Route 66](/source/U.S._Route_66) highway from the 1920s through the 1960s.[6] For migrants from the Midwest [Dust Bowl](/source/Dust_Bowl) in the 1930s, it was the town that marked their arrival in California. The city is lined with [motels](/source/Motel) and other shops from that era. The "Carty's Camp", which appears briefly in *[The Grapes of Wrath](/source/The_Grapes_of_Wrath_(film))* as the Joad family enters California from [Arizona](/source/Arizona),[4] is now a ghost tourist court, its remains located behind the 1940s-era [66 Motel](/source/66_Motel_(Needles)).

In 1949, the [United States Bureau of Reclamation](/source/United_States_Bureau_of_Reclamation) began an extensive project to dredge a new channel for the Colorado River that would straighten out a river bend that caused serious silt problems after the Hoover Dam was completed.[7]

Needles is a tourism and recreation center.[4] The city is the eastern gateway to the [Mojave National Preserve](/source/Mojave_National_Preserve), a scenic desert area.

## Geography

According to the [United States Census Bureau](/source/United_States_Census_Bureau), the city has a total area of 31.1 square miles (81 km2). 30.6 square miles (79 km2) of it is land and 0.5 square miles (1.3 km2) of it (1.60%) is water.

### Climate

The city has a [desert climate](/source/Desert_climate#Hot_desert_climate) with a [subtropical](/source/Subtropical_climate) temperature range, with a mean annual temperature of 76.2 °F (24.6 °C).[8]

Needles, like [Death Valley](/source/Death_Valley) to the northwest, is known for extreme heat during the summer. The Needles weather station is frequently reported by the United States government's [National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration](/source/National_Oceanic_and_Atmospheric_Administration) (NOAA) as the site of the highest daily temperature recorded in the U.S. during the desert summers. Needles occasionally sets national or world daily temperature records, along with other related records associated with extreme desert heat. For instance, on July 22, 2006, Needles experienced a record high low temperature of 100 °F (37.8 °C) at 6:00 am with a high temperature exceeding 120 °F (48.9 °C),[9] making it one of the few locations on Earth that have recorded an overnight minimum temperature higher than 100 °F (37.8 °C).

On August 13, 2012, Needles experienced a thunderstorm that deposited rain at a temperature of 115 °F (46.1 °C) starting at 3:56 pm, setting a new record for the hottest rain in world history. The air temperature was 118 °F (47.8 °C), tying Needles's record high for the date. Since the humidity was only 11%, the rain evaporated so that "only a trace of precipitation was recorded in the rain gauge". Weather records researcher Maximiliano Herrera reported that this was the lowest humidity at which rain has occurred on Earth in recorded history.[10] On May 4, 2014, Needles reached a temperature of 102 °F (38.9 °C) with a [dewpoint](/source/Dewpoint) of −38 °F (−38.9 °C), for a [relative humidity](/source/Relative_humidity) of 0.33%, the lowest value ever recorded on Earth.[11]

In the winter, temperatures are typically mild, with December, the coolest month, having a normal mean temperature of 54.7 °F (12.6 °C). The hottest month, July, has a normal mean temperature of 98.5 °F (36.9 °C).[12] On average, there are 119 days annually with a maximum of 100 °F (37.8 °C) or higher, 175 days with a maximum of 90 °F (32.2 °C) or higher, and 2.7 days with a minimum of 32 °F (0 °C) or lower.[13] Official record temperatures range from 18 °F (−7.8 °C) on January 22, 1937, to 125 °F (51.7 °C), last recorded on June 20, 2017.[12][14]

Annual normal rainfall is 4.32 inches (109.7 mm), and there is an annual normal of 23 days with measurable precipitation.[13] The wettest year was 1939 with 13.33 inches (338.6 mm) of rainfall and the driest year was 2006 with 0.7 inches (17.8 mm). The most rainfall in one month was 7.61 inches (193.3 mm) in September 1939.[12] The most rainfall in a calendar day was 3.49 inches (88.6 mm) on August 19, 1906.[12] Snowfall is very rare in Needles, with the only month recording measurable snowfall being January 1949, when 15.2 inches (38.6 cm) of snow fell, including 12.2 inches (31 cm) inches on January 12, 1949.[12][8] The city is also known for moderate to locally severe thunderstorms during the [monsoon](/source/North_American_Monsoon) season as well as humid conditions.

Needles is served by the [National Weather Service](/source/National_Weather_Service)'s NOAA Weather Radio operating on 162.50 MHz from the Las Vegas National Weather Service.

## Demographics

Major employment in the city is supported by the [BNSF Railway](/source/BNSF_Railway) (formerly the [Santa Fe Railroad](/source/Santa_Fe_Railroad)). The depot has been a terminal (crew change point) for the railway since the late 19th century. The railroad company has been the city's main employment source for over a century.

The once smaller nearby communities of [Bullhead City, Arizona](/source/Bullhead_City,_Arizona), [Lake Havasu City, Arizona](/source/Lake_Havasu_City,_Arizona), and [Laughlin, Nevada](/source/Laughlin,_Nevada) have in recent years become larger communities than Needles.

### 2020 census

As of the [2020 census](/source/2020_United_States_census), Needles had a population of 4,931 and a population density of 161.3 inhabitants per square mile (62.3 /km2). The median age was 44.4 years, with 22.6% of residents under the age of 18, 6.8% aged 18 to 24, 21.4% aged 25 to 44, 28.3% aged 45 to 64, and 20.9% who were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 97.7 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 94.4 males age 18 and over.[15][16]

Racial composition as of the 2020 census[16] Race Number Percent White 3,322 67.4% Black or African American 121 2.5% American Indian and Alaska Native 445 9.0% Asian 60 1.2% Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander 12 0.2% Some other race 415 8.4% Two or more races 556 11.3% Hispanic or Latino (of any race) 1,255 25.5%

The census reported that 99.7% of the population lived in households, 0.3% lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, and no one was institutionalized. 95.4% of residents lived in urban areas, while 4.6% lived in rural areas.[15][17]

There were 2,056 households in Needles, of which 27.2% had children under the age of 18 living in them. Of all households, 36.4% were married-couple households, 9.3% were [cohabiting](/source/Cohabitation) couple households, 22.9% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 31.4% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 30.6% of all households were made up of individuals and 13.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.39. There were 1,247 [families](/source/Family_(U.S._Census)) (60.7% of all households).[15][18]

There were 2,743 housing units at an average density of 89.7 /mi2, of which 2,056 (75.0%) were occupied. Of occupied units, 51.1% were owner-occupied and 48.9% were occupied by renters. 25.0% of housing units were vacant. The homeowner vacancy rate was 3.4% and the rental vacancy rate was 7.4%.[15]

### Income and poverty

In 2023, the US Census Bureau estimated that the median household income was $39,876, and the [per capita income](/source/Per_capita_income) was $29,587. About 25.1% of families and 29.1% of the population were below the poverty line.[19]

### 2010 census

The [2010 United States census](/source/2010_United_States_census)[20] reported that Needles had a population of 4,844. The population density was 154.9 inhabitants per square mile (59.8 /km2). The racial makeup of Needles was 3,669 (75.7%) [White](/source/White_(U.S._Census)) (65.4% Non-Hispanic White),[21] 95 (2.0%) [African American](/source/African_American_(U.S._Census)), 399 (8.2%) [Native American](/source/Native_American_(U.S._Census)), 35 (0.7%) [Asian](/source/Asian_(U.S._Census)), 9 (0.2%) [Pacific Islander](/source/Pacific_Islander_(U.S._Census)), 323 (6.7%) from [other races](/source/Race_(United_States_Census)), and 314 (6.5%) from two or more races. [Hispanic](/source/Hispanic_(U.S._Census)) or [Latino](/source/Latino_(U.S._Census)) of any race were 1,083 persons (22.4%).

The Census reported that 4,839 people (99.9% of the population) lived in households, 5 (0.1%) lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, and 0 (0%) were institutionalized.

There were 1,918 households, out of which 650 (33.9%) had children under the age of 18 living in them, 712 (37.1%) were [opposite-sex married couples](/source/Marriage) living together, 331 (17.3%) had a female householder with no husband present, 159 (8.3%) had a male householder with no wife present. There were 186 (9.7%) [unmarried opposite-sex partnerships](/source/POSSLQ), and 6 (0.3%) [same-sex married couples or partnerships](/source/Same-sex_partnerships). 588 households (30.7%) were made up of individuals, and 238 (12.4%) had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.52. There were 1,202 [families](/source/Family_(U.S._Census)) (62.7% of all households); the average family size was 3.12.

The population was spread out, with 1,283 people (26.5%) under the age of 18, 401 people (8.3%) aged 18 to 24, 1,038 people (21.4%) aged 25 to 44, 1,357 people (28.0%) aged 45 to 64, and 765 people (15.8%) who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39.3 years. For every 100 females, there were 101.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 95.0 males.

There were 2,895 housing units at an average density of 92.6 /mi2, of which 1,015 (52.9%) were owner-occupied, and 903 (47.1%) were occupied by renters. The homeowner vacancy rate was 4.9%; the rental vacancy rate was 17.2%. 2,578 people (53.2% of the population) lived in owner-occupied housing units and 2,261 people (46.7%) lived in rental housing units.

According to the 2010 United States Census, Needles had a median household income of $29,613, with 28.8% of the population living below the poverty line.[22]

## Government

The City of Needles was incorporated on October 30, 1913.[1] It is a charter city, led by an elected mayor and a city council with six elected members. Mayors serve two-year terms of office, and councilmembers serve four-year terms. The council designates a vice mayor from among its members.[23] The city council also appoints a city manager who is responsible for the operation of city departments. As of October 2023, the current city manager is Patrick J. Martinez.[24]

### State and federal representation

In the [California State Legislature](/source/California_State_Legislature), Needles is in , and in .[25]

In the [United States House of Representatives](/source/United_States_House_of_Representatives), Needles is in .[26]

### Proposals for secession

In 2008, claiming the county had been unwilling to help keep the city's troubled hospital open as a full-service medical facility, the city considered seceding from California and becoming part of neighboring Nevada, only a few miles away. The options of attaching itself to the state of Arizona or even forming a new county were also considered.[27] Proposals to change states would require approval from the [United States Congress](/source/United_States_Congress) and both state legislatures.

## Education

The city is in the [Needles Unified School District](/source/Needles_Unified_School_District).[28] Needles' elementary schools and [Needles High School](/source/Needles_High_School) are part of the district. The school district is one of the largest in the United States by area, with almost 6,000 square miles (16,000 km2) in its boundaries. The district runs from Amboy to Needles, and south to Parker Dam.[citation needed] As of 2022, it had 955 students enrolled.[29]

The local Needles schools include Katie Hohstadt Elementary School, formerly called 'D' Street School (new home of Needles Head Start, and no longer a regular public school), Vista Colorado Elementary School (grades K–5), Needles Middle School (grades 6–8), Needles High School (grades 9–12), and the Educational Training Center (grades 9–12). Needles High School, due to its distance from other California schools, is a member of the [Nevada Interscholastic Activities Association](/source/Nevada_Interscholastic_Activities_Association), along with four other similarly placed California schools: [Truckee](/source/Truckee_High_School), North Tahoe, South Tahoe, and [Coleville](/source/Coleville_High_School).

Needles also has two private schools: the Needles Assembly of God Christian School and the Needles Seventh-day Adventist School.

## Infrastructure

### Transportation

[Interstate 40](/source/Interstate_40), known locally as the Needles Freeway, is the major highway through Needles, connecting [Barstow](/source/Barstow,_California) to the west and Arizona to the east. [U.S. Route 95](/source/U.S._Route_95) also enters the city from the east on former Route 66 as a [concurrency](/source/Concurrency_(road)) with the I-40 freeway, then splits with the Interstate west of the city, and heads north to Nevada. The Colorado River Bridge connects Needles directly with Arizona, via [Mohave County](/source/Mohave_County) and [State Route 95](/source/Arizona_State_Route_95).

[Amtrak](/source/Amtrak), the national passenger rail system, provides daily service to [Needles station](/source/Needles_(Amtrak_station)), operating its [Southwest Chief](/source/Southwest_Chief) between [Chicago](/source/Chicago) and [Los Angeles](/source/Los_Angeles). It arrives between midnight and 2 am.

Local transit service to the Needles area is provided by [Needles Area Transit](/source/Needles_Area_Transit).[30]

As of August 2, 2016, [Victor Valley Transit Authority](/source/Victor_Valley_Transit_Authority) has service from Needles to Barstow and Victorville on Fridays. To Barstow and Victorville, the bus leaves at 6:15 and arrives at Victorville at 10:30 am. On the reverse trip, buses leave Victorville at 2:30 pm and arrives at Barstow at 7:15 pm.

Vegas Airporter provides service between Lake Havasu City, Needles, and [Harry Reid International Airport](/source/Harry_Reid_International_Airport) in [Las Vegas](/source/Las_Vegas).[31]

### Public safety

On July 1, 2016, [San Bernardino County Fire Department](/source/San_Bernardino_County_Fire_Department) annexed the City of Needles.[32] Fire Station 32 provides fire protection to the City of Needles and houses two Type 1 Engine companies, one Type 7 Engine company, one Water Tender and one 28-foot fireboat. The station is staffed full-time with career firefighters.

Since December 1989, the City of Needles has been patrolled by the [San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department](/source/San_Bernardino_County_Sheriff's_Department) under the command of Captain Ross Tarangle from the Needles Patrol Station.[33]

### Health

Colorado Medical Center was once a full service hospital but at present it is functioning as an [urgent care center](/source/Urgent_care_center).[34]

## Notable people

- [Pat Morris](/source/Pat_Morris_(politician)), Mayor of [San Bernardino, California](/source/San_Bernardino,_California).[35]
- [Max Rafferty](/source/Max_Rafferty), Needles Superintendent of Schools, 1955–1961,[36] became California [Superintendent of Public Instruction](/source/California_Department_of_Education) 1962–1970.
- [Charles Schulz](/source/Charles_Schulz), cartoonist of *[Peanuts](/source/Peanuts)*, lived in Needles 1928–30 and made it the residence of [Snoopy](/source/Snoopy)'s brother [Spike](/source/Snoopy#Siblings).[4]
- [Bess Houdini](/source/Bess_Houdini), wife and stage assistant of famed escape artist [Harry Houdini](/source/Harry_Houdini), died in Needles in 1943.[4]
- [Yara tav](/source/Irataba), leader of the [Mohave people](/source/Mohave_people) (1861–1874), born close to the Needles rock formation before the establishment of the town.[37]
- [Alice Notley](/source/Alice_Notley), American poet, grew up in Needles.[38]
- [Natalie Diaz](/source/Natalie_Diaz), American poet and winner of the 2021 Pulitzer Prize for Poetry.[39]
- [Sam Kinison](/source/Sam_Kinison), American stand-up comedian, was killed in a car crash caused by a 17-year-old drunk driver, about 4.3 miles (6.9 kilometers) outside of Needles on April 10, 1992.[40][41]

## In popular culture

### Books

- In [John Steinbeck](/source/John_Steinbeck)'s novel *[The Grapes of Wrath](/source/The_Grapes_of_Wrath)*, the Joad family stops in Needles when they enter California on [Route 66](/source/U.S._Route_66).[4]
- [Leslie Marmon Silko](/source/Leslie_Marmon_Silko)'s novel *Gardens in the Dunes* is largely set in and around Needles in the late 19th century.[42]

### Print

- In the comic strip *[Peanuts](/source/Peanuts),* Snoopy's brother [Spike](/source/Snoopy#Siblings) lived in the desert outside Needles.[4] He frequently heads to Needles to partake of the town's nightlife, often running afoul of the local coyotes.

### Recordings

- In 2004, [John Lowery](/source/John_5_(guitarist)) (John 5), former guitarist for Marilyn Manson, released his CD *[Vertigo](/source/Vertigo_(John_5_album))*, in which the first track is entitled "Needles CA".
- The town is mentioned in the lyrics of [Hoyt Axton](/source/Hoyt_Axton)'s "[Never Been to Spain](/source/Never_Been_to_Spain)"; the song was a hit for [Three Dog Night](/source/Three_Dog_Night) in 1972 and was also performed by Elvis and Waylon Jennings:

Well I never been to England, but I kinda like the Beatles. Well, I headed for Las Vegas, only made it out to Needles. Can you feel it? Must be real. It feels so good!

- [Izzy Stradlin](/source/Izzy_Stradlin)'s 1999 album *[Ride On](/source/Ride_On_(Izzy_Stradlin_album))* includes a track entitled "Needles" about his love of visiting the town.

### Television

- In October 2006, two students and two teachers from Needles High School were invited to Washington, D.C. to meet with the Under Secretary of Defense, in which they spoke of the new program at Needles High School called MOCK National Security Workshop. The students were also interviewed for the nationwide, fifteen-minute television news show, *[Channel One News](/source/Channel_One_News)*; the episode was aired on October 25.
- Needles was the main site of a 2009 *[UFO Hunters](/source/UFO_Hunters)* episode investigating a supposed [UFO](/source/UFO) Crash.
- [Needles High School](/source/Needles_High_School) was on a *[School Pride](/source/School_Pride)* television episode on November 12, 2010.

### Other connections

- In late 2000 to early 2001, skateboarder [Tony Hawk](/source/Tony_Hawk) donated $20,000 to the Needles Skate Park, which is still in use today. Hawk was present for the grand opening of the park in January 2004.[43][44]
- Needles (and the surrounding area) was the scene for the hit 1988 [post-apocalyptic](/source/Post-apocalyptic) computer [RPG](/source/Role-playing_game) *[Wasteland](/source/Wasteland_(computer_game))*.
- Murals were painted of [U.S. Route 66](/source/U.S._Route_66), which passed through Needles on its way between Chicago and Los Angeles.[45]

## References

1. ["California Cities by Incorporation Date"](https://web.archive.org/web/20141103002921/http://www.calafco.org/docs/Cities_by_incorp_date.doc) (Word). California Association of [Local Agency Formation Commissions](/source/Local_Agency_Formation_Commission). Archived from [the original](http://www.calafco.org/docs/Cities_by_incorp_date.doc) on November 3, 2014. Retrieved August 25, 2014.

1. ["City of Needles Economic Development Strategic Plan"](https://web.archive.org/web/20170610061022/http://cityofneedles.com/forms/EconDevStratPlanNeedlesCA042214.pdf). April 22, 2014. Archived from [the original](http://www.cityofneedles.com/forms/EconDevStratPlanNeedlesCA042214.pdf) on June 10, 2017. Retrieved August 16, 2017.

1. ["Needles History by Maggie McShan"](https://cityofneedles.com/about-needles/needles-back-in-the-day/). City Of Needles. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20241002110028/https://cityofneedles.com/about-needles/needles-back-in-the-day/) October 2, 2024 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved November 14, 2023.

1. Beyer, John R. (January 19, 2020). ["Needles, a small town with a big history"](https://www.vvdailypress.com/news/20200119/beyers-byways-needles-small-town-with-big-history). *[Daily Press](/source/Daily_Press_(California))*. Retrieved January 19, 2020.

1. [Richard E. Lingenfelter, Steamboats on the Colorado River, 1852–1916, University of Arizona Press, Tucson, 1978](http://www.ansac.az.gov/UserFiles/PDF/08182014/X028_FMIBurtellLingenfelterSteamboats/FMI%20Lingenfelter%20Steamboats/Steamboats%20on%20the%20Colorado%20River%201852-1916.pdf) [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20160118031332/http://www.ansac.az.gov/UserFiles/PDF/08182014/X028_FMIBurtellLingenfelterSteamboats/FMI%20Lingenfelter%20Steamboats/Steamboats%20on%20the%20Colorado%20River%201852-1916.pdf) January 18, 2016 at the Wayback Machine

1. Fry, Hannah (August 1, 2019). ["This California town wants to be a 2nd Amendment 'sanctuary city' for guns and ammo"](https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2019-07-30/needles-second-amendment-sanctuary-california-town). *[Los Angeles Times](/source/Los_Angeles_Times)*. Retrieved August 1, 2019.

1. ["Putting A River In Its Place"](https://books.google.com/books?id=GtkDAAAAMBAJ&dq=popular+mechanics+July+1932+airplane&pg=PA152) *Popular Mechanics*, July 1949

1. ["Needles FAA Airport, California – Climate Summary"](http://www.wrcc.dri.edu/cgi-bin/cliMAIN.pl?ca6118). wrcc.dri.edu. Retrieved January 5, 2012.

1. ["Needles FAA Airport, California – Daily Summary"](http://www.wunderground.com/history/airport/KEED/2006/7/22/DailyHistory.html). wunderground.com. July 22, 2006. Retrieved January 5, 2012.

1. Masters, Jeff (August 15, 2012). ["Hottest rain on record? Rain falls at 115°F in Needles, California"](http://www.wunderground.com/blog/JeffMasters/comment.html?entrynum=2186)

1. Jeff Masters (June 22, 2017). ["A World Record Low Humidity? 116°F With a 0.36% Humidity in Iran"](https://www.wunderground.com/cat6/world-record-low-humidity-116f-036-humidity-iran). *[Weather Underground](/source/Weather_Underground)*. Retrieved January 10, 2019.

1. ["NowData – NOAA Online Weather Data"](https://web.archive.org/web/20210721064827/https://w2.weather.gov/climate/xmacis.php?wfo=vef). [National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration](/source/National_Oceanic_and_Atmospheric_Administration). Archived from [the original](https://w2.weather.gov/climate/xmacis.php?wfo=vef) on July 21, 2021. Retrieved July 18, 2020.

1. ["Summary of Monthly Normals 1991-2020"](https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/access/services/data/v1?dataset=normals-monthly-1991-2020&stations=USW00023179&format=pdf&dataTypes=MLY-TMAX-NORMAL,MLY-TMIN-NORMAL,MLY-TAVG-NORMAL,MLY-PRCP-NORMAL,MLY-SNOW-NORMAL). National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved September 8, 2022.

1. ["Summary of Great Southwest US Heat Wave of 2017"](https://www.wunderground.com/cat6/summary-great-southwest-us-heat-wave-2017). Retrieved July 19, 2012.

1. ["2020 Decennial Census Demographic Profile (DP1)"](https://api.census.gov/data/2020/dec/dp?get=NAME,DP1_0021P,DP1_0024P,DP1_0025C,DP1_0049C,DP1_0045C,DP1_0069C,DP1_0073C,DP1_0125P,DP1_0126P,DP1_0129P,DP1_0133P,DP1_0137P,DP1_0138P,DP1_0139P,DP1_0141P,DP1_0142P,DP1_0143P,DP1_0145P,DP1_0146P,DP1_0147C,DP1_0148C,DP1_0149C,DP1_0156C,DP1_0157C,DP1_0158C,DP1_0159P,DP1_0160P&for=place%3A50734&in=state%3A06). *United States Census Bureau*. 2021. Retrieved April 28, 2026.

1. ["2020 Decennial Census Redistricting Data (Public Law 94-171)"](https://api.census.gov/data/2020/dec/pl?get=NAME,P1_001N,P1_003N,P1_004N,P1_005N,P1_006N,P1_007N,P1_008N,P1_009N,P2_001N,P2_002N,H1_001N,H1_002N&for=place%3A50734&in=state%3A06). *United States Census Bureau*. 2021. Retrieved April 28, 2026.

1. ["2020 Decennial Census Demographic and Housing Characteristics (DHC)"](https://api.census.gov/data/2020/dec/dhc?get=NAME,P2_002N,P2_003N&for=place%3A50734&in=state%3A06). *United States Census Bureau*. 2023. Retrieved April 28, 2026.

1. ["Needles city, California; P16: Household Type - 2020 Census of Population and Housing"](https://data.census.gov/table/DECENNIALDHC2020.P16?g=1600000US0650734). *US Census Bureau*. Retrieved May 30, 2025.

1. ["Needles city, California; DP03: Selected Economic Characteristics - 2023 ACS 5-Year Estimates Comparison Profiles"](https://data.census.gov/table/ACSDP5Y2023.DP03?g=1600000US0650734). *US Census Bureau*. Retrieved May 30, 2025.

1. ["2010 Census Interactive Population Search: CA – Needles city"](https://archive.today/20140715031939/http://www.census.gov/2010census/popmap/ipmtext.php?fl=06:0650734). U.S. Census Bureau. Archived from [the original](http://www.census.gov/2010census/popmap/ipmtext.php?fl=06:0650734) on July 15, 2014. Retrieved July 12, 2014.

1. ["U.S. Census website"](https://www.census.gov). [United States Census Bureau](/source/United_States_Census_Bureau). Retrieved March 11, 2015.

1. ["U.S. Census website"](https://www.census.gov)

1. ["City CounciI"](https://web.archive.org/web/20150128113611/http://www.cityofneedles.com/Pages/Government/City-Council.html). City of Needles. Archived from [the original](http://www.cityofneedles.com/Pages/Government/City-Council.html) on January 28, 2015. Retrieved January 24, 2015.

1. ["City Manager's Office - CITY OF NEEDLES, CALIFORNIA (Official Municipality Site)"](http://cityofneedles.com/services/city-managers-office/). *City of Needles*. Retrieved January 19, 2020.

1. ["Final Maps | California Citizens Redistricting Commission"](https://wedrawthelines.ca.gov/final-maps/). Retrieved October 10, 2025.

1. Kelly, David (May 26, 2008). ["Regretting its place in the sun"](https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2008-may-26-me-needles26-story.html). *Los Angeles Times*. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20210810060108/https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2008-may-26-me-needles26-story.html) August 10, 2021 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved April 19, 2023.

1. ["2020 CENSUS - SCHOOL DISTRICT REFERENCE MAP: San Bernardino County, CA"](https://www2.census.gov/geo/maps/DC2020/PL20/st06_ca/schooldistrict_maps/c06071_san_bernardino/DC20SD_C06071.pdf). [U.S. Census Bureau](/source/U.S._Census_Bureau). p. 7 (PDF p. 8/12). Retrieved 2024-10-04. - [Text list](https://www2.census.gov/geo/maps/DC2020/PL20/st06_ca/schooldistrict_maps/c06071_san_bernardino/DC20SD_C06071_SD2MS.txt)

1. ["Needles Unified"](https://nces.ed.gov/ccd/districtsearch/district_detail.asp?Search=2&details=1&DistrictID=0626760&ID2=0626760). [National Center for Education Statistics](/source/National_Center_for_Education_Statistics). Retrieved 2024-10-04.

1. ["SANBAG: Public Transit"](https://web.archive.org/web/20111106203215/http://www.sanbag.ca.gov/commuter/pub-transit.html). Sanbag.ca.gov. July 5, 2011. Archived from [the original](http://www.sanbag.ca.gov/commuter/pub-transit.html) on November 6, 2011. Retrieved January 5, 2012.

1. ["Pickup & Drop-off Locations – VegasAirporter.com"](https://web.archive.org/web/20250517183532/https://vegasairporter.com/locations/). Archived from [the original](https://vegasairporter.com/locations/) on May 17, 2025. Retrieved February 6, 2021.

1. ["San Bernardino County Fire Department"](https://web.archive.org/web/20200512142727/https://www.sbcfire.org/Default.aspx). Sbcfire.org. Archived from [the original](http://www.sbcfire.org/default.aspx) on May 12, 2020. Retrieved November 14, 2019.

1. ["San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department"](http://wp.sbcounty.gov/sheriff/patrol-stations/needles/). wp.sbcounty.gov/sheriff/. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20241209013957/http://wp.sbcounty.gov/sheriff/patrol-stations/needles/) December 9, 2024 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved November 14, 2019.

1. ["City of Needles"](https://web.archive.org/web/20120102140830/http://www.cityofneedles.com/Hospitals.asp). City of Needles. June 28, 2002. Archived from [the original](http://www.cityofneedles.com/Hospitals.asp) on January 2, 2012. Retrieved January 5, 2012.

1. ["City of San Bernardino – Mayor's Biography"](https://web.archive.org/web/20120117024956/http://www.ci.san-bernardino.ca.us/cityhall/mayor/mayors_biography.asp). Ci.san-bernardino.ca.us. Archived from [the original](http://www.ci.san-bernardino.ca.us/cityhall/mayor/mayors_biography.asp) on January 17, 2012. Retrieved January 5, 2012.

1. "Max Rafferty, 1917–1982, Conservative U.S. Educator and Critic: Bibliography of Writings By and About Him," CORE (Collected Original Resources in Education), VII, No. 1 (1983), Fiche 9 C1

1. Kroeber, Alfred Louis (1925). [*Handbook of the Indians of California*](https://books.google.com/books?id=YDdn0WNMQMYC). Courier. pp. 725–727. ISBN 978-0-486-23368-0.

1. ["Poets.org"](http://www.poets.org/poetsorg/poet/alice-notley). August 10, 2001.

1. ["Pulitzer Prize-Winning Poet Natalie Diaz to give Public Poetry Reading"](https://diversity.illinois.edu/2022/03/31/pulitzer-prize-winning-poet-natalie-diaz-to-give-public-poetry-reading/). *University of Illinois Office of the Vice Chancellor for DIVERSITY, EQUITY & INCLUSION*. Retrieved October 3, 2022. Diaz was born and raised in the Fort Mojave Indian Village in Needles, California, on the banks of the Colorado River.

1. ["Motorist, 17, Arrested In Death Of Sam Kinison"](https://archive.seattletimes.com/archive/?date=19920412&slug=1485946). *[The Seattle Times](/source/The_Seattle_Times)*. April 12, 1992. Retrieved April 16, 2023.

1. Lambert, Bruce (April 12, 1992). ["Sam Kinison, 38, Comedian, Dies; Wife Injured in Head-On Collision"](https://www.nytimes.com/1992/04/12/us/sam-kinison-38-comedian-dies-wife-injured-in-head-on-collision.html). *The New York Times*. Retrieved April 16, 2023.

1. [Gardens in the Dunes](https://www.amazon.com/GARDENS-DUNES-Leslie-Marmon-Silko/dp/0684863324)

1. ["Needles Skate Park"](http://cityofneedles.com/needles-skate-park-2/). City of Needles. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20211201204657/http://cityofneedles.com/needles-skate-park-2/) December 1, 2021 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved January 23, 2022.

1. Choquette, Lee (January 3, 2004). ["Skateboard set cheers as Needles Skate Park opens"](https://web.archive.org/web/20220123224048/https://mohavedailynews.com/news/123753/skateboard-set-cheers-as-needles-skate-park-opens/). *[Mohave Valley Daily News](/source/Mohave_Valley_Daily_News)*. Archived from [the original](https://mohavedailynews.com/news/123753/skateboard-set-cheers-as-needles-skate-park-opens/) on January 23, 2022. Retrieved January 23, 2022.

1. Willon, Phil (August 30, 2011). ["A touch of paint cheers a desert town"](https://www.latimes.com/local/la-xpm-2011-aug-30-la-me-needles-murals-20110830-story.html). *[Los Angeles Times](/source/Los_Angeles_Times)*. Retrieved January 5, 2012.

## External links

- [Needles Chamber of Commerce](http://www.needleschamber.com/)

---
Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Needles, California](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Needles%2C_California) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Needles%2C_California?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.