Photo by Ryan Thorpe on Unsplash

The Las Vegas Valley is protected by a ring of mountains, and holds the nation’s fastest growing cities. New infrastructure, homes, and construction work are visible on virtually every street, so much so that many locals consider the state’s national flower to be a traffic cone.

South of the valley exists a parting in the mountains, opening only when you draw close to it. Keep heading down U.S. Route 95 towards Arizona, and off that first exit resides a city that is a polar opposite to the culture and community of Las Vegas – a city that may be most deserving of the title “biggest little city in the world.”

On the other side of these mountains, the soft glow of the Strip stretches into the night sky. Street lights grow dimmer past the Railroad Pass Hotel & Casino, and appear less frequently. Suddenly, you’re in true desert territory.

Some Vegas residents are completely unaware of the existence of this city, despite it being so close by. Though Vegas never sleeps, its neighbors certainly like to.

Founded in 1931, Boulder City was built to accommodate the workers of the Hoover Dam, which is reflected in the city’s street art and murals alongside the 95. Since then, the city has reached a population of just under 15,000 as of 2021.

And it intends to keep it that way.

Boulder City has a moralistic political culture in a state with an individualistic culture. [According to the U.S. Department of Justice’s Office of Justice Programs](https://www.ojp.gov/ncjrs/virtual-library/abstracts/political-culture-and-felony-sentencing-examination-trial-courts#:~:text=Individualistic political cultures featured politics,part of their civic duty.), “Individualistic political cultures featured politics oriented toward personal gain. Moralistic political cultures involved the government trying to build the good society; individuals were expected to participate as part of their civic duty.”

Through this culture, the people largely decide what goes and stays in the city.

“We quite literally have limits built in place to prevent [a metropolis] from happening,” said Grace Zielinski, a 19-year-old Boulder City resident and political science major at UNLV. “The population is also against it. We recently had two agenda items that were called to a vote, one being if Boulder City should invest into making grounds for a second grocery store, the other was if Boulder City should build another to park. In both cases, the majority was against it.”

In 1979, Boulder City faced a sudden burst of growth, so the residents found a solution:  a controlled growth ordinance. Through this ordinance, only a certain amount of hotel and motel permits can be issued per year, as well as homes that can be built. Since 1979, the city has seen an annual growth rate of about 3%.

“Most people I know want the city to stay mostly the way it is, and rather than investing in expansion, we do upkeep to keep the historical buildings in good condition,” said Boulder City High School (BCHS) Student Avalon McNary.

The city is tightly knit for a few reasons.

McNary said, “I think the city has a strong sense of community because of the dam. Anyone who grew up here grew up knowing that we are the city that built the dam. So much pride in that landmark, especially by families that have been here for generations, maybe even having family members that worked on the dam. This is also a city that has so much art everywhere so we all grow up engrossed in art and having an appreciation for it.”

The preservation of its historic structures and landmarks is one way that Boulder City has remained faithful to its roots. The Hoover Dam, the Boulder Dam Hotel, and the Eldorado Canyon Mine are just a few of the historic sites that can be found in the city. These landmarks serve as a reminder of the city's rich history and give locals and visitors a sense of connection to it, and there isn’t much reason to mess with it.

Abbi Matthews, also from BCHS, said, “BC has a mellow pace that isn’t for everyone. Because of the generations of families here, I think the community only grows stronger and more mellow. It’s hard to compete with decades of people who are already established and know what they want and need from town. Also fixed population growth and controlled growth helps!”

Still, the city has come a long way from its start. Debbie Barth, who goes by Ms. B, is a retired Boulder City Youth Center Coordinator, and has lived in town for about 42 years, witnessing firsthand how Boulder City has grown and flourished.

“The city has changed tremendously,” said Ms. B. “There wasn't any stop lights, businesses have come and gone, there are a lot more homes, parks, and schools, but less grocery stores. And the list goes on.”

For high school students and young adults, though, these changes felt less obvious.