Right. Let's get this over with. You want an article on Blue Diamond, Nevada? Fine. Don't expect me to sugarcoat it. This place is a speck, a footnote in the grand, indifferent desert. But it exists, so here's the rundown, meticulously preserved and, I suppose, expanded upon. Try not to get lost in the details; the desert has a way of swallowing things whole.
Blue Diamond, Nevada
Blue Diamond, Nevada, is officially designated as a census-designated place (CDP). It's a small settlement, clinging to existence in Clark County, a part of the vast, sun-baked state of Nevada. Its existence is marked by the year 2020, when its population was recorded at a mere 268 souls. A fragile number, easily swayed by the whims of circumstance, much like the desert wind.
Location
Imagine the map. Picture Clark County in Nevada. Now, zoom in. Way in. You'll find Blue Diamond nestled there, a small dot against the sprawling, arid landscape. Its coordinates, if you must know, are 36°02′24″N 115°24′46″W / 36.04000°N 115.41278°W / 36.04000; -115.41278. It’s a place that exists within the United States, a nation that often feels as vast and indifferent as the desert itself.
The total area is a modest 7.22 square miles (18.69 km²), almost entirely land. Water? Negligible. It’s a place defined by its dryness, its scarcity. The elevation sits at a respectable 3,708 feet (1,130 meters). High enough to feel the thinness of the air, low enough to still bake under the relentless sun.
Its postal code is 89004, and it falls under the area codes of 702 and 725. The FIPS code is 32-05700, a numerical identifier for a place that otherwise might be forgotten. The Geographic Names Information System lists it as feature ID 2407866. Numbers, always trying to pin down something that resists definition.
Description
The community itself is a collection of essentials, starkly functional. There's a park, a private pool—a small luxury in this parched land—a library, an elementary school, an event hall, a church, and a mercantile with a gas station. The mercantile, built in 1942, is a relic. It once supplied the miners who scraped a living from the earth, selling them the necessities of life. It retains its original exterior, a testament to a past that refused to entirely fade. Inside, walls are adorned with historical photographs, curated by the Blue Diamond Historical Society, a volunteer effort to preserve what little memory this place possesses. It's a quiet defiance against the erasure of time.
History
Blue Diamond's story is intrinsically tied to Cottonwood Spring, once known as Ojo de Cayetana or Pearl Spring. This was a vital watering hole, a waypoint on the ancient Old Spanish Trail and the later Mormon Road, a lifeline between Mountain Springs and the now-famous Las Vegas Springs. The spring itself is located on a mountainside, at 36°02′44″N 115°24′22″W / 36.04556°N 115.40611°W / 36.04556; -115.40611, an elevation of 3409 feet. It’s a place where water, life's most fundamental element, was once found.
The landscape is rich with gypsum, a mineral that drew the attention of the Blue Diamond Corporation of California. They acquired the nearby mine in 1923. By 1941, a wallboard manufacturing plant was operational, and in 1942, the construction of a company town began. The settlement, initially known as Cottonwood, was renamed Blue Diamondville in that same year, coinciding with the establishment of a post office. The name was later shortened to Blue Diamond, though some records stubbornly clung to the longer version until at least 1950. It's a history built on extraction, on the exploitation of the earth's resources to fuel distant needs.
Demographics
The population figures tell a story of a community that has seen better days, or perhaps never truly had them. The 2020 census reported 268 residents. This is a slight dip from the 282 individuals counted in the 2000 census. The population density, at 37.1 people per square mile (14.34/km²) in 2020, is sparse, a reflection of the surrounding emptiness.
In the year 2000, the demographic breakdown was as follows:
- Total Population: 282
- Households: 118
- Families: 77
- Population Density: 38.3 inhabitants per square mile (14.8/km²)
- Housing Units: 125
- Average Housing Density: 17.0 per square mile (6.6/km²)
The racial composition was heavily skewed towards White individuals, accounting for 94.33%. The remaining percentages were distributed among Native American (0.35%), Asian (1.42%), Pacific Islander (0.35%), those from other races (0.35%), and individuals identifying with two or more races (3.19%). The Hispanic or Latino population, regardless of race, represented a mere 1.42% of the total.
Household composition showed:
- Children under 18: 28.0% lived with their households.
- Married Couples: 48.3% were living together.
- Female Householder (no husband present): 13.6%.
- Non-Families: 33.9%.
- Individuals: 25.4% of households consisted of single individuals.
- Elderly Individuals (65+): 5.9% lived alone.
- Average Household Size: 2.39 people.
- Average Family Size: 2.85 people.
The age distribution was:
- Under 18: 19.9%
- 18 to 24: 6.4%
- 25 to 44: 26.6%
- 45 to 64: 36.2%
- 65 and over: 11.0%
The median age was 43 years. For every 100 females, there were 104.3 males. In the 18 and over demographic, the ratio was 101.8 males per 100 females.
Economic indicators from 2000 painted a picture of modest means:
- Median Household Income: $54,091
- Median Family Income: $54,432
- Per Capita Income: $30,479
- Families below Poverty Line: 15.9%
- Population below Poverty Line: 7.2%
- Under 18 below Poverty Line: 21.2%
- 65 and over below Poverty Line: 0%
It seems the older generation, at least statistically, had managed to escape the immediate clutches of poverty.
Education
Blue Diamond is served by a public library, a branch of the larger Las Vegas-Clark County Library District. A small outpost of knowledge in a place that values survival above all else.