Water makes things grow — even cities, irrigated to life from desert dust. Case in point: Henderson, whose story begins in earnest with the opening of the Basic Magnesium plant in 1942.
The world’s largest such facility at the time, it drew nearly 15,000 people to the burgeoning town, the commercial center of which was Water Street, named after the pipeline that pumped H2O to the plant.
That thoroughfare became a cultural hub of the area, and eight decades later, it remains a nexus of history and modernity, fused into a unique, ever-growing community that has evolved rapidly into one of the valley’s more vibrant, must-visit districts in recent years.
There’s so much to see and do in the area, where to start? Right here.
Get the blood flowing with an art walk
Even the 7-Eleven has a story to tell.
An outer wall of said convenience store on the south end of Water Street doubles as a history lesson, brightened by a mural chronicling a time long before this temple of microwaveable burritos was erected.
Titled “Henderson’s First Residents,” the desert landscape from artist Bradley Giles depicts a family of Southern Paiutes foraging on the south end of the Whitney Mesa.
Right across the street, a utility box painted in bright blues and greens contrasts a map of the district with a pigeon in sunglasses (“Flowing Down the Street,” by artist Mili Turnbull, reflects on the continued development of the area).
About that development, one of the spots it can all be traced back to is the Rainbow Club Casino (122 S. Water St.), which opened in 1967. Its facade chronicles the past and present of the area with the “Promise Mural,” created by local artist Ozzy Villate in 2009. The painting tells the story of Water Street’s magnesium origins and its growth into the district its become in bursts of color befitting of the property’s namesake.
Everywhere you turn around here, public art enlivens the exteriors of parking garages, boba tea shops, park benches, and a whole lot more with surfing dinosaurs, flowery skulls, Bauhaus coyotes and such.
With over two dozen murals in the area, you could spend a whole afternoon checking them out — and it’d count as an afternoon well spent.
As for our favorite …
A waterfall of beer
Behold “Brew Mountain,” a mouth-watering painting of a Southwestern landscape featuring a beer tap atop a mountain, creating a cascading waterfall of tasty suds.
The artwork adorns an outer wall of Lovelady Brewing Company (20 S. Water St.), and serves as a fitting visual encapsulation of this desert oasis of top-notch brews like the aptly named Love Juice hazy IPA, which is a bestseller for a reason.
Up the street, the Mojave Brewing Company (107 S. Water St.) is housed in an old Bank of America building, its vault turned into a game room — check out the sweet array of pinball machines. The place is way, way better nowadays, with fewer loan officers and more beer (nearly two dozen homemade varieties on tap).
If you’re thirsting for beers on a budget, stop by The Pass casino (140 S. Water St.) for $1.75 Dos Equis drafts and $2 bottles — we’ll definitely drink to that.
If fermented grapes are more your thing, make a beeline for Wine on Water Street (150 S. Water St.), a sleek, chic spot with floor-to-ceiling windows and a cozy patio offering views as inviting as the sips and killer charcuterie boards here.
There’s also the Azzurra Wine Shop & Bar (314 S. Water St.), a small room with a big vino menu available by the glass or bottle.
Looking for a place to hang a Polaroid of your dog inside a British phone booth filled with books?
Us, too.
Thankfully, we have to look no further than Public Works Coffee Bar (314 S. Water St.), which doubles as the home of Azzurra Wine Shop and the adjacent Azzurra Cucina Italia restaurant (more on them later).
The independently owned cafe specializes in hand-crafted coffees, teas and light bites — pair the bacon quiche with the Cuban Honey barista special and thank us later — served in an artfully industrial setting with an exposed ceiling adorned with street signs.
It also boasts a pet-friendly patio, with the aforementioned phone booth — which doubles as a bookcase — lined with pictures of the shop’s many four-legged visitors, from Molly the dalmatian to Pantaloons the black Labrador mix.
Get caffeinated with Le Fleur the Airedale and let’s go.
Puck around and find out
Want to learn how to skate on the same ice that the Henderson Silver Knights practice on?
Or, better yet, knock back a Sam Adams as others do all the sweating?
Head to American First Center (222 S. Water St.) either way.
In addition to skating lessons at the arena, there’s a busy schedule of youth and adult hockey leagues.
And if watching someone else get checked into the glass is more your thing, head upstairs to MacKenzie River Pizza, Grill & Pub, which overlooks the venue’s two ice rinks and offers a Montana-inspired menu whose highlights include a Kodiak burger the size of a hubcap.
Take in a fest or chill in the shade
Muscle cars and sake tastings, banjos and shamrocks, Woody the animated cowboy and oboes — what unites this seemingly heterogeneous mix of awesomeness?
The Water Street Plaza and Amphitheater (240 S. Water St.).
Not only does the sprawling, 60,000-square-foot public space host uber-popular annual gatherings like Henderson Hot Rod Days, the Aki Matsuri Japanese Festival and the St. Patrick’s Day Festival & Parade, but its amphitheater also features concerts like Henderson Bluegrass and family movie nights where classics like “Moana” and “Toy Story” are presented with orchestral accompaniment.
Even if there are no events, this is still a great spot to take a break from all the walking up and down Water Street, with a playground and splash pads for the kids, and lots of turf and shade structures to chill out in until the next adventure begins.
Who wants to rock?
They’ve been rockin’ almost as long as the Rolling Stones — and done so without a questionable disco phase, even.
Opened in 1965, the Gold Mine Tavern (23 S. Water St.) has soundtracked Water Street as a live music staple with classic rock, blues, funk and country bands playing every Friday and Saturday night for decades now both on indoor and outdoor stages.
Though the Gold Mine is the oldest bar in Henderson and vintage signage illuminates its exterior like a north star of fun, its interior has been updated over the years with wooden floors, new TVs and a long, polished bar. And yes, of course, there’s a totally sweet mural of a wolf howling at a soaring bird of prey next to a pair of pool tables in the back.
With an upscale-sports-bar-meets-Irish-pub vibe, Johnny Mac’s Water Street Tavern (117 S. Water St.) also regularly features live music on the weekends on its brick wall-backed stage, though the food here is an even bigger draw than the tunes, especially their choice chicken wings — on their Instagram page, they call them “The best and most sold chicken wings this side of the Mississippi.” We’re not gonna argue; our mouths are full.
Let’s buy cool stuff
The green uranium glass glowing in the store window underscores the sense of history that permeates Gold Casters Jewelry (34 S. Water St.) like the radioactive element in said dinnerware.
Founded in 1983, Gold Casters has doubled as a gilded anchor for this district for decades, its ever-evolving stock ranging from Rolex watches to skull rings, vintage potato chip cans to antique coins.
We know what you’re thinking: Diamond necklaces are cool and all, but where to score “Baby’s First Pocketknife”?
That would be Archer + Jane (19 S. Water St.), a hip children’s resale and gift boutique where all the cool kids — and soon-to-be moms — shop for secondhand clothing, maternity wear and toys alongside Pizza Power air fresheners shaped like cheese-covered lightning bolts and, of course, the aforementioned cutlery.
If you’d like the walls in your home to be as art-covered as many of the walls in this district, check out City Lights Art Gallery (3 E. Army St.), which features an extensive and well-curated collection of works from local artists that’s rotated quarterly.
An all-volunteer nonprofit organization, City Lights funds scholarships for students and regularly hosts their artwork in the gallery. For those looking to sharpen their artistic skills, there’s also a full schedule of classes and workshops on everything from acrylic painting to photography to wire-wrapping stones with ferns.
Take a class, and who knows, maybe your creations will be shown here someday.
You gotta be hungry by now
Water Street is all about fusion: the old with the new, the rugged with the refined.
Add tacos and spicy crab rolls to the list.
Chinitas Tapas & Sushi (147 S. Water St.) specializes in both, with a mix of Mexican and Asian cuisines, from chicken tinga tostadas to tuna sashimi.
The urbane atmosphere is enhanced by DJs on Saturday nights, and a good portion of the menu is offered on shareable plates.
Speaking of inspired pairings, there’s Biscuits and Bourbon (109 S. Water St.), which boasts a voluminous selection of said whiskey, some of the best smoked meats in town — the 10-hour brisket is a must-try — and, of course, those biscuits, ordered with your choice of butter, honey and jam.
If elevated cheese sticks are your thing, stop by hockey-themed sports bar Sticks Tavern (203 S. Water St.), where said deep-fried delicacies are made with Oaxacan cheese and are among the standouts on a deep menu of high-end pub fare and Thai Breaker munchies, like the homemade beef jerky with sticky rice.
A feast for the eyes and the palate alike, the decor at Azzurra Cucina Italia (322 S. Water St.) is almost as inviting as what’s on your plate, with its colorful portraits of canine noblesse and luminous patio. Notice we said, almost: Chef Alessandra’s Meatballs hit like a high-five to the tastebuds and the linguine clams will have seafood fans as happy as one of said bivalves.
Some folks like to feel the burn at the gym, we prefer doing so at Juan’s Flaming Fajitas & Cantina (16 S. Water St.), where the entrees are fire — literally — with their beloved fajitas served with flames leaping from the skillet. We recommend cooling down with a Manuel’s Cadillac Margarita.
For sweet tooths, no trip to the district would be complete without a stop at Chef Flemming’s Bakeshop (7 S. Water St.), whose namesake traveled all the way from his native Denmark to satisfy your cream puff cravings with his European-style pastries.
Hit him with a hearty “Velbekomme!” (Danish for “bon appetit”) on your way out the door.
Contact Jason Bracelin at [email protected] or 702-383-0476. Follow @jasonbracelin76 on Instagram.