[Harrier]

I have been doing a lot of research about the Las Vegas Valley(including reading this forum) in advance of a possible move to Las Vegas. One curious thing that I have noticed on this forum is that people seem to define where they live by the zip code. One post I read even referred to the 89108.

Here in southern California - it is normal to prefix the number of a freeway(such as the 60, or the 5) with "the", but no one does so with their zip code. Los Angeles(the city in particular) is defined by its neighborhoods - and in LA county - people say they live in whatever city that they call home. No one refers to the zip code(90210 excluded perhaps).

Is this normal - and do people really identify with their zip code in Las Vegas - like it is a way to break down the disparate areas of the valley? Or am I noticing something that is not really "there".

[ScoopLV]

Actually most people use the major cross streets. I live at Charleston and Hollywood, for instance. Many zip codes are roller coaster rides of mansions butted up near ghettos. 89120 is a prime example of this. Nobody brags, "I live in 89120." But tell people you live on Tomiyasu Lane, and they'll take notice.

For the most part, it's the newbies who are hunting for property online who come here and ask about zip codes. That's all realtor.com and redfin give them to work with. So that's what they ask about.

[Buzz123]

Originally Posted by Harrier

I have been doing a lot of research about the Las Vegas valley(including reading this forum) in advance of a possible move to Las Vegas. One curious thing that I have noticed on this forum is that people seem to define where they live by the zip code. One post I read even referred to the 89108.

Here in southern California - it is normal to prefix the number of a freeway(such as the 60, or the 5) with "the", but no one does so with their zip code. Los Angeles(the city in particular) is defined by its neighborhoods - and in LA county - people say they live in whatever city that they call home. No one refers to the zip code(90210 excluded perhaps).

Is this normal - and do people really identify with their zip code in las Vegas - like it is a way to break down the disparate areas of the valley? Or am I noticing something that is not really "there".

I've never heard anyone do that, but we know if you are from California when you talk about The 15, or The 95. To us locals not from California it's I-15 and U.S. 95. Now you might hear people say, I live in the 89109 zip code, but not, I live in the 89109. We have so many people from every part of the U.S., and even every part of the world, you never know what they'll say though. We've had a lot of people, especially news people, come here and try to change the way we say things, such as calling The Strip, "The Boulevard". I guess they think they discovered something new to them so it must also be new to us. To us locals The Strip and Las Vegas Boulevard is interchangeable. If we mean Las Vegas Boulevard north of downtown which runs through North Las Vegas, we'll say Las Vegas Blvd. North ...never North Las Vegas Blvd, because North Las Vegas is a separate city and they don't have a North Las Vegas Blvd. From Fremont Street going south it is called Las Vegas Blvd South, not South Las Vegas Blvd.

[Harrier]

Originally Posted by ScoopLV

Many zip codes are roller coaster rides of mansions butted up near ghettos. 89120 is a prime example of this. Nobody brags, "I live in 89120."

Woud someone who lived in the 89120 area code say for instance, thst they live near Russell and Pecos?

[Buzz123]

Delivery people will always ask you what your cross streets are. Like Scoop says, zip codes are all over the map and don't mean much. A few of them do, especially the ones you want to stay away from, like 89109. The Strip is in 89109, but east of there it isn't a good neighborhood anymore.

[Harrier]

Originally Posted by Buzz123

Delivery people will always ask you what your cross streets are. Like Scoop says, zip codes are all over the map and don't mean much. A few of them do, especially the ones you want to stay away from, like 89109. The Strip is in 89109, but east of there it isn't a good neighborhood anymore.

I noticed people citing cross streets which I like because it makes it easier to learn the various neighborhoods. It is nice that everything is laid out for the most part in a grid.

[ScoopLV]

Originally Posted by Harrier

Woud someone who lived in the 89120 area code say for instance, thst they live near Russell and Pecos?

If they lived near Russell and Pecos, yes. Or they might say they live near Hacienda and Sandhill. Whatever fits best. One of the good things about this town is that there really aren't many major cross streets to memorize. Once you know them, you can get pretty-much everywhere.

Originally Posted by Harrier

I noticed people citing cross streets which I like because it makes it easier to learn the various neighborhoods. It is nice that everything is laid out for the most part in a grid.

Thank the Mormons. They laid it out.

[Buzz123]

Originally Posted by Harrier

I noticed people citing cross streets which I like because it makes it easier to learn the various neighborhoods. It is nice that everything is laid out for the most part in a grid.

I've never heard whether that's the Mormon influence or just that there are (almost) no natural obstacles in the way of roads. Of course we do have plenty of roads where right of ways were reconfigured later creating situations where you'll be on Durango, then it becomes Rampart, then Fort Apache. And later you find those other streets pick up someplace else. Eastern, 25th, and Civic Center are three more like that. And Maryland Parkway was 12th Street, and still is where it splits into a one way downtown going southbound, and becomes 13th going northbound. Then you follow it on down around Cashman Field and it becomes Bruce St. There are streets like that all over town. Owens/Vegas Drive is another instance.

The nice thing is that all you need to do is learn a few major north-south, east-west streets, and look for the landmark mountains, starting with Sunrise Mtn. in the east and Charleston Peak in the west, and you can't get lost. But don't get bogged down in the details, such as Sunrise is really Frenchman Mtn, and Charleston is just one peak, albeit the highest one, in the Spring Mtn Range.

[ScoopLV]

Or, learn to find your way around based on the position of the Stratosphere. I imagine that's how most people get started navigating this city. Well, after it was built, 'natch.

[Harrier]

Originally Posted by ScoopLV

Or, learn to find your way around based on the position of the Stratosphere. I imagine that's how most people get started navigating this city. Well, after it was built, 'natch.

I know that at the Sratosphere - the street heading to the east is St. Louis and that one is just inside the Las Vegas city limits at the southern end.

That is good to know - I'm looking at homes in Spring Valley and Enterprise. Will likely rent first - and be near the Strip during that time - if I decide to move - so referncing the Stratosphere will be helpful. After that - I want to get the outlying neighborhoods figured out more then anything - an I'm getting a headstart - learning for instance the difference between Lake Mead/Decatur and Flamingo/Rainbow.