Sixty-three miles west of Las Vegas, the 28-mile-long Pahrump Valley -- part of what Bell made famous as "The Kingdom of Nye" -- gets its name from the Southern Paiutes who called the valley "Pah," for water, and "Rimpi," for stone or rock. While the water may not be all that evident in this desert expanse, the valley sits atop one of the largest aquifers in the West.

Pahrump's climate is ideal for those who like it sunny and dry. The valley boasts the lowest relative humidity in the country, and its partisans say it is second only to Yuma, Arizona, for number of sunny days per year.

An unincorporated town governed by an elected Town Board and Town Manager, Pahrump is in the midst of lively growth, with new businesses setting up shop almost weekly and more than 10,000 single and multi-family residences in development or under construction. Boosters say the town is growing at a rate of eight percent per year.

Historians recall that the Pahrump Valley saw its first settlers about 1875. The township itself was created in 1892.

But it was in the 1950s, when the Las Vegas Road (State Highway 160) was paved that Pahrump began to be noticed. The 1960s saw power and telephone service extended to the valley, and state-of-the-art fiber optic cable was installed in 1999.

For the duffer, Pahrump boasts two popular 18-hole golf courses -- Willow Creek and Lakeview -- and a nine-hole course at Desert Greens. The bowling lanes at Mountain View Casino and Bowl have welcomed the Nevada State Championships, and the dirt track at the Pahrump Valley Speedway offers exciting racing -- stock car, IMCA, dwarf and more -- from March to November. Four parks -- Petrack, Simkins, Honeysuckle and Blosser -- and a community swimming pool offer resident and traveler alike ample recreational opportunities. Five casinos provide the requisite Nevada-style entertainment, and comfortable lodging may be found at the Pahrump Nugget, Saddle West, and Best Western-Pahrump Station.

A highlight of any trip to Pahrump is a visit to Nevada's only winery -- the Pahrump Valley Vineyards. Located on Highway 160, the winery is open for tours daily, with reservations required. Visitors -- thousands stop by annually -- are invited to sample the vineyard's award-winning wines and relax in the comfortable restaurant, which boasts a superb view of Mount Charleston.

Summer and fall at the winery are especially active -- and often tuneful -- times. Concerts and special events are held every weekend all summer long, with the annual Grape Stomp and Jazz Festival an October delight. Phone the vineyard toll-free for more information at (800) 368-9463.

There’s seldom a lack of things to do around town. The Spring Fling starts the social year, which also includes the annual Pahrump Harvest Festival, Fair and Rodeo -- billed as rural Nevada’s largest-attended event -- which kicks off the first weekend in October.

The Pahrump Chamber of Commerce sponsors a whole slate of events throughout the year, including the annual Business Exposition in March, the Silver State Regional Chili Championship in May, the Pony Express Ride and Hoedown the week prior to the Harvest Festival, and the Senior A-Fair and Social Pow-Wow held in November.

The Pahrump Visual and Performing Arts Council is also busy, sponsoring events including the Fiber Arts Show & Crafts Sale in February, “Art & Sol” in May, and a Chautauqua which is held each September at the winery.

The town also is becoming more keen on its history. The Pahrump Museum and Historical Society recently completed construction of a museum on Basin Road, a few blocks west of Petrack Park.

The museum is still in its infancy and is presently open only on an on-call basis. However, Director Harry Ford -- who is credited as the founder of the facility -- lives just a few blocks away and is always ready to show off Pahrump's history when summoned by a phone call from an interested tourist.

Pahrump offers its visitors a rare chance to explore a real 21st century boomtown, and to experience the evocative high desert world of “The Kingdom of Nye” -- the place where eminates that mysterious voice in the night.