On July 7, 1930, the construction of the Hoover Dam commenced, marking the beginning of a colossal feat. It took a workforce of over 21,000 men five years of unwavering dedication to create the largest dam of its time and one of the world’s largest manmade structures, according to History.com. Unfortunately, the construction carried significant risks, with 96 workers losing their lives between 1931 and 1936, as reported by the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation. Additional deaths occurred among off-duty workers due to various causes like pneumonia, meningitis, and typhoid fever.
Situated approximately 30 miles southeast of Las Vegas, the Hoover Dam dwells at the point where the Colorado River serves as a natural divide between Nevada and Colorado. The dam, spanning over 3.25 million cubic yards and covering more than 220 acres, is composed of small concrete squares measuring about 8 cubic feet each, as mentioned in an article by the Las Vegas Review-Journal. Notably, the dam’s water intake towers are found at Lake Mead, the largest manmade water reservoir in the United States. This reservoir, formed by the dam on the Colorado River in the Southwestern U.S., supplies water to the states of Arizona, California, Utah, Colorado, and Nevada, as well as certain regions of Mexico. (George Rose/Getty Images)
The Hoover Dam derives its name from Herbert Hoover, the 31st president of the United States. According to the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, Secretary of the Interior Ray Lyman Wilbur ordered the construction of the dam in the Black Canyon of the Colorado River as part of the Boulder Canyon Project Act. It was later decided that the dam would be named Hoover Dam. This official naming occurred on February 14, 1931, as specified by the mentioned source.
However, the construction of the Hoover Dam had evolved over nearly three decades, despite only taking five years to complete. The idea for the dam initially originated from engineer Arthur Powell Davis in 1902. His engineering report on the subject became the guiding document when plans were finally established to begin construction in 1922, according to History.com. President Hoover, a dedicated conservationist, played a significant role in turning Davis’ vision into reality. During his tenure as Secretary of Commerce in 1921, Hoover devoted himself to the creation of a high dam in Boulder Canyon, as recounted by the same source. The Hoover Dam stands today as one of the most popular tourist attractions under the National Park Service. (Ashley Soriano/Fox News)
In 1929, now President Hoover signed the Colorado River Compact into law, deeming it the “most extensive action ever taken by a group of states under the provisions of the Constitution permitting compacts between states,” as noted by History.com. The purpose behind the construction of the Hoover Dam was to generate hydroelectric power and provide irrigation water to the residents of southern Nevada, northern Arizona, and southern California, including Los Angeles. Presently, the dam fulfills these functions for millions of people, as reported by Travel Nevada.
Despite President Hoover’s support for the dam’s construction, congressional approval and state cooperation were slow to materialize, as History.com mentions. Yet, once preparations were complete, the construction of the Hoover Dam progress rapidly. Water rights disputes among western states claiming rights to the Colorado River were resolved through the Colorado River Compact, orchestrated by President Hoover. This agreement divided the river basin into two regions, each allocated a share of the water. A vehicle towing personal watercraft drives past a sign welcoming visitors to the Lake Mead National Recreation Area on July 1, 2022, in the Lake Mead National Recreation Area, Nevada. The water level at Lake Mead was at its lowest since it was filled in 1937 after the construction of the Hoover Dam. (Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
Hoover faced the challenge of introducing and reintroducing a bill to authorize dam construction multiple times over the next few years before it was finally approved by the House and Senate in 1928, according to History.com. Once preparations were complete, the Hoover Dam’s construction surged forward, with contractors completing their work two years ahead of schedule and millions under budget, as noted by the same source.
Upon completion in 1935, the Hoover Dam stood as tall as a 60-story building, earning the distinction of being the highest dam in the world at that time, according to the National Park Service. Additionally, it remains the largest manmade lake in the United States. When the lake is full, the water volume could cover the state of Connecticut to a depth of 10 feet. Such immense water pressure could only be withstood by an enormous dam, as explained by the mentioned source. The Hoover Dam became a symbol of what American industry and its workers achieved, even in the depths of the Great Depression. According to the National Park Service, it embodied the resilience and innovation of American workers during the 1930s, becoming a symbol of hope for millions affected by the Great Depression, whether or not they ever personally visited it.
In 1929, the American stock market crashed, plunging the nation into despair and poverty. This event triggered the onset of the Great Depression, leaving one in four workers unemployed, regardless of their skill level, as reported by Bartleby.com.
Furthermore, the 1930s witnessed the construction of several major projects across the country. On May 1, 1931, during the Great Depression, the iconic Empire State Building was opened in New York City, reigning as the world’s tallest building until 1973. New transportation networks transformed the city with the completion of projects such as the Triborough Bridge (now known as the Robert F. Kennedy Bridge), the Lincoln Tunnel, and La Guardia Airport. Meanwhile, on the West Coast, the Golden Gate Bridge was constructed in San Francisco during the same decade. The Smithsonian describes the Golden Gate Bridge as one of the remarkable projects of the 1930s that propelled the nation’s economic recovery.
More recently, the Hoover Dam Bypass Project commenced in January 2005, after considerable planning. Subsequently, in October 2010, a concrete arch bridge with a 1,060-foot span, the longest of its type in North America, opened for through traffic near the Hoover Dam, as reported by Britannica.com. The old road along the crest is now reserved for dam visitors, as stated by the same source.
Designated as a National Historic Landmark, the Hoover Dam holds the distinction of being recognized as one of America’s Seven Modern Civil Engineering Wonders by the American Society of Civil Engineers, according to the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation.
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