Gumbo was visiting the Hoover Dam, previously also called “Boulder Dam“. This dam is a magnificent feature of engineering! Built in Black Canyon on the Colorado River, it bridges two states, Arizona and Nevada. The dam was built in the 1930s during the height of the Great Depression. It was named after unpopular President Herbert Hoover (a controversial decision at the time) and was dedicated in 1935 by President Franklin Roosevelt.
(construction plans showing dam location (arrow) and its reservoir, now called
“Lake Mead”)
Construction of the dam began in 1931, an epic undertaking as such a massive concrete structure had never been built before and some of the building techniques used were previously untried. The dam was completed in 1936, two years ahead of schedule, and it still stands proudly some 80 years later a testament to the hard work of so many who planned and built it. Sadly, 112 people (mostly workers on the canyon walls) died in its construction.
(Lake Mead and the Penstock water intake towers)
The dam has proven very beneficial and altered life in the region by providing this dry desert with much needed water for irrigation, human consumption, hydroelectric power and flood control. Lake Mead itself is a popular recreational venue, especially on hot summer days when people use it to swim, boat and water-ski. It’s this dam that powers all those brilliant neon signs in nearby Las Vegas and provides water for the massive fountains of the Bellagio resort, Caesar’s Palace and many others. The dam itself is a major tourist attraction with over a million visitors each year.
(O’Callaghan-Tillman Memorial Bridge)
After 9/11 the dam as seen as a potential terrorist site and so an alternative to the heavily traveled Hwy 93 (which runs across the top of the dam) was constructed. The Hoover Dam Bypass was completed in October 2010 diverting almost all of the through traffic from the top of the dam across this impressive new four lane bridge. The bridge is 1500 ft (460 m) downstream from the Hoover Dam itself and is known as the Mike O’Callaghan-Pat Tillman Memorial Bridge (Pat Tillman was a national hero and former NFL player who lost his life serving his country in Afghanistan; O’Callaghan was just another forgettable politician).
With the opening of the bridge a new parking facility was constructed to allow people to visit the Dam’s Visitor Center and take tours down into the hydroelectric plant at the base of the dam (very interesting especially if you’ve never visited a hydroelectric plant before). Adjoining the parking structure is the monument to the “High Scalers”, those who built this dam. It was this sculpture and the Hoover Dam bypass bridge featured in the original WITW photo.
The Hoover Dam’s a fascinating place to visit and is an excellent way to spend a half day when you’re tired of the casinos in nearby Las Vegas. Or it’s worth a trip just to see by itself.
This year I managed to visit Hoover Dam again with friends from another country and they saw the amazing construction it is.