Built during the Great Depression, the Hoover Dam is situated in the Colorado River Basin on the border between Nevada and Arizona. Many people consider Hoover Dam to be one of the "marvels of the industrial world." More than 3,000 visitors tour the Hoover Dam each day. The construction of the dam resulted in a large reservoir named Lake Mead, which is part of the U.S. National Park Service.
Congress and President Herbert Hoover approved the construction of a dam on the Colorado River in 1928. Hoover Dam's purpose was to control destructive flood waters from the Colorado River, to ensure a steady water supply to the Colorado River Bases states and to generate hydroelectric power. Originally named Boulder Dam, the name changed upon its completion to honor the president who was instrumental in its construction. Construction began in 1931, and was completed in 1936, which was 2 years ahead of schedule. The U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of Reclamation operates the dam and it has been offering daily tours since 1937.
Hoover Dam features a curved wall that rises over 720 feet high. It includes four in-take towers on the Lake Mead side, which deliver water to the power turbines to generate electricity. At its base, the wall is 660 feet thick; at the top where the pedestrian walkway sits, the wall narrows to only 45 feet thick. The structure contains 3.25 million cubic yards of cement, weighing approximately 6,600,000 tons. The dam was built in a series of 215 interlocking blocks with grout forced between the blocks, creating one solid structure.
Congress estimated the cost of the construction at $175 million. When it was completed, the Hoover Dam came in at $160 million, approximately $15 million below budget. A total of 5,200 laborers worked 24 hours per day to complete the dam. A 30-foot bronze sculpture built by Oskar Hansen, called "Winged Figures of the Republic" sits atop the dam at the Nevada entrance to the structure. Lake Mead originally contained 9.2 trillion gallons of water, held back by the dam, and, it took 6 1/2 years to fill.
The Hoover Dam Visitor Center opens each day at 9 a.m. and closes at 6 p.m. Along with a gift shop and concessions the visitor center includes an art gallery as well as an overlook for viewing Lake Mead, the Colorado River and Black Canyon. Visitors may take a self-guided tour of the power plant, or they may reserve space in one of the guided Hoover Dam Tours. Children under the age of 8 years old may not go on the guided Hoover Dam Tour, and the guided tour cannot accommodate wheelchairs or strollers. Pedestrians may visit the top of the dam during daylight hours.
Hoover Dam is located southeast of Las Vegas, Nevada. Drive approximately 7 miles northwest of the dam to Boulder City, which was built to house the laborers during dam construction. Travel through the Valley of Fire State Park to see the naturally hewn red sandstone formations. Lake Mead National Recreation Center offers a wide range of outdoor activities, including canoeing, hiking and camping.
