
At any rate, naturally I took a lot of pictures from one of the very first places we went to while in the Las Vegas area - the Hoover Dam - and I figure it's about high-time I post some of them. As there are so many, I put a lot of them in the You Tube video a little further down in this post but I'll sprinkle a few more throughout. For example, this one up there to the right isn't the best picture ever due to that hovering green blob in front of the palm tree but I kind of liked it anyway! There's just something about palm trees in the desert that still amazes me though I really don't know why!
Okay then ... on with the post!
We arrived in Las Vegas around 10:30 a.m. Pacific Standard Time and procured a rental car right at the airport to make the drive out to Hoover Dam. It's really not all that far from Vegas and we figured that by driving out ourselves, we could pretty much do things at our own pace. I must say, though, that Vegas traffic is not the most fun to drive in and I thought Jen was going to have a panic attack or something on the slightly twisty-turny road that gets one to the dam. Still, we made it in one piece and after parking in the dam garage, we made our way over to the dam visitor center.

Speaking of building things, one of the very first things you see as you come around the corner approaching the dam from the Nevada side is the arch bridge that is being built over Black Canyon and the Colorado River located way, way, way down below.

As for the Hoover Dam itself, it is an engineering marvel of the highest magnitude. When completed, it was both the world's largest electric-power generating station and the world's largest concrete structure though now it is currently the world's 35th-largest hydroelectric generating station and the Grand Toulee Dam is bigger. Trust me, that is hard to imagine!
Construction began on the project that would tame the Colorado River and provide much-needed water to the states of Arizona, California, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah, and Wyoming in 1931 and was completed two years ahead of schedule in 1936. Over the course of the construction, over 21,000 workers were hired to complete the project which provided much-needed jobs to workers hit by the Great Depression that gripped the United States.

In addition to the dam itself, one of the things I liked most was the monument by Oskar J.W. Hansen, a sculptor who moved to the United States from Norway. His monument consists of two 32-foot-tall winged figures, made of bronze, and is called "Winged Figures of the Republic." It sits on the Nevada side of the dam.

Surrounding the base is a terrazzo floor, inlaid with a star chart, or celestial map, which pinpoints the precise astronomical time - September 30, 1935, 8:56 p.m. - when President Franklin Roosevelt dedicated the dam. The floor also pays homage to the Native American heritage of the land which surrounds the dam. All in all, it's pretty cool!
Anyhow, I think I've bored you with enough history for one post so please enjoy the rest of the pictures below which don't do justice to the magnificence which is Hoover Dam. The only way to truly appreciate it is to visit it yourself and I'm sure you'll be as dam amazed and impressed as I was!
I am so glad we got to go inside the Hoover Dam many years ago. It sure is an awesome place! Love all your details:-)
ReplyDeleteIn my 6 times in Vegas I never went to see it. But I saw a documentary on how it was built on History Channel. A.m.a.z.i.n.g.
ReplyDeleteHubby and I visited in the late 90s. I'll love to see the bridge when it's finished. I wouldn't want to work on it though. Come of your video made me a bit nauseous. I don't like heights at all.
ReplyDeleteHave a terrific day Linda. Big hug. :)
You certainly gave us lots of history here, Duchess Linda. Damn, that was interesting! (Sorry)
ReplyDeleteThe dam must be quite a sight to see up close. I didn't realize it had lost its name for awhile.
Those bronze, art deco winged figures are stunning. I would love to see them as well. The celestial map sounds cool. I will return to watch the video..
Being terrified of heights, I don't know if I'd have the nerve to go there! lol I can appreciate how fascinating it is, though, and I so loved reading the facts about Hoover Dam. The pictures are all beautiful as well!! xoxo
ReplyDeleteI've never been to the Hoover Dam. Thanks, my friend for taking me there. Great post and as always, your pictures are nothing short of amazing!!!
ReplyDeleteI love that shot of the tree and sun. Hover dam is a cool place, a lot of men died building it.
ReplyDeleteA well written post, Linda, that shown and told us a lot about the place.
ReplyDeleteI've seen documentaries on how the dam was built. But as many times as I've been to Vegas, I've never actually gone out to the dam.
ReplyDeleteI would have a panic attack. Not good with heights, bridges and switchbacks on mountain roads and such.
ReplyDeletewhen we went there i was really nervous. scared actually! do i remember something about the town below still being there, cars and all, when they flooded it? either that or i took too much fish oil today... sorry.
ReplyDeletesmiles, bee
xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo
the one thing i didn't do in vegas was the dam, but i got to see the aswan dam in egypt, so i can't complain too much. thanks for sharing your pictures with us!
ReplyDeletewhen we are home life seems to never end slowly. when on vacation it flies by
ReplyDeletefantastic photos Linda and so much great info
ReplyDeleteI'm with Sandee. My palms actually started sweating. When we went, we took the elevator down into the dam and I didn't like it at all!!! I didn't mind looking down from the top, but looking up from down below really freaked me out! Everything was just SO huge. Ugh...
ReplyDeleteMy uncle actually worked on the thing. He was an engineer but I don't remember in what capacity he worked there (He was also a blow-hard...and, I should add, an uncle by marriage - with roving hands.)
~~~Blessings~~~
Amazing! I hope I get to visit it for myself some day. :)
ReplyDeletewhat a great post....great little tidbits like the ice block placements of the winged ones...
ReplyDelete