Our Visit to Hoover Dam
This past week, I traveled to Las Vegas for a Home Depot Manager’s Meeting. I wanted to give my colleagues and traveling companions a treat and get them out of Vegas for a very special field trip to one of the seven modern civil engineering wonders of the United States - Hoover Dam. I had visited this massive structure many years ago, but I really wanted to see it again and give the others a big thrill. Considered to be the world’s largest dam and an engineering marvel at the time of its construction in the 1930s, Hoover Dam brings much-needed water and power to the Southwest. However, due to a severe drought, water levels are dropping in Lake Mead and engineers are scrambling to produce the same amount of power from the hydroelectric grid with less water.
1 We got to Hoover Dam bright and early. Built in the 1930s, Hoover Dam straddles the mighty Colorado River, which forms the border between the states of Nevada and Arizona.
2 Hoover Dam is named for Herbert Hoover, the nation’s 31st president. After he left office, the names “Boulder Canyon Dam” and “Boulder Dam” were frequently used, allegedly because the new Secretary of the Interior did not like the former president.
3 Hoover Dam is 726 feet high, 45 feet thick at the top and 660 feet at the bottom, and is larger than the Great Pyramid of Cheops. The dam is filled with 3.25 million cubic yards of concrete, enough to pave a strip 16 feet wide and 8 inches thick from San Francisco to New York City.
4 Damming the Colorado River created Lake Mead, a National Recreation Area managed by the National Park Service. The lake offers boating, fishing, camping, houseboating, waterskiing and swimming.
5 Hikers can enjoy the stark beauty of the desert surrounding the lake.
6 The Mike O'Callaghan–Pat Tillman Memorial Bridge, is a spectacular four-lane highway bridge arching across the Colorado River.
7 This bridge opened in late 2010 and carries traffic between Nevada and Arizona. An impressive feat of engineering, the supporting twin-rib arch span echoes the elegant curves of the dam itself.
8 The older two-lane highway across the dam could no longer handle the 14,000 vehicles that travel here each day.
9 It was the first concrete-steel composite arch bridge built in the United States and it incorporates the widest concrete arch in the Western Hemisphere.
10 This is Anduin Havens posing next to this marvel. At 840 feet above the Colorado River, it is the second-highest bridge in the United States, following the Royal Gorge Bridge in Colorado.
11 Anduin was joined by Kevin Sharkey and Daisy Schwartzberg.
12 A view of the Colorado River from the bridge
13 Construction required hoisting workers and materials 890 feet above the Colorado River using 2,300 foot-long steel cables held aloft by a "high-line" crane system.
14 This bronze statue on a rock formation is called High Scaler and it sits outside the High Scaler Cafe. High scalers were the daring workers who hung from ropes on the canyon walls as they drilled with jackhammers and packed dynamite.
15 Sculptor Oskar J.W. Hansen, created several pieces of art at Hoover Dam including The Winged Figures of the Republic. Rising from a black, polished base, is a 142-foot flagpole flanked by two winged figures.
16 Hansen said, the figures express "the immutable calm of intellectual resolution, and the enormous power of trained physical strength, equally enthroned in placid triumph of scientific accomplishment."
17 The winged figures are 30 feet high. Their shells are 5/8-inch thick, and contain more than 4 tons of statuary bronze. The figures were formed from sand molds weighing 492 tons.
18 The bronze that forms the shells was heated to 2,500 degrees Fahrenheit, and poured into the molds in one continuous, molten stream.
19 The base of the flagpole is engraved with "It is fitting that the flag of our country should fly here in honor of those men who, inspired by a vision of lonely lands made fruitful, conceived this great work and of those others whose genius and labor made that vision a reality."
20 Here I am on top of Hoover Dam.
21 Below the dam is the powerplant and the canyon wall outlet works.
22 Another view of the workings of the dam and that fabulous bridge
23 A view looking down the wall of the dam
24 Turning in the opposite direction, a view of Lake Mead - Because of a severe drought, the water level of Lake Mead is about 75 feet low.
25 A nice shot of Anduin on the dam
26 These are two of four 338 foot high Intake Towers that stand in the deep waters of Lake Mead behind Hoover Dam. They siphon water to the powerplant. Two towers are on the Nevada side and two on the Arizona side.
27 Half of Hoover Dam is on the Pacific Time Zone and the other half is in Mountain Time Zone. Arizona is one of the exceptions to the rule when it comes to observing daylight saving time in the United States.
28 Consequently, since daylight saving time had occurred, the times in both states were the same.
29 Anduin is standing in Nevada and I'm in Arizona!
30 The line of demarcation
31 Hoover Dam is one of seven modern civil engineering wonders of the U.S. The others are Mount Rushmore, Brooklyn Bridge, Washington Monument, Golden Gate Bridge, Seattle's Space Needle, and the Empire State Building.
32 Considered to be the world’s largest dam and an engineering marvel at the time of its construction in the 1930s, Hoover Dam brings much-needed water and power to the Southwest.
33 Another look at Lake Mead on our way back to Las Vegas
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Hi Martha,
What an exciting and beautiful place to visit and thanks a lot for the history lesson although I think I had some heart palpitations just thinking about someone being hoisted 890 feet above the Colorado River just to hang from ropes and drill with jackhammers! You have no idea how afraid of heights I am! I used to sit on the floor whenever I rode in a private plane just so I wouldn't have to look out the window. I could never stand where you're standing in picture #20 and look over the rail. No way! It's all very nice to see in pictures though and it is definitely an engineering marvel. The new bridge is amazing. I think we all need to do a rain dance to make sure that water level doesn't get too low although it would have to rain for quite a long time to replenish 75 feet. You took some really gorgeous pictures and I especially like #24. Have a great weekend! Trish
Posted by: Trish | March 15th, 2013 at 12:50 am
I didn't know all of those different things are at Hoover Dam. Thanks for the lesson.
Gloria G!!
Posted by: Gloria | March 15th, 2013 at 12:57 am
Martha,
Thanks for sharing this blog.
Posted by: KLBrown | March 15th, 2013 at 4:16 am
Thank you - I really appreciated all the images and the info on Hoover dam, great! I visited the dam and looked down the incredible wall around 15 years ago, an incredible experience. I hope to return and show my daughters this manmade wonder sometime in the future.
Have a lovely weekend!
Sincerely, Erika, Stockholm
Posted by: Erika L, Stockholm | March 15th, 2013 at 5:49 am
Dear Martha,
HOover Dam. I was there! This brought back every memory of my first and last trip.
My knees are still shaking...
You are looking dam good, Martha!
...and thanks for this and that. Have a good weekend!
Posted by: Tina Y. | March 15th, 2013 at 6:19 am
Very interesting. Thanks for sharing, Martha.
Angela
Posted by: Angela | March 15th, 2013 at 7:13 am
The new Mike O'Callaghan-Pat Tillman memorial bridge is incredible. Thanks for showing us your fabulous trip to the Hoover Dam Martha and have a wonderful weekend everyone!
Posted by: Cindy F | March 15th, 2013 at 8:14 am
Hi Martha, Thanks again for your delightful, informative tweets again yesterday! Also, I want to wish your MSL magazine editor Pilar Guzman a Happy Birthday on Sunday, the 17th of March! Thank you also for the fantastic photos and information about your delightful newest visit to Hoover Dam! Like I said before, I had visited Hoover Dam way back in the late 1960's and it is amazing to see the changes that have taken place since then! Lake Mead is amazing, also, and it's depth certainly has gone pretty low at -75 feet of water! That spectacular 4 lane highway bridge over the Colorado River is amazing! How fun to see Anduin Haven, Kevin Sharkey, Daisy Schwartzberg and you in some of these awesome photos enjoying this great visit! All four of you look so charming and happy enjoying this great visit! Photo # 29 of you and Anduin is the cutest!! It sure would be fun to visit Hoover Dam again and seeing it through your superior photos is marvelous! Having been a geography studier way back in Collage makes me happy to see so many visits you make all over the world and share with us on your delightful blogs! Thanks so much! Hope you have a great day and lovely weekend! Off to see The Daily Wag about "The Horses are Shedding!" Jan
Posted by: Jan Erickson | March 15th, 2013 at 9:10 am
Thanks Martha! Have always thought about zipping out when in Vegas, but have never taken the time. After seeing this, I am more driven!
Posted by: Charlie Burd | March 15th, 2013 at 9:38 am
I SAW THE DAM your photos. Really interesting. ESPECIALLY HIGHWAY BRIDGE is very scary.
Posted by: ÜLFET | March 15th, 2013 at 9:42 am
Magnificent photography, Martha!
I love seeing things through your eyes. Your camera captures the features of everything that are important, and as expressed in your personal and timeless elegance. Great arworkt to me!
These breathtaking shots show me what I've been missing!
Thank you
Barbara
Posted by: Barbara Mayer | March 15th, 2013 at 9:49 am
Martha,
We visited last fall with my parents and two elementary age daughters. My brother-in-law was getting married in Vegas (where he lives), so we flew from Ohio to Phoenix and then drove, with my parents, to Las Vegas. We got to see a lot of great things that many in Ohio will never see. I grew up in Colorado and had never seen the Dam, but WOW!! How cool and impressive was it?! My nine year-old was really inspired. She is quite smart and creative, and I think this may have helped her realize how important math and science are to reaching the full potential of her creative ideas.
Posted by: Kyle Anne Uniss | March 15th, 2013 at 9:50 am
Along with a helicopter tour of the dam & the Grand Canyon, I recommend the river-rafting tour that starts near the base of the dam & floats downstream. The water is c-c-c-cold, but it was a hoot!
Posted by: Carmen | March 15th, 2013 at 9:57 am
I've been to the Hoover Dam twice, and it never gets old. Must-see for everyone!!
Posted by: Carol Sears | March 15th, 2013 at 9:57 am
So interesting for me to read, I live in South Africa and will probably never visit the Hoover Dam so it's lovely for me to be able to experience it and read about it from here.
Thanks!
Linda
Posted by: Linda | March 15th, 2013 at 10:42 am
Makes me smile to see you looking very well and happy.
Posted by: Bruce | March 15th, 2013 at 10:42 am
sending after word press error-Or was it? You look wonderful. Sequestering madness and political positioning threatens closure of wind cave Park in Dakota and White House Tours. I don't see how this reduces NATIONAL DEBT.
The ides of March is a good day to contemplate the future of our children and grandchildren as those of us fortunate to have lived 7 decades have enjoyed affluence in United States. Thank you for promoting tourism in our country.
Posted by: ann | March 15th, 2013 at 11:08 am
Thanks for sharing this Martha. My mom lives in Boulder City and I spent many summers out there with her (I live in Michigan). It brings back good memories seeing these newer pictures. I'm saddened by the low water level of the lake. I remember riding up close to the dam in a friends small boat, quite impressive.
Posted by: Lisa H. | March 15th, 2013 at 11:20 am
Good Morning Martha,
Hoover Dam is fascinating. And, I love the winged figures. The figures are so angular that I didn't expect such human looking feet. I like the details that you captured in your photos. Very cool.
Posted by: Cindy M | March 15th, 2013 at 11:20 am
Haven't been since they rebuilt the visitor's area. Can't wait!
Posted by: Holiday Baker Man | March 15th, 2013 at 4:01 pm
Thanks for sharing. Looks like you all had a great time. Makes me want to go back, me and hubby went there in 2005 and loved it.
Posted by: Linda M. | March 15th, 2013 at 6:53 pm
Interesting pictures. Number 29 is my favorite. I was a little concerned about Kevin. His shoes do not look like the kind to be safe climbing stones. I am sure he was careful.
Posted by: Diane P | March 15th, 2013 at 8:02 pm
Hi, Martha,
You photos made me feel warm and dry instead of soppy.
I would encourage everyone to see the dam, too. It's all those descriptive words: remarkable, stunning, awesome, and more! I never realized I have been to five of the seven engineering wonders! That was fun to learn.
Posted by: Bobbie | March 15th, 2013 at 10:08 pm
Hi Martha, I love your blog. You take me to so many places I've never been and probably will not be able to go. Thank you so much for the wonderful photo's and all the information of The Hoover Dam. I've never been and it was so interesting looking at the photo's and all the information you had to share with us. The photo's are wonderful... And whewww that is really high!!
Again thank you so much for this blog and all the interesting things here..
Have a Awesome Day!
Ramona (North Carolina)
Posted by: Ramona (North Carolina) | March 16th, 2013 at 9:01 am
Really very amazing! And you all look so cute posing in and around the dam.
Posted by: Sherey | March 16th, 2013 at 3:13 pm
Hi Martha,
Great photos of hover Dam. Thanks
We lived in new Canaan for a number of years and often traveled to Westport and shopped at that great grocery store that is really customer friendly (Stew Leondars).
Often thought we'd run into to you in Westport, but never did. You're great.
Posted by: Tomasso Lisi | March 16th, 2013 at 3:27 pm
I'm glad they paid attention to making that bridge so attractive. It's very beautiful. Is the drought due to climate change?
By the way, one of the very best books explaining engineering to layman is Henry Petroski's book "To Engineer is Human." It's an absolutely terrific read.
Posted by: Karen | March 16th, 2013 at 10:03 pm
Hoover Dam was actually called "Boulder Dam" during President Hoover's time in office. He actually didn't want his name associated with the project until after he left the presidency and the dam was a huge success.
The name "Boulder Dam" was originally chosen because the original site of the dam was in Boulder Canyon. However, when the original surveyors went back to the Boulder Canyon site, they found a better site in Black Canyon, where Hoover Dam now is. The "Boulder" name stuck though.
Posted by: Paul Miller | March 17th, 2013 at 8:03 pm
Wow
A few year ago I watched a TV series about modern engineering wonders of the world. it was an awe inspiring series and Hoover Dam was one of the subjects. I would love to see this man made marvel. What a truly amazing site to see.
Posted by: Erica Hanwright | March 20th, 2013 at 7:07 am
Great photo album! Does anyone know what type of camera Martha is using/holding? It's white with a pretty larger back display...I can't seem to find it - The only one that comes close is the Samsung Galaxy Camera...any help would be greatly appreciated!?
Martha is awesome!
Posted by: Michael Joseph | March 22nd, 2013 at 2:20 am
Martha,
In an effort to know more about "thegoodlonglife" I discovered this site about the Dam my Grandmothers Brother was the head Engineer in building. His name was Daniel Webster Mead, who's name the lake bears. Many of the comment's
on this blog speak of the Engineering marvel the building of this Dam was. My Uncle Daniel is another of those who's blood I am proud to inherit. Many of his qualities show up in my own Personality Type on Chemistry.com. I would very much like to share this Dr.'s analysis with you. Please drop me a note if you are interested. By the way, thanks for the beautiful pictures, and the chance to get in touch with you.
"anotherlonglife"
Posted by: Jerold McCartney | May 4th, 2013 at 5:20 pm
Your enthusiasm for one of my favorite subjects drew me in like the smell of fresh baked bread....Your photos are stunning, your information entertaining. And relevant to my work, as I'm in the process of finishing a novel about a boy who goes to work in the diversion tunnels of the Hoover Dam, the summer of 1931.
Posted by: Michelle (Shelby) Mahan | May 6th, 2013 at 1:11 pm