The Hoover Dam, near Las Vegas, is a popular tourist attraction and draws millions of visitors each year. For good reason: it is considered one of the great engineering marvels of the 1900s, built in the hot, rugged and desolate Black Canyon.
Here are just some of the amazing facts about Hoover Dam:
- Hidden Passage: The Hoover Dam features a secret passage known as the “inspection tunnel,” which runs through the dam and allows workers to inspect and maintain the structure.
- Time Capsule: A time capsule was placed in the dam in 1935, which is meant to be opened in the year 6935. It contains a wide variety of items, including coins, newspapers, and government reports.
- Concrete: The dam is made up of more than 3 million cubic yards of concrete, which was enough to build a two-lane highway from San Francisco to New York.
- Art Deco Design: The Hoover Dam was designed in the Art Deco style, which was popular in the 1930s.
- Electric Power: The Hoover Dam produces enough electricity to power more than 1.3 million homes.
- Workers’ Safety: During the construction of the Hoover Dam, safety was a major concern, and workers were required to wear hard hats and safety harnesses, which were not common at the time.
- Cost: The Hoover Dam was completed in 1935 and cost $49 million to build, which is the equivalent of over $700 million today.
- Water Storage: The Hoover Dam can hold up to 9.2 trillion gallons of water.
- Height: The Hoover Dam is over 725 feet tall and is one of the tallest dams in the world.
Who Am I?
I am Richard Lloyd Evans, a travel writer, a retired history teacher, and a private tour guide offering tours in the Las Vegas area. I am a member in good standing with the Las Vegas Tourist Guide Guild, and recently named Best Local Tour Guide by the Las Vegas Visitor Guide 2023.
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