Hoover Dam, located on the border of Arizona and Nevada in the United States, was completed in 1936 after five years of construction. The dam was named after President Herbert Hoover and has an immense structure that provides electricity to the cities of Las Vegas, Nevada and Los Angeles, California. Here are 10 fun facts about Hoover Dam you might not have known before. 10 Fun Facts About Hoover Dam
#1 A mule train once carried dynamite across the canyon
In the early days of construction, workers used a mule train to carry dynamite across the canyon. The mules made multiple trips per day, carrying up to 60 pounds of dynamite each time. #2 There are nearly 6 million cubic yards of concrete in the dam: A little over 5 million cubic yards went into the dam’s arch and wing walls and abutments; about 400,000 cubic yards went into its spillways. #3 It took 8 years for contractors to build the dam: Construction on the Hoover Dam began on September 17th in 1931 and was completed on March 1st in 1936. #4 More than 2,000 people worked on its construction: At its peak, there were 2,500 men working on building this marvel at any given time.
#2 First workers lived onsite in makeshift huts
The first workers on the site lived in huts made from whatever materials they could find. The huts were located in what is now known as Boulder City, Nevada. The workers had to be careful not to dam the river while they were building the actual dam.
#3 The original name for the dam was Boulder Dam (three sentences): The dam was originally going to be called the Boulder Dam, but then-President Herbert Hoover decided that it should be named after himself. #4 Construction on the dam began in 1931: Construction of the dam began in 1931 and ended 10 years later, with a total cost of $49 million. It was built by thousands of men who worked day and night for two weeks at a time with no days off. They were divided into three shifts so that 24 hours a day work would continue around the clock.
#5 1/2 million pounds of dynamite were used: 1/2 million pounds of dynamite were used during construction to create holes for pouring concrete and bedrock for support.
#6 Workers didn’t wear safety gear: There wasn’t any protective gear or clothing available when construction began so workers risked their lives every day doing this work unprotected by anything other than their clothes and bare hands.
#3 When it opened, it was the largest hydroelectric power plant in the world
1. Hoover Dam is a concrete arch-gravity dam in the Black Canyon of the Colorado River.
2. It was constructed between 1931 and 1936 during the Great Depression and was dedicated on September 30, 1935, by President Franklin D. Roosevelt.
3. When it opened, it was the largest hydroelectric power plant in the world.
4. The dam’s generators provided power for public and private utilities in Nevada, Arizona, and California. 5. That electric power has helped the economies of those states to grow rapidly since World War II. 6. When California experienced a drought from 2007 to 2009, power from Hoover Dam helped avoid brownouts and blackouts across Northern and Southern California. 7. In 1943 there were fears that Nazi Germany might try to sabotage this important American landmark as part of Operation Pastorius 8. Hoover Dam continues to generate electricity today with its thirty massive turbines producing more than 18 billion kilowatt hours per year 9.
#4 The Little Grand Canyon flood happened when Lake Mead overflowed after heavy rains upstream
The Little Grand Canyon is a miniature version of the Grand Canyon, and it’s located on the Arizona side of Hoover Dam. When the dam was built, the Little Colorado River was diverted into a man-made channel so that its water could be used to help cool the dam’s generators. But in 1983, after heavy rains upstream caused Lake Mead to overflow, water from the lake poured back into the Little Colorado River bed, carving out a new canyon in just a few hours. #5 In 1982, four people were found dead at the bottom of Hoover Dam: These people had apparently climbed over an 8-foot fence near the top of the dam and fallen to their deaths. However, since these bodies were never positively identified, their identities are still unknown today.
#5 Two million visitors come every year
Hoover Dam is one of the most popular tourist destinations in the United States. Every year, millions of people come to see the dam and learn about its history. Here are 10 fun facts about Hoover Dam:
1. The dam is named after President Herbert Hoover.
2. Construction on the dam began in 1931 and was completed in 1935.
3. The dam is 726 feet tall and 1244 feet long. 4. There are a total of 4 turbine generators at the dam that provide power for Nevada, Arizona, and California.
5. When it was constructed, it took 5 years and cost $49 million dollars (over $11 billion today).
6. The dam also has 20 sluices that control water levels downstream from the dam by regulating how much water is released downstream during periods of heavy runoff or flooding upstream.
7. It impounds Lake Mead which has a maximum capacity of 9 million acre-feet (that’s enough water to cover all 50 states in up to 1000 feet deep).
#6 In 1983, O.J. Simpson parachuted into the canyon from 800 feet up
On June 16, 1983, O.J. Simpson made headlines for something other than football or acting when he parachuted into the Black Canyon of the Colorado River from a plane 800 feet above the ground. The stunt was part of a movie called Frogmen, which was about a team of Navy SEALs. The event took place at night and there were a lot of technical difficulties. They didn’t get the take they wanted and had to shoot it again in daylight hours, but they still released this version to theaters anyway.
#7 It’s an engineering marvel: One reason that Hoover Dam is such an engineering marvel is because it was built without being anchored down to bedrock like other dams are. Instead, concrete blocks were used as weights on the canyon walls below to keep it steady.
#8 You can tour it if you’re not afraid of heights: You can take guided tours of Hoover Dam if you’re not afraid of heights – just be sure not to look down!
#7 President Franklin D. Roosevelt dedicated it as a New Deal project before it was completed
Hoover Dam is a concrete arch-gravity dam in the Black Canyon of the Colorado River. It was dedicated as a New Deal project by President Franklin D. Roosevelt before it was completed. Here are 10 fun facts about this amazing structure:
1. The dam is named after former President Herbert Hoover.
2. Construction began in 1931 and was completed in 1935, two years ahead of schedule. 3. When construction on the nearby Grand Coulee Dam ended four years later, these two dams produced over one-third of all electricity generated in the United States at that time. 4. One hundred twenty million tons of concrete were used to build the dam, which equals more than three times what was used to build the Great Pyramid at Giza! 5. The famous Italian tenor Enrico Caruso sang at its dedication ceremony; his rendition of The Star Spangled Banner has been preserved on old 78 rpm records for us to enjoy today! 6.
#8 It powers 8 states!
1. Hoover Dam is a concrete arch-gravity dam in the Black Canyon of the Colorado River.
2. It was constructed between 1931 and 1936 during the Great Depression and was dedicated on September 30, 1935, by President Franklin D. Roosevelt.
3. The dam’s construction was the result of a massive effort involving thousands of workers, and cost over one hundred lives.
4. At 726 feet tall, it is still the tallest dam in the United States. 5. The dam impounds Lake Mead, and supplies water to the states of Arizona, California, Nevada, and northern Mexico. 6. When the reservoir is full, it holds 20% of America’s surface fresh water supply (estimated at 14 trillion gallons).
#9 There are tours with or without walking over suspension bridges and tunnels
1.You can tour the Hoover Dam on your own, or you can book a guided tour.
2.If you want to see the dam up close, you can sign up for a tour that includes walking over the suspension bridges and through the tunnels.
3.The dam is 726 feet tall and 1244 feet long.
4.Hoover Dam was built between 1931 and 1936 during the Great Depression. 5.The construction of the dam created Lake Mead, which is located behind it.
6.In 1998, President Bill Clinton designated it as a National Historic Landmark in recognition of its engineering design and its cultural significance.
#10
Hoover Dam is a concrete arch-gravity dam in the Black Canyon of the Colorado River. It was constructed between 1931 and 1936 during the Great Depression and was dedicated on September 30, 1935, by President Franklin D. Roosevelt. The dam was named after President Herbert Hoover. When it was completed, it became the world’s largest hydroelectric power plant and created Lake Mead, America’s largest man-made lake. Over its history, Hoover Dam has prevented flooding along the lower Colorado River valley from as far away as San Diego to as close as Las Vegas!