Our tour of Hoover Dam started in a tunnel that was blasted through the canyon wall to reroute the Colorado River.  After two tunnels were finished, the river was dammed off, forcing it to flow through the tunnels instead of along its normal course.  Downstream, another earthen dam was created to prevent the water from washing back into the area where the construction would take place.  The result was a stretch of dry land in the middle of a river.  Amazing.  From there, Six Companies, Inc. began construction of the dam.  At its base it is 660 feet thick and it is 726 feet tall.  It holds back Lake Mead and is considered one of the 7 wonders of the Industrial world. 

In the powerplant we learned that the dam’s original function was not to produce electricity, but to manage the flooding of the Colorado River.  The hydroelectric power was a by-product…a way to pay for the dam.  Since its construction the electricity produced in the powerplant has not only paid for the dam, but continues to cover all of the maintenance and overhead and supplies power to several surrounding states. 

The final stop on the tour was the museum.  I prepped the kids for their writing assignments before we left the RV, telling them I expected their papers to answer all of the “question words” – who, what, when, where, how, why.  The museum made answering those questions easy.  In fact, Griffin was so intent on making sure he got answers to all of the questions that he brought a small notepad and pen.  He looked like a little reporter going from display to display taking notes.  It was cute.  They even got a free hard-hat from a staff member. 

Back in the RV we had a great discussion about the workers.  The construction of the Hoover Dam took place during the Great Depression.  Hundreds of workers from all across the country came to help build the dam, glad to have a job.  They made $4 a day, which was a good wage then, and they worked 7 days a week with only 2 days off every year.  The dam was completed 2 years ahead of schedule, probably due to the abundance of laborers.  This sparked a discussion about our current economy, and the difference between a recession and a depression.  Mason wanted to know if we were going to have another Great Depression.  “I don’t think so,” I told him, but I guess we’ll know more after the election. Pictures in the gallery.