After leaving the Grand Canyon, we will follow Route 66 to Kingman, Arizona . There is plenty of fun things to visit and see along the route. We may even take the route into California just to say we got there! We will then turn off Route 66 and follow I 93. This will take us over the new bridge towards Boulder City, NV. Whereas , the Grand Canyon was my side trip, this is George's.
The Hoover Dam was built between 1931 and 1936. It was actually done 2 years before the original contract. It was during the Great Depression, involving up to 5000 workers and costing over 100 lives.
The area had no towns, and they had to build Boulder City to accommodate the workers. The work started before the town was ready and they built a few bunkhouses right at the dam site.
It was dedicated on September 30, 1935 by President Franklin D. Roosevelt.
The area had no towns, and they had to build Boulder City to accommodate the workers. The work started before the town was ready and they built a few bunkhouses right at the dam site.
It was dedicated on September 30, 1935 by President Franklin D. Roosevelt.
We will be driving on the new by-pass bridge.
"As early as the 1960s, officials identified the US 93 route over Hoover Dam to be dangerous and inadequate for projected traffic volumes. From 1998–2001, officials from Arizona, Nevada, and several federal government agencies collaborated to determine the best routing for an alternative river crossing. In March 2001, the Federal Highway Administration selected the route, which crosses the Colorado River approximately 1,500 feet (460 m) downstream of Hoover Dam. Construction of the bridge approaches began in 2003, and construction of the bridge itself began in February 2005. The bridge was completed in 2010 and the entire bypass route opened to vehicle traffic on October 19, 2010."
It may look a bit scary to drive over, but the walls are high and we will not even see the dam from the bridge!
Kind of disappointing.
"As early as the 1960s, officials identified the US 93 route over Hoover Dam to be dangerous and inadequate for projected traffic volumes. From 1998–2001, officials from Arizona, Nevada, and several federal government agencies collaborated to determine the best routing for an alternative river crossing. In March 2001, the Federal Highway Administration selected the route, which crosses the Colorado River approximately 1,500 feet (460 m) downstream of Hoover Dam. Construction of the bridge approaches began in 2003, and construction of the bridge itself began in February 2005. The bridge was completed in 2010 and the entire bypass route opened to vehicle traffic on October 19, 2010."
It may look a bit scary to drive over, but the walls are high and we will not even see the dam from the bridge!
Kind of disappointing.
After a bit of research, I have found that we can drive across the dam and there is a overlook on the Arizona side of the dam.
There many tours of the dam and visitor center, but we will see what time and money allow.
There many tours of the dam and visitor center, but we will see what time and money allow.
We will be staying in Boulder City that night , March 21.
Boulder City, built by the government for the projected 5000 men that would be working at the dam. Because the Hoover Dam project itself represented a focus for optimism for a country suffering from the effects of the Great Depression, the town itself was to be an additional manifestation of this optimism.
Commercial development was restricted and severely regulated. On the other hand, there was no provision for schools in the burgeoning City, it was expected that single male workers would populate the town. The town made do with makeshift schoolrooms until the city won the right for state funded schools to be established on the federal reservation upon which Boulder City was situated. No hospitals were provided in the city either. Injured workers had to travel 33 miles to Las Vegas Hospital, and when a hospital was established in the city, females were not admitted for a number of years. The government did not relinquish control of Boulder City until 1959
Today it is one of only 2 cities in Nevada that do not allow gambling.
We will have WIFI at our motel. Our plan is to look at where we have been and what we have seen, and try to determine what our trip home will look like.
There is one more side trip to discuss next posting.
Boulder City, built by the government for the projected 5000 men that would be working at the dam. Because the Hoover Dam project itself represented a focus for optimism for a country suffering from the effects of the Great Depression, the town itself was to be an additional manifestation of this optimism.
Commercial development was restricted and severely regulated. On the other hand, there was no provision for schools in the burgeoning City, it was expected that single male workers would populate the town. The town made do with makeshift schoolrooms until the city won the right for state funded schools to be established on the federal reservation upon which Boulder City was situated. No hospitals were provided in the city either. Injured workers had to travel 33 miles to Las Vegas Hospital, and when a hospital was established in the city, females were not admitted for a number of years. The government did not relinquish control of Boulder City until 1959
Today it is one of only 2 cities in Nevada that do not allow gambling.
We will have WIFI at our motel. Our plan is to look at where we have been and what we have seen, and try to determine what our trip home will look like.
There is one more side trip to discuss next posting.