Hoover Dam

Hoover Dam is a concrete arch-gravity structure spanning the Colorado River between Nevada and Arizona, measuring 379 meters wide and rising 221 meters above Black Canyon. The facility contains four intake towers, two powerplants, and a spillway system, while Lake Mead stretches 180 kilometers upstream behind the barrier.

Congress authorized the Boulder Canyon Project in 1928, and construction began in 1931 during the Great Depression. Over 21,000 workers were employed until completion in 1936, and President Roosevelt officially dedicated the facility in 1935, though originally called Boulder Dam the current name was given in 1947 to honor President Hoover.

The structure draws over one million visitors each year who come to witness the engineering achievement and architectural design. It supplies water and electricity to seven states, making it an important part of the infrastructure across the American Southwest.

The visitor center opens daily from 9 AM to 5 PM except Thanksgiving and Christmas, with guided tours available through interior spaces and generator rooms. Access is via Highway 93 approximately 48 kilometers southeast of Las Vegas, with security screening at entrance points and early morning or late afternoon visits recommended during summer when temperatures exceed 38 degrees Celsius.

The facility operates across two time zones, as Nevada follows Pacific Time while Arizona remains on Mountain Time year-round without observing daylight saving. Visitors can stand in two different time zones simultaneously when crossing the state line along the crest.

Location: Mohave County

Location: Clark County

Inception: 1931

Architects: Gordon Kaufmann

Official opening: 1936

Architectural style: Art Deco architecture

Height: 376 m

Length: 379 m

Width: 200 m

Made from material: concrete

Operator: U.S. Bureau of Reclamation

Website: http://usbr.gov/lc/hooverdam

GPS coordinates: 36.01583,-114.73778

Latest update: December 14, 2025 23:09