Hoover Dam, Arch-gravity dam in Black Canyon, Nevada–Arizona border, United States
Hoover Dam is a concrete arch-gravity dam in the Black Canyon of the Colorado River, on the Nevada–Arizona border. Its light grey face curves between steep rock walls, sloping from a wide base to a narrow crest that carries a paved road; two tall intake towers stand in the water downstream, linked to the crest by walkways. The dam impounds Lake Mead and was built between 1931 and 1936.
Congress authorized the Boulder Canyon Project on December 21, 1928, and Six Companies, Inc. began construction in early 1931 during the Great Depression. The dam was dedicated on September 30, 1935, and handed to the federal government on March 1, 1936, over two years ahead of schedule. Named Boulder Dam under Roosevelt, it was renamed Hoover Dam by Congress in 1947.
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.
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