Hoover Dam   

Boulder City, NV 89005
702-293-8321
www.usbr.gov/lc/hooverdam/

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In 1927, Las Vegas faced the danger of becoming a ghost town, after the railroad that had contributed to the city's growth moved its whistle stop 60 miles north to the town of Caliente. But when the federal government approved plans to dam the Colorado River, Las Vegas' future was secured. Construction began on Hoover Dam in 1931, and Nevada's governor legalized games of chance that same year. For decades, Hoover Dam was the top tourist destination in Southern Nevada, attracting more than one million visitors every year. Hailed upon completion as "the Eighth Wonder of the World," the dam stands 736 feet high, 1,244 feet wide at its crest and is 660 feet thick at its base. There's enough concrete in its structure to pave a highway across the continental United States. The self-paced Hoover Dam Discovery Tour provides live presentations at six different locations at the top of the dam. Visitors stroll past the enormous power plant generators, an exhibit gallery and an observation deck providing a stunning panoramic view of Lake Mead and the Colorado River. Don't miss the bronze Winged Figures of the Republic sculptures and the Old Exhibit Building, which was used as a headquarters for soldiers during World War II. As a result of heightened security instituted after September 11, 2001, all vehicles crossing Hoover Dam are subject to search, and pedestrians are prohibited from the top of the dam after dark. The Visitor Center and Parking Garage remain open for normal operations at every Threat Level except Red.