Saturday, February 5, 2011

Hoover Dam

DSCN0592 The architectural beauty of Hoover Dam is a feature you cannot deny.  Over the years, we have visited many dams in Washington State on the Columbia and Snake rivers, and they are all business.  There are no flourishes, just concrete and more concrete.  But Hoover Dam is altogether different.  The Art Deco touches on the marble floors, subway tiled tunneled walkways, and bronze statues makes this engineering marvel unique. 

The dam is overpowering in height and width.  Neither one of us can look over the railing without gasping.  Way, way too high. 
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We splurged on the deluxe tour of the dam taking you down into the bowels of the structure.  The tour included walking through round tunnels too low for Mike to stand up in, and stairs ascending and descending with no end in sight.  (We just looked; no climbing involved. Elevators provided transportation to different levels of the dam.)

IMG_1268We were led down one tunnel that took you to a louvered window right smack in the middle of the dam’s curved face looking down the Colorado River and up at the new freeway bridge. 

For something built over 70 years ago, the dam is in perfect condition.  A wonderful tribute to American labor and know-how.

4 comments:

  1. We got to take our kids here over Christmas, we were all impressed. I had seen it before but it never ceases to amaze me.

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  2. I want to know where the picture of Mike in the bump hat is at!!???!!! That is a sight I would almost pay for, LOL Yes I love going to the dam and am taking Montana there next month. I hope she can grasp even a little of what it took to make it, though I doubt it at her age.

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