The Hoover Dam (Building America: Then and Now)

The Hoover Dam is recognized as one of the seven engineering wonders of the modern world. The construction of this behemoth dam - the inspiration of one Arthur Powell Davis - was an incredible feat on many levels. Years-long political disputes had to be settled. Individuals and companies in the engineering and construction realms had to bond together to form a single company capable of taking on such a groundbreaking project. Thousands of workers from around the country flocked to the project to flee the poverty of the Great Depression. Roads, houses, and electricity had to be built and installed in the untouched environment of Black Canyon. Then, with almost unbelievable speed, the Hoover Dam rose from the dry dust of the western United States to become one of the most incredible engineering accomplishments in history.