Temperatures around Las Vegas went up a bit so we headed north again. The monumental infrastructure around Hoover Dam unraveled in front of our eyes as we left the highway and made our way down towards the Black Canyon.
We went through the extensive security plaza and drove over the dam to the other side of the river.
The size of these structures does not come through in the following pictures, but they truly are gigantic.
Another thing you can’t see in the photos are the crowds. The place swarmed with people going in and out of the different structures. We just emerged from the desert and we were not prepared to mingle yet. Basically, we missed stayed away from all of the displays to avoid the crowds.
Although we didn’t get to see most of the sights, we do have a story to tell you.
Somewhere in those hills, on the Arizona side, there is a WWII era bunker.
In 1939, during World War II, there was a plot by German agents to bomb Hoover Dam. The offence was allegedly to come through the river and as a result, private boats were prohibited in the Black Canyon. Following the attack on Pearl Harbor in December 1941, the dam closed to visitors. After intelligence revealed a plot to bomb the dam, the military constructed a small pillbox just above the dam and manned it with soldiers and machine guns. In addition, they installed floodlights near the dam, and a wire net to block boats from getting near the dam. The attack never came and the bunker was abandoned in 1942 or 1943. Hoover Dam reopened to the general public in September 1945.
Below is a photo of the pillbox when it was under construction. You can read more about it here
A photographer took this picture on Dec. 19, 1941, at Hoover Dam. It shows construction work on a military pillbox at the upper right and the recently filled Lake Mead at the lower left.
We continued towards Lake Mead and stopped at a few of the lookouts for a glimpse of the receding lake. More about the receding lake later, but we wondered who left these flowers and why.
Our destination for the night, Boulder RV Park, nestled within Lake Mead National Recreation Area.
Come back to join us on a few spectacular hikes in this park!
The flowers are curious 🙂
We thought so too. I guess we’ll never know.
I am with you on the crowds. Travelling in the U.S. during summer is a recipe for heat and lineups. We enjoyed a full tour of the dam in February one year. I believe the guide mentioned the WWII bombing threat, but we never saw the pill box. Safe travels. Allan
Sometimes we have a better tolerance for crowds, but it seemed too much at the time. Although we probably missed on some interesting information and sights, we were okay with it. Stay well!
It truly is a gigantic place. The WWII build is something I hadn’t heard before. The flowers must be a remembrance for someone. All very interesting.
It’s such an interesting place with lots to explore. I am sure that there are many stories to tell.
Really monumental achievement!
It is!
Lovely photos of an awesome visit to Hoover Dam. I find it very impressive too!
Thank you. It was an interesting place to visit even though we were all dammed out.
I see what you did there!
????
It’s certainly worse climate wise this year. I’m now feeling old as it seems I may have been born in in the Holocene epoch or maybe around the dawn of the anthropocene. ????
It is getting worse every year. I am an anthropocene baby too ????
Fascinating story regarding Hoover Dam and the plan by the Germans to bomb it. I had never heard about that. One of the things I like best about your blog is how you always teach me something new.
I just love finding obscure stories like this one and sharing them! I’m actually surprised at how many strange and wonderful stories can be found about most places.
I am glad that you guys saw our beautiful Hoover Dam! Such an amazing structure. Lake Mead hasn’t been at full pond since the 1980s.
It was a humbling sight!
Wow. It is an impressive structure. I think it could use more flowers.
Yeah, it’s a little on the stark side ????
Wow it’s so impressive, and I had no idea about the history.
It’s an interesting place for sure!
Although Hoover Dam was named after a Republican President, it’s a wonder Trump didn’t re-name it TRUMP DAM when he was Pres. Maybe he’ll get around to it if he’s elected Pres again….or even re-name after you if you donate enough $ to his campaign fund! 😀
I would be okay with that if you reverse the order of the words and add an n to the first word.
It really looks rather spectacular. Thank you for the historical aspect
It is and you are welcome 🙂
We weren’t planning on visiting the Hoover Dam when we were in Las Vegas earlier in the year, but we passed by it on the way to Death Valley. We pulled over to check it out since there wasn’t really anyone else around. That’s one of the benefits of getting an early start to the day. It would have been neat to go on a tour though. I didn’t know that about the WWII bunker. Thanks for sharing. P.S. Hope all is well with your daughter and baby.
Their tours and displays look very interesting. Maybe something for another time if we ever make it that way again. They are doing well, baby is not sleeping at nights, so of course, they are exhausted, but all in all they are happy ????
I’m sure I visited the dam many many years ago but I don’t remember anything about it. It is quite an impressive looking structure. And those cylindrical looking structures are really interesting!
Yeah, it’s interesting and I am sure we would have learned a whole lot more if we took one of the tours.
We were to Hoover Dam a bunch of years ago. It’s always interesting to read other people’s perspectives of the Dam (and other places we’ve been. It brings back lots of good memories.???? ). I hadn’t heard of the WWII bunker. Those beautiful flowers are such a curious mystery. Hope your new addition and family are doing wonderfully.
It is an interesting place. Thank you for asking…the new addition to the family is developing a good set of lungs. He mostly practices at night…
I haven’t visited the Hoover Dam in years, but it looks like you had a good time there!
It was an interesting place to visit for sure.
We’ve seen Hoover Dam, but we have never toured it or learned much of the history. Your post has inspired our wanderlust, so we will have to include it on our next trip to Las Vegas.
We have a few really nice hikes in the area coming up, so keep an eye out for those 🙂
Did not know about the defences that were put up for WWII. Interesting!
Yeah, it’s an interesting piece of history.
I saw this Hoover Dam years ago. Such an impressive structure. Anita
It is!
I found the inside tour to be interesting. I don’t recall the pillbox! I’m with you. The less people the better
YEah, it can really take away from the experience, however, if we are there we are part of the crowd and they are thinking the same about us 🙂
Bruce and I toured the dam many years ago during the fall. It wasn’t crowded and it was amazing. It is such a huge structure that none of the outside pictures did it justice.