The Hoover Dam has been called one of the 20th century's top construction accomplishments, and it draws over a million people per year. It's located just outside of Las Vegas, in Black Canyon. Construction began in 1930, and at the time, it was the largest dam of its type. The dam was finished two years ahead of schedule and way under budget.
Hoover Dam is named after Herbert Hoover, America's 31st president. Hoover played an instrumental role in brokering a water treaty among several states; the dam's name changed several times before being officially named in 1947. It is a historic landmark and also the Western Hemisphere's largest concrete dam. The dam has seventeen generators that produce over four billion kilowatts of electricity per year. Its operating costs are paid from revenue generated from the sale of that electricity.
For those who've never seen the dam from on high, the Pat Tillman Memorial Bridge is a must-stop. Visitors can drive to the bridge and see the full dam from a very high vantage point. The bridge is a bit less than a half mile from the dam, and the walkway is nine hundred feet above the Colorado River. Visitors can go from Nevada to Arizona after crossing the bridge, as well.
There are two tours available for the Hoover Dam, and they are well worth the investment. The power plant tour is $11, with discounts available for seniors, military personnel and children, and the full tour lasts about two hours. It begins with a video on the history of the dam, and after, a guide takes you to an elevator for a five-hundred foot ride down to the generators that make electricity.
Another neat stop on that tour is the observation deck above the dam, which offers a wide-angle view of the river and Lake Mead, as well as of the dam's facilities. There are several other stops on the tour, along the dam's top. The second tour choice is the dam tour; for thirty dollars a person can get the power plant tour but they will also tour the dam itself. The visitor that takes the dam tour will get to go through the inspection tunnels, and look through floor grates to the rushing river below.
The view from the top of the dam affords a spectacular view of Lake Mead, which is the largest manmade reservoir in the United States. Water levels have been rather low recently, but the lake can hold over nine trillion gallons of water. Lake Mead is itself a popular recreation destination, visited by over 9 million people per year.