A Visit to the Hoover Dam

We just returned home from a spectacular week in the southwest.  I know this is my preschool blog, but I hope you'll indulge me with a few vacation pictures!  Preschool is closed for the summer, so this is the best I've got.  :)

After a jam-packed, amazing experience at the TpT conference, we bid farewell to Las Vegas and drove west about 40 minutes to tour the Hoover Dam.  Social studies-- history, geography, economics-- was never my strong suit in school, so I am a bit embarrassed to admit that I knew very little about the Dam.

The Hoover Dam was built between 1930 and 1935 in an effort to harness the power of the Colorado River.  During the time, America was in the throws of the Great Depression and many people were unemployed.  Building the dam required a massive workforce, and there were many willing men who finished the project 2 years ahead of schedule and under budget.

We took a tour of the power plant inside.  Tour guides really make all the difference on a tour of a power plant, and ours (Joe!) was terrific.  The Hoover Dam provides power to 1.3 million homes in southern California, Nevada, and Arizona.

This is the view from the middle of the Hoover Dam.  We told our kids the inspirational story of Pat Tillman as we drove east across his memorial bridge.

The dam has created the largest man-made reservoir in the U.S.-- Lake Mead.  You can see from this picture how low the water level currently is (and how breathtaking the landscaping is!).

As much as we enjoyed touring the area, I think my kids (ages 11 and 10) would argue that the best part was the free pass they had to make dam jokes.  It was a fun time for adults and kids alike.