Hoover Dam
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- Date Submitted: 11/18/2010 02:05 PM
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Patrice Coates-Oliver
History 217
Professor Green
November 23, 2009
Running Head: Building the Hoover Dam
It was “The Great Depression” that had led a huge migration of the unemployed men and their families to Las Vegas in hopes of landing jobs building the Hoover Dam. People came from all around the country, many bringing their families and their life’s possession’s hoping for not only employment but, a fresh start. The living conditions for these people were difficult and became substantially much worse when construction began, creating the shantytown known as Ragtown which is now known as Boulder City, Nevada. The real story behind Hoover Dam was told by the thousands who built it and the families that lived in the hellish conditions to help bring it all to realty.
The Construction of Hoover Dam would not begin until April of 1931. However, the men and the families that were looking for financial relief and new beginnings had began drifting into Las Vegas in early 1929 in hopes of employment dam construction, after the Stock Market Crash of 1929 and the Great Depression. In those days, Las Vegas was a small desert outpost and not prepared for the thousands of new residents it had received. These new residence had no choice but to live in filthy, tightly compacted tent cities. To make matters worst there was no guarantee of employment, and the construction of the Hoover Dam was months away. However, many had nowhere else to go and those that did have places to go had no money to get there therefore, they stuck it out.
Although the federal government had begun planning for housing accommodations for the employees of the damn they found it crucial to push the construction to begin six months early. This decision quickened the construction schedule helping the unemployed but, left no time for barracks or housing to be built. The living conditions compared to Las Vegas would become worse for many workers. Since...
History 217
Professor Green
November 23, 2009
Running Head: Building the Hoover Dam
It was “The Great Depression” that had led a huge migration of the unemployed men and their families to Las Vegas in hopes of landing jobs building the Hoover Dam. People came from all around the country, many bringing their families and their life’s possession’s hoping for not only employment but, a fresh start. The living conditions for these people were difficult and became substantially much worse when construction began, creating the shantytown known as Ragtown which is now known as Boulder City, Nevada. The real story behind Hoover Dam was told by the thousands who built it and the families that lived in the hellish conditions to help bring it all to realty.
The Construction of Hoover Dam would not begin until April of 1931. However, the men and the families that were looking for financial relief and new beginnings had began drifting into Las Vegas in early 1929 in hopes of employment dam construction, after the Stock Market Crash of 1929 and the Great Depression. In those days, Las Vegas was a small desert outpost and not prepared for the thousands of new residents it had received. These new residence had no choice but to live in filthy, tightly compacted tent cities. To make matters worst there was no guarantee of employment, and the construction of the Hoover Dam was months away. However, many had nowhere else to go and those that did have places to go had no money to get there therefore, they stuck it out.
Although the federal government had begun planning for housing accommodations for the employees of the damn they found it crucial to push the construction to begin six months early. This decision quickened the construction schedule helping the unemployed but, left no time for barracks or housing to be built. The living conditions compared to Las Vegas would become worse for many workers. Since...