On its completion in 1936, this was the largest concrete structure ever built.
The incredible feat of engineering played a critical role in the development of the American Southwest during the early 20th century, providing flood management, hydroelectric power and securing a reliable source of water for millions.
This is how the Hoover Dam was built.
With plans around since 1900 to harness the power from the mighty Colorado River, it wasn't until 1928, that the United States Congress authorised the project and initial surveying began.
With the onset of the Great Depression just a year later, the project was seen as a way for the government to provide much-needed jobs in the American southwest, which had been experiencing a population boom prior to the stock market crash.
Located 26 miles southwest of Las Vegas, on the Nevada-Arizona border, the project required a vast number of workers and their families to relocate — and an entire new town was established.
Owned and run by the government, Boulder City was to be a model for the rest of the country to follow in the dark times of the depression.
To drive the project's progress, President Hoover ordered construction of the dam to start in May 1931 — before the necessary infrastructure at Boulder City was in place — and many workers lived in temporary tents in what became dubbed Ragtown.
To escape the harsh living conditions, many workers began to frequent the then small outpost of Las Vegas, driving significant growth and earning it a reputation for gambling and adult entertainment.
Though living conditions were poor, work began on diverting the Colorado river so that the dam could be constructed on the dry riverbed.
