Hoover Dam (DVD)

Hoover Dam stands today as one of the ten greatest civil engineering feats of the 20th century. When built, it was the tallest dam in the world and was surpassed in size only by the pyramids of Egypt. The story of its construction is one of daring heroism as men toiled in the unrelenting desert heat, far removed from the comforts of home. Includes the classic 1930s b&w film on construction of the dam, with footage of every aspect of the project; the initial work in the depths of black canyon, tunneling of diversion tunnels, the drama of men hanging in mid-air clearing the canyon's walls of debris prior to the pouring of concrete, and the ingenious systems developed for getting wet concrete to the dam site–all in an environment where 120-degree temperatures were commonplace. Breathtaking contemporary color footage reveals the internal workings of the dam as well as the new, stunningly situated visitor center. See how the early 20th century generators, turbines, and water wheels are controlled by state-of-the-art computerized technology. Visited by 9 million visitors a year, it has become a world class destination, attracting water-sports enthusiasts from around the world.