No worker is buried in the Hoover Dam

According to the U.S. Department of Interior website, about one million visitors see the Hoover Dam each year. A few years ago, my best friend, Tom, and I went there. It was the second time for Tom; the first for me. Unfortunately, because this was after 9/11, there was heightened security and the tour was not as extensive as it was when Tom toured it many years ago.

Before I toured the Hoover Dam, I had remembered hearing a rumor that one of the workers was died and was buried in the concrete. Of course, the tour guide set us straight on that rumor, telling us that only five feet of concrete was poured at one time, allowing workers to keep a close eye on what was happening.

In fact, I find it amazing that concrete was poured in such small amounts when you consider the overall size of the project. In Hoover Dam: An American Adventure by Joseph E. Stevens ( 627.82 STE), there is a photograph showing the stair step construction of concrete forms - a very dramatic picture.

Although no one was buried alive in the concrete, there is a story in this book about some construction workers who, as a joke, placed two shoes against the concrete forms. Once the concrete hardened, the workers saw the soles of two shoes, creating a panic within the workforce and getting some workers in serious trouble (page 294).

Built in the 1930s, during the depression, Hoover Dam is one of the greatest architectural achievements in the United States, and this book gives you all the information about the history as well as little known trivia.

Here is the website if you are interested in more information:
http://www.usbr.gov/lc/hooverdam/service/index.html

c Waterloo Public Library 2007