Boulder City
Boulder City was initially created to house the workers who built Hoover Dam, and as such, was a significant and integral part of the successful completion of the Boulder Canyon Project. Constructed in 1931 in the midst of the Great Depression, Boulder City was conceived by the Federal Government as an ideal town, a "model" city to which the American people could look for hope of a better future.
Once Hoover Dam was completed, the federal government changed the basic function of Boulder City to the headquarters of several government agencies involved in Hoover Dam's water and power operations. Boulder City was supervised and regulated by the Bureau of Reclamation and all land in and around Boulder City was owned by the federal government.
In 1958, the federal government passed the Boulder City Act and established the independent municipal government of Boulder City. Under the Act, the federal government transferred title to the existing town site, approximately 33 square miles of land, and the utility system, to the city. The City Charter, approved by the residents, prohibits gaming, which makes Boulder City unique as the only city in Nevada where gaming is illegal. The 1995 purchase of an additional 167 square miles adjoining the original town site made Boulder City the geographically largest city in Nevada.
World War II Bunker
A World War II vintage gun emplacement (pillbox or bunker) sits on a hillside above the dam on the Arizona side of Lake Mead. It was built by a military police battalion soon after the 1942 attack on Pearl Harbor. The dam was considered to be a primary military target as it was a significant source of electrical power for the defense industries.
Of the several structures that were built during this period this is the only one to survive. It has six gun ports, is 25 feet long, constructed of steel and concrete and covered with indigenous rock to serve as camouflage. A long time resident of Las Vegas, Lincoln Clark, U.S. Army lieutenant colonel, ret., was the first to man the emplacement along with his fellow soldiers and guarded the dam 24 hours a day.
After having been abandoned for over 40 years it has been reassigned after the attacks on September 11. Surreptitious access to the facility was politely met by uniformed guards asking us to leave.
Lake Mead
Lake Mead is one of the largest man made lakes in the world with over 157,000 acres of water (247 sq. mi.). When full it can hold over 28 million acre-feet of water (9 trillion gallons), the equivalent to about 2 years of normal average river flow from the Colorado River. Best of all it’s a water skiers haven with glassy water conditions very common in the morning and late afternoon.
Lake Mead National Recreation Area offers a wealth of things to do and places to go year-round. Its huge lakes cater to boaters, swimmers, sunbathers, and fishermen while its desert rewards hikers, wildlife photographers, and roadside sightseers. It is also home to thousands of desert plants and animals, adapted to survive in an extreme place where rain is scarce and temperatures soar.
If you have extra time it would be fun to take a couple hours and explore the hiking trails and shore line.