Notes

• Built between 1931 and 1936, Hoover Dam stands as a magnificent tribute to the indomitable will, spirit, and resourcefulness of the American people during the years of the Great Depression. The dramatic story of this great public works endeavor - which put thousands of Americans back to work and resulted in one of the largest dams in the world - embodies hope, danger, politics, adventure, struggle, humor, determination, and inspiration. And while other books have chronicled the dam’s construction, until now none has done so in the words of the workers themselves. Building Hoover Dam represents oral history at its finest. Drawing on priceless archival material, as well as interviews conducted expressly for this volume, editors Andrew J. Dunar and Dennis McBride present a stirring eyewitness account of the dam workers’ experience. The chapters - framed by instructive introductory and concluding sections - document the workers’ stories in a chronological and thematic fashion; in their own words the men, women, and children who participated in this monumental undertaking speak of everything from setting up tent-homes along the Colorado River to hauling 30-foot pipes over primitive roads with hairpin turns, from establishing schools and churches on a "government reservation" to attending the 1935 dedication ceremony at which Franklin Roosevelt spoke. Their stories are by turn humorous and tragic, gripping and triumphant, touching and courageous. Skillfully interweaving background information to clarify and set the testimony in context, the editors make complex, sometimes technical material readily understandable to readers; they also address forthrightly such issues as racial discrimination, women’s roles, the "Boulder" vs. "Hoover" Dam naming controversy, and Boulder City residents’ divisiveness over remaining part of the government or incorporating as an independent town. Augmenting the volume are over 60 illustrations and a trio of appendixes that detail workers’ terminology, FDR’s dedication address, and the individuals who lost their lives during the dam’s construction. A fascinating, moving account of a major achievement in our nation’s history, Building Hoover Dam holds significant appeal for citizens today pulling together with a sense of national renewal