Near Boulder City in Clark County, Nevada — The American Mountains (Southwest)

Heroes of Hoover

Photographed by Rev. Ronald Irick, December 2, 2017

1. Heroes of Hoover Marker

Caption of two far right photos:
Hoover Dam is still a challenging, and sometimes dangerous place to work. The men who died during construction are honored by a plaque you can see on the right side of this monument.

Inscription.
The building of Hoover Dam was a ray of hope for a nation struggling with hard times. Newsreel images of the high-scalers who worked the canyon walls ignited public interest in the project.

"Scaling" is the process of removing loose rock from a cliff face. The high scalers dangled from ropes, using jackhammers to drill holes for dynamite. After a blast, they returned to pry off loose rock.

Erected by U.S. Department of the Interior Bureau of Reclamation.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Charity & Public Work • Industry & Commerce • Natural Features • Waterways & Vessels.

Location. 36° 0.928′ N, 114° 44.459′ W. Marker is near Boulder City, Nevada, in Clark County. It is on Hoover Dam Access Road, on the left when traveling north. Marker is adjacent to the “High Scaler” statue, in front of the Hoover Dam Café. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 81 Hoover Dam Access Road, Boulder City NV 89005, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in Nevada’s

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Colorado River Valley,

in the Mojave Desert,

and in Greater Las Vegas.

It is also in the American Southwest

and in the Mountain West.

Globally, it is in North America,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once New Spain

and also Mexico’s Alta California.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: "High Scaler" (here, next to this marker); The Dog Who Owned a Dam (about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line); The Hoover Dam Construction Mascot (about 400 feet away); New Century, New Challenges (about 600 feet away); Discover Hoover Dam (about 600 feet away); Civil Engineering Monument of the Millennium (about 700 feet away); Hoover Dam and Lake Mead (about 700 feet away); They Died to Make the Desert Bloom (about 700 feet away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Boulder City.

Photographed by Rev. Ronald Irick, December 2, 2017

2. Heroes of Hoover Marker

full view of marker, mounted below the "High Scaler"

Photographed by Rev. Ronald Irick, December 2, 2017

3. Heroes of Hoover Marker

Photo Displayed on Marker image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Rev. Ronald Irick, December 2, 2017

4. Photo Displayed on Marker

Huge portions of the cliffs in Black Canyon were blasted way to make room for structures such as the spillways, access roads, and the plaza on which you are standing.

Photographed by Rev. Ronald Irick, December 2, 2017

5. Photo Displayed on Marker

High scaling was hard, dangerous work. It complicated by ropes and hydraulic lines snaking through the job site, as well as the weight of the jackhammers the men carried.

Photographed by Rev. Ronald Irick, December 2, 2017

6. Photo Displayed on Marker

Hardhats were required for workers on the canyon bottom, one of the first instances of their use on a large scale. Hoover Dam workers used hats with the tradename “hard boiled,” so-called because they were manufactured using steamed canvas and glue.

Credits. This page was last revised on December 22, 2020. It was originally submitted on December 8, 2017, by Rev. Ronald Irick of West Liberty, Ohio. This page has been viewed 744 times since then and 50 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6. submitted on December 8, 2017, by Rev. Ronald Irick of West Liberty, Ohio. • Syd Whittle was the editor who published this page.