Boulder City in Clark County, Nevada — The American Mountains (Southwest)
Enjoying the Ride with Celebration & Pride
Journeys & Heros
Photographed by Sandra Hughes Tidwell, September 9, 2025
1. Enjoying the Ride with Celebration & Pride Marker
Respect the Landmark
The designers and builders of Hoover Dam showed pride in their creation and respect for the future generations that would marvel at the visual quality of their work.
The artist's attitude as much as any engineering success separates Hoover Dam from other large dams around the world, surpassing a minimal functional level of engineering, its builders expressed a grace of form and clarity of detail that made Hoover Dam an enduring national landmark.
Uphold the high standards
The unmatched engineering triumph of the Hoover Dam and the spectacular setting of the Black Canyon inspired the design for the Bypass Project.
In the 1930s, architect Gordon Kaufmann guided the architectural character of the engineering marvel. He envisioned a Modernist dam of simple elegance, contrasting the rugged texture of the desert canyon. The designers of the River Bridge shared the same aesthetic goal.
Those involved with the Hoover Dam Bypass Project took pride in their 21st-century engineering achievement and cared about its impact on those who follow. The River Bridge complements the Hoover Dam National Historic Landmark. It will be part of the landscape for the inspiration of future generations, seeing the natural beauty and engineering excellence of the two monuments set in the Black Canyon.
Compare & Contrast Images
The powerful image of these two monumental structures has now become inseparably one.
The dam and bridge have visual qualities that are similar and different at the same time. They both share the clear-cut geometry of the arch form. Yet, the solid dam arch looks massive while the graceful bridge arch seems weightless. The architectural and artistic aspects of each monument are equal to their individual engineering achievements
Their combined visual in ages comes
this page online
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Architecture • Bridges & Viaducts • Landmarks.
Location. 36° 0.881′ N, 114° 44.673′ W. Marker is in Boulder City, Nevada, in Clark County. It can be reached from Hoover Dam Access Road. 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 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 Mexicos Alta California.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Design the Dream with Science & Art (here, next to this marker); Raise the Road on Columns & Deck (here, next to this marker); Protecting the Place of Nature & History (here, next to this marker); Span The Gap with Cables 7 Arch (here, next to this marker); Choose the Site for Crossing & Bridge (here, next to this marker); Clear the Way of Switchyard & Towers (here, next to this marker); Lay the Path with Cut & Fill (here, next to this marker); America's Finest (within shouting distance of this marker). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Boulder City.
Credits. This page was last revised on September 27, 2025. It was originally submitted on September 27, 2025, by Sandra Hughes Tidwell of Killen, Alabama, USA. This page has been viewed 69 times since then and 25 times this year. Photo 1. submitted on September 27, 2025, by Sandra Hughes Tidwell of Killen, Alabama, USA. • Andrew Ruppenstein was the editor who published this page.
