Zócalo Public Square

The Hoover Dam was once thought to be a remote regional project, approved as an afterthought by a Republican president before the stock market crashed. But by the time it was completed, and in the 75 years since it was dedicated, the Dam has come to symbolize American resilience and ingenuity at one of the worst times in our history. Construction at the height of the Depression employed thousands and spurred development of urban centers in the West, transforming the political balance of the country and shifting its governing philosophy from rugged individualism toward collective enterprise and social support. What is the legacy of the Hoover Dam today, particularly as Americans face a deepening water crisis and the worst economic downturn since the Depression? Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Michael Hiltzik, author of Colossus: Hoover Dam and the Making of the American Century, visited Zócalo to explore the epic story of the Hoover Dam and how it transformed the country.