Abstract
The Burrell C. Lawton Photograph Collection on the Hoover Dam depicts the construction of the Hoover (Boulder) Dam on the Colorado River near Las Vegas, Nevada from 1931 to 1934. The photographs primarily depict workers, construction equipment, and the progression of the dam's concrete structures. The photographs also depict construction of diversion tunnels, bridges, the gravel plant, the intake towers, and the concrete mixing plant.
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Scope and Contents Note
The Burrell C. Lawton Photograph Collection on the Hoover Dam depicts the construction of the Hoover (Boulder) Dam on the Colorado River near Las Vegas, Nevada from 1931 to 1934. The photographs primarily depict workers, construction equipment, and the progression of the dam's concrete structures. The photographs also depict construction of diversion tunnels, bridges, the gravel plant, the intake towers, and the concrete mixing plant.
Access Note
Collection is open for research. Some collection material has been digitized and is available online.
Publication Rights
Materials in this collection may be protected by copyrights and other rights. See Reproductions and Use on the UNLV Special Collections website for more information about reproductions and permissions to publish.
Arrangement
Materials remain in original order.
Biographical / Historical Note
The Hoover Dam, also known as the Boulder Dam, was constructed on the Colorado River in Black Canyon near Las Vegas, Nevada from 1931 to 1936 during the Great Depression. The dam impounds Lake Mead, the country's largest reservoir, and it provides hydroelectric power to Nevada, Arizona, and California. The dam was built by workers employed by the joint venture of construction companies called Six Companies, Inc. Six Companies was chosen by the Bureau of Reclamation after winning a bid to construct the dam. The Hoover Dam was dedicated in 1935 and began operations in 1936.
Preferred Citation
Burrell C. Lawton Photograph Collection on the Hoover Dam, 1931-1934. PH-00120. Special Collections and Archives, University Libraries, University of Nevada, Las Vegas. Las Vegas, Nevada.
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Acquisition Note
Materials were donated in 1979 by Burrell C. Lawton; accession number 1979-272.
Processing Note
Materials were processed by Special Collections staff. In 2015, as part of a legacy finding aid conversion project, Lindsay Oden wrote the collection description in compliance with current professional standards. In 2020, as part of an archival backlog elimination project, Melise Leech added additional materials and revised the collection description to bring it into compliance with current professional standards.