Hoover Dam
Everyone knows that Las Vegas was built by mobsters. And to this day there are rumors about those who own and operate the biggest casinos and wield the power behind Las Vegas. Wonder no more. The real power behind Las Vegas is actually 30 miles southeast of the city. In 1928 the Colorado River was dammed, creating Lake Mead and enough electrical power to light the Las Vegas Strip and dozens of other surrounding communities. Originally a government project created to deal with the spring floods along the river, the dam has provided a basis for tourism, recreation and agriculture in the region. The engineering is incredible, but perhaps even more amazing is the fact that the project has completely paid for itself. Technical and economic considerations aside, the Hoover Dam is beautiful, crowned with artistic elements. 660 feet thick at the bottom, it tapers to a width of 45 feet at the top where a road carries traffic some 60 stories above the canyon floor. The dam is a major sight-seeing attraction and provides a great destination for those who want to escape the Strip for a few hours.

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