It was meant to supply power to Nevada, but the Boulder Dam, later called the Hoover Dam, spanned the border from Arizona to Nevada.
It was dedicated Sept. 30, 1935, and an article ran in the Arizona Daily Star Oct. 1, 1935:
ROOSEVELT, DEDICATING BOULDER DAM, PROMISES GOVERNMENT WILL BUILD POWER LINE FOR NEVADANS
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Sees Project As Yardstick to Measure Costs Throughout U. S.
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PRAISES JOHNSON
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Thinks Arizona Might Also Get Some Benefit From Development
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BOULDER DAN, Nev., Sept. 30.—AP—President Roosevelt today told private industry to take over "principal responsibility" for accelerating employment in dedicating under a brilliant sun the towering Boulder canyon dam as a symbol to government work.
To the applause of the distinguished leaders of the Rocky mountain states seated behind on the temporary structure overlooking the concrete wall in the swirling Colorado river, Mr. Roosevelt proposed that the government promote a state power line into Nevada from the project "to measure the cost of power throughout the United States."
Citizens from the wide open spaces crowded the narrow winding roadway in the rocky slopes of the canyon and swarmed the little available space in the 1081 feet driveway across the crest of the world's largest dam. Speaking into a microphone over a nation-wide radio broadcast, Mr. Roosevelt emphasized the effort of government to take over the unemployment problem through projects of this type and smaller ones and then in strong tones asserted:
"We have come to the point where private industry must bear the principal responsibility of keeping the processes of greater employment moving forward with accelerated speed."
Beside Mr. Roosevelt stood Harold L. Ickes and Harry L. Hopkins, two principals of his huge works relief undertaking whom he is taking with him on a vacation cruise in the Pacific this week while the measure of private pickup and federal employment is gauged.
Ickes Presides
As secretary of the interior, Mr. Ickes presided over the brief exercises on the rock hewn abutment high above the Colorado and far below the towering precipitous rocks above.
In emphatic words, the secretary gave credit for the mammoth undertaking to Senator Hiram Johnson, of California, who led the long congressional fight for authorization of this flood control, power and irrigation project.
Looking over the towering ledges beyond Arizona, the President reiterated his determination that similar government regional units shall be completed in the other three corners of the nation.
He did not specify the other three, but it was assumed he referred to the Grand Coulee dam in the Columbia river in the northwest; the Tennessee valley experiment in the southwest; and the proposed St. Lawrence waterways development in the northeast.
"These great government power projects," he said, "will affect not only the development of agriculture and industry and mining in the sections they serve, but they will also prove useful yardsticks to measure the cost of power throughout the United States.
First Yardstick
"It is my belief that the government should proceed to lay down the first yardstick from this great power plant in the form of a state power line assisted in tis financing by the government and tapping the wonderful natural resources of southern Nevada.
"Doubtless the same policy of financial assistance to state authorities can be followed in the development of Nevada's sister state, Arizona, on the other side of the river."
Leaving his special train at the new town of Boulder established for the 4,000 workers on the dam, the President with Mrs. Roosevelt motored about the community of white houses and then started down the steep seven-mile winding road leading to the dam 3,000 feet below.
Reaching the dam the President motored across the crest highway and stopped to leave his car midway to look over the concrete wall at the mass of sloping concrete stretching 725 feet below to the riverbed.
"I'm speechless," he remarked as he stood in awe at the man-made harnessing of the unruly Colorado which has brought flood devastations and then again gone dry to spread droughts.
Crossing over into Arizona, Mr. and Mrs. Roosevelt again left their car at another point of observation to view the gigantic undertaking from another angle.
Returning across the dam they motored to the flag draped temporary stand where they were greeted by a band and the Rocky mountain state governors and officials.
Senator Pittman, of Nevada, introduced the President and stood with him as he looked over the dam to explain details.
