History of Boulder City - The City That Helped Build the Hoover Dam

Hoover Dam and Boulder City during the great depression; Designing a "model" town; A "walled garden" city in the desert; Cracking down on union unrest; living in Boulder City; breaking away from government control.
Join me as we venture into the heart of the Mojave Desert to uncover the secrets of one of the first View Master reels ever released.
Why did they choose Boulder City, a tiny and remote location near the Hoover Dam, as their subject?
What could be so special about this place that it captured the attention of the entire nation?
As we search for each picture on the reel, we'll learn about the incredible story of how the US government built an entire city from scratch to house the workers building the Hoover Dam. This was no ordinary city - it was the very first "Federal City" ever built, entirely owned and operated by the US government. But the path to creating this city was anything but easy. The Great Depression hit just as construction was set to begin, leaving thousands of unemployed Americans desperate for work. In response, they flocked to the harsh and unforgiving desert, forming Ragtown - a makeshift camp with extreme living conditions.
Despite these challenges, the government pushed forward with their ambitious plan, hiring architect Saco Rienk de Boer to design a city that would be "the finest construction camp ever constructed". The result was a stunning example of urban planning, with separate districts for government, business, and residential areas, surrounded by large grassy parks and tree-lined streets.
But as we'll discover, not everything went according to plan. The government had to make tough decisions to maintain strict order in town, including making casinos, bars, and brothels illegal. They even created a "federal reservation" where democracy didn't exist and Nevada state law didn't apply - a literal "walled garden" in the middle of the desert.
Follow me as we uncover the fascinating history of Boulder City, one picture at a time. From the towering US Bureau of Reclamation Administration Building to the serene Terraced Government Lawn, each image on this vintage View Master reel tells a story of America's ingenuity and determination to conquer the harshest landscapes.
Don't miss this thrilling adventure into the heart of Boulder City - hit that subscribe button and let's explore the world together!
Sound credits:
Daytime in the desert: freesound.org/...
Exterior desert silence: freesound.org/...
Dog barking in the park: freesound.org/...
Small town ambience: freesound.org/...
Moped passing by: freesound.org/...
Small town street: freesound.org/...
Car passing: freesound.org/...
Garden sprinkler: freesound.org/...
Bus arriving: freesound.org/...
Woman’s footsteps on street: freesound.org/...
Bees: freesound.org/...
Picture credits:
Elwood Mead: Los Angeles Times Photographic Collection
Many pictures of Boulder City area: UNLV Special Collection
Boulder City museum: www.bchdmuseum...

[@michaelpowers9307]

Absolutely PRIMO! You have done a great job telling some of the history of Boulder City, while incorporating the wonder of View-Master. Congrats and thanks for taking me along.

[@viewmastertravels5114]

No problem, thanks!

[@scoon2117]

Saco Rienk DeBoer is my great great grandfather. awesome documentary, hope it hits the algorithm

[@viewmastertravels5114]

Wow, that’s cool - you never know who you’ll “meet” on the internet 😊

[@scoon2117]

@@viewmastertravels5114 :) :)

[@leonchastain5988]

Great video, I work at Hoover Dam, I hope you have come across one from there, would love to see how much it has changed

[@viewmastertravels5114]

Hoover Dam’s the next video I’m working on! We just returned a few days ago.

[@patriciaschuster1371]

Growing up in mid 50's and early 60' Loved my viewmaster. Wish I had one with all those travel reels. Thanks for sharing! Can't wait to see more, thiugh today we know today what the problems created by fake desert settlements.

[@viewmastertravels5114]

Thanks for the comment!

[@mikewatson4644]

Interesting story. I knew where Boulder City was and why it was created but I didn't know any of the story about how it was run. I wonder if the residents had the right to vote in state and federal elections? The Industrial Workers of the World (also known as Wobblies) were certainly feared by the government and business. I don't think that any of this would be able to be done today. Both sides of the political spectrum would find lots to not like
Thank you

[@viewmastertravels5114]

I’m not sure either - things have changed a lot since then.