How
Hoover Dam got to be officially named that is a convoluted story
and involves politics and events not specifically related to the
project other than the impact it has had on the southwest. Apparently
many people and politicians were resentful of how Herbert Hoover
handled the economy when he was president and did not want
Hoover's name associated with a project that was so beneficial
to the southwest. While Hoover was the most critical player in
getting the project underway naming the project after him was
seen as a political statement and seemed to take advantage of
the fact that the original site for the project was moved.
When the project began the location of the dam was to be at Boulder Canyon about 10
miles upstream from the current location. Thus the name 'Boulder
Canyon Project'. It
was noticed later that if the dam were built
at Black Canyon instead of Boulder Canyon, it would be able to
impound more water. Also, geologically, Black Canyon had a more
dense rock in its canyon walls.
When the dam site was moved to Black Canyon, it was still called
the Boulder Canyon Project. The dam got its name from the
project which originated it, 'Boulder Dam'.
On September 17, 1930, Herbert Hoover's Secretary of the
Interior Ray L. Wilbur, went to the site to dedicate the
official start of the project. In his dedication speech, he
announced that the dam would from that point on be officially
known as Hoover Dam. All things considered this was a pretty
unpopular idea at the
time. The idea behind this move was to bolster Hoover's image.
In 1930,
the Great Depression was getting worse and Hoover was
either blamed for it or castigated for not doing
anything about it. Herbert Hoover wanting to be re-elected
in 1932, felt that he needed to show that he was sensitive
to the situation. By naming the dam after himself, he
thought that he could draw attention to the fact that he
was instrumental in starting the project. With over 5000
people to be employed on the project, Hoover thought that
he could claim credit for trying to do something about the
unemployment situation which was extreme at that time.
Unfortunately for Hoover, it did not work out that way.
 On
May 8, 1933, Harold Ickes, Franklin Roosevelt's Secretary
of the Interior, decided that the name of the dam should
be 'Boulder Dam', its original name. The reason for this
was no doubt political.
On April 30, 1947, the resolution renaming the dam back to
Hoover Dam was passed by congress and signed by President
Harry S Truman. Hoover
Dam is still, currently, the name of this structure. Note that
the masthead image on the home page is taken looking towards
Boulder Canyon.
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