The Hoover Dam, which is located between Arizona and Nevada, began construction on April 20, 1931, and its main purpose was to regulate the water flow from the Colorado River and to generate power. During that time, the Colorado River would flood, leaving the residents living in that area to seek help from the government. On March 1st, 1936, the Hoover Dam finished construction. Over 6.6 million tons of concrete were used to build the actual Dam itself, and over 20,000 men from different backgrounds helped construct the dam.

It currently can power over 500,000 homes. Between the need to regulate water flow and the power generated from the dam-- the $49 million spent on the project, and the five years in which it underwent construction-- in the end it was worth it to build the dam. Unfortunately, there were 96 casualties during construction. The working conditions were not entirely safe, between the need to 'tame' the waters and the equipment being utilized during the project, it is understandable why people may have been at risk.