When we acquired a roll of photos from 1936 that included photos of a visit to Hoover Dam, we knew we had to try to re-create as many as we could or try to get the most similar vantage point available, just to see how much (or how little) things have changed over the years. Note that some of the spots the photographer had access to are either inaccessible or the terrain has changed:

Even though Lake Mead’s water levels have dropped a bit over the past several years (note the “white” rocky area), you can see that they are still well above the 1936 level, before Lake Mead had really filled up.

Visitors looking down the Colorado River from the dam will now see The Hoover Dam Bypass Bridge (officially The Mike O’Callaghan – Pat Tillman Memorial Bridge).

Guests looking over the front of the dam now get a little bit of protection from the sun’s rays, but the façade remains largely unchanged– no point in jazzing up a classic, after all.

This general area probably looks familiar to most people that have visited the dam and parked on the Arizona side. Other than this expansion of the parking area, it remains largely unchanged, with no water flowing through at the time.

Budding photographers, this shot is not possible without climbing up dangerous rocks or the use of a high-zoom lens: Simply head up to the bridge and enjoy a great view of the dam.

Boulder City is known as “the city that built Hoover Dam” – it’s certainly gotten a lot greener in 75 years, as seen in this photo of the Boulder Dam Hotel.

Likewise, this shot of Boulder City’s Historic District, along Nevada Way, has gotten much greener and busier – the area has turned into a tourist stop on the way to or back from Hoover Dam.