Memorial to Labor at Hoover Dam -- Hoover Dam, NV
N 36° 00.998 W 114° 44.327
11S E 703771 N 3988158
A gorgeous Art Deco bronze relief sculpture by Oskar Hansen memorializes the men who died building Hoover Dam
Waymark Code: WMMDAF
Location: Nevada, United States
Date Posted: 09/04/2014
Views: 15
A striking memorial and moving tribute to the men who died while working on Hoover Dam. The words "They Died to Make the Desert Bloom" do not understate the human sacrifice in service of this engineering achievement. This beautiful bronze-relief memorial is stunning in its Art Deco style, simple in its tribute, and soaring in its scope.
Hundreds of thousands of tourists pass here every year. How many stop to appreciate the symbolism and power of this memorial? The day Blasterz were there, not many. We hope this waymark will focus more attention on this amazing piece of Art Deco memorial sculpture, and, if only for a moment, recall the sacrifices of the men who died to make Hoover Dam a reality.
Be sure and look carefully at this memorial -- it is easy to miss the most emotionally powerful part of this sculpture: The subtle downturned face of a drowned dead man sinking to the bottom of the lake, near the foot of the live figure bringing forth the agricultural and hydroelectric power potential of the dam.
Blasterz LOVE the little details here: the representation of the Hoover Dam's sculptural intake towers on each side and in the center of the relief, the lightning bolts representing the electric power to be made here. The fruits, grains, and vegetables rendered symbolically as boundless bounty in a dark time of severe economic depression and starvation for so many Americans. The canyon walls at the top of the work, whose solid rock made this dam possible. The waves of the mighty Colorado River and the future Lake Mead. There are so many layers of artistic expression and symbolism here, so subtly incorporated in a unique and moving work.
The memorial is made up of a central bronze panel and two side panels. The central panel features a curved inscription "They Died to Make the Desert Bloom." A muscular nude male holds up his arms, encompassing all the bounty that Hoover Dam will bring an impoverished nation still in the depths of the Great Depression: Food, water, electric power, prosperity and hope.
Two panels flanking the bronze relief sculpture read as follows:
Left panel:
"The United States of America will continue to remember that many who toiled here found their final rest while engaged in the building of this dam."
Right panel:
"The United States of America will continue to remember he services of all who labored to clothe with substance the plans of those who first visioned the building of this dam."
More information about the men who died building the dam can be found at the Bureau of Reclamation's website: (
visit link)