[Congressional Record Volume 152, Number 30 (Thursday, March 9, 2006)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E327]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                 PAYING TRIBUTE TO BOULDER CITY, NEVADA

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                           HON. JON C. PORTER

                               of nevada

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, March 9, 2006

  Mr. PORTER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Boulder City, Nevada, 
which celebrates its seventy-fifth anniversary on March 11, 2006.
  Boulder City is a unique community located in southern Nevada, with a 
population of approximately 15,000 people. The City was created by the 
Federal Government to provide homes for those who built Hoover Dam. In 
April 1931, the Boulder City Company was organized to manage the town 
of Boulder City for the Government, and the majority of the town was 
ready for occupancy by the end of that same year.
  Constructed during the Great Depression, Boulder City was designed to 
be a model city to which Americans could look to in hope of a better 
future. In order to accommodate more than 5,000 men and their families 
in boulder City, Six Companies built housing for employees, a 
department store, a post office, a laundry, a recreation hall, a 
school, and a hospital. For a mere $1.60 per day, the workers received 
a private room with a bed, mattress, pillow, bedding, chair, meals, and 
transportation to work.
  Life during construction of Hoover Dam was not easy. Temperatures 
would often reach more than 115 degrees during the day and only fall to 
95 degrees at night. The heat was so intense that groups of people 
would huddle beneath the shadows or stand in the river in an effort to 
keep cool. During the summer of 1933, one worker every two days died 
due to heat prostration.
  Although the population of Boulder City declined following the 
completion of Hoover Dam, it did not become a ghost town as many 
predicted. October 1, 1959, Boulder City was incorporated under Nevada 
law, and it was officially separated from the U.S. Government. There 
was some opposition to the separation of Boulder City from the 
Government and concerns that the policies prohibiting gambling and hard 
liquor sales would be overturned. The leaders of Boulder City elected 
to continue the conservative restrictions set by the Government during 
the construction of Hoover Dam. Boulder City today is the only town in 
Nevada that does not allow gambling establishments within its City 
limits.
  Today, Boulder City is a place where you can enjoy numerous outdoor 
activities. Consider climbing the river mountain trail with it 
breathtaking view of Lake Mead and Las Vegas. The world-renown Bootleg 
Canyon Trail is located in Boulder City. It has cross country trails 
and downhill trails used primarily by bicyclists, but also enjoyed by 
hikers. Boulder City's newest recreational project is the Bootleg 
Canyon Park. This area is currently being developed for various desert 
preserves and gardens, with walking trails throughout the park. Boulder 
City treasures its valuable assets and its uniqueness. It will continue 
to maintain and embellish its resources, both natural and man-made, to 
ensure future generations will benefit from its numerous outdoor 
activities, its recreational areas and parks, its walk able areas, and 
its open spaces.
  Mr. Speaker, It is an honor to recognize Boulder City and its 
accomplishments in Nevada's history. It was built as a model for all 
American cities and continues to give hope for a better future.

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