Boulder City History & Arts Foundation

Boulder City History & Arts Foundation Preserving and advancing Boulder City's history, arts, and culture. Please join this effort to preserve a piece of our past!

Opening its doors in 1931, the old Boulder City Hospital served the builders of Hoover Dam and their families until 1973. The hospital is an important landmark in Boulder City, NV's historic district, which has been placed on the National Register of Historic Places. The hospital building is a vital part of the history of the community, as it was part of the city that was built to accommodate the

men who built Hoover (Boulder) Dam. The hospital was a vital part of a small community that represented an important era in our history-- the Great Depression. The Boulder Canyon Project, as it was called in the planning stages, was part of the federal government's effort to bring the country out of the Great Depression by providing jobs for men willing to work under dangerous conditions and overcome the challenges encountered in the building of the largest civil engineering project in our nation's history at that time. It seems fitting that the old Boulder City Hospital be restored and adapted to house a cultural center and museum commemorating the history of the Great Depression. You don’t have to live in Boulder City to offer your support; Boulder City’s history is of national significance. The first master planned community in the United States, the city’s layout was inspired by Baroque city planning
techniques dating to the 17th century, thus providing an array of vistas and majestic termination points to be appreciated by residents and visitors, alike. Its architecture is also significant. Boulder City offers the largest collection of preserved Spanish Colonial structures in the region, along with the Six Companies houses that line its lettered avenues, many of them built in only a few days, but still loved and lived in to this day. Boulder City is a powerful example of a city built in a bygone era that continues to flourish in the present; one that must be preserved for future generations to enjoy. With your support we can save this historic Boulder City Hospital and establish a museum dedicated to remembering one of the most important eras in our history.

08/21/2026

Save the date: the grand opening ceremony for our new visitor center will take place at 9:00am on Saturday, September 19. We hope to see you there!

08/13/2026

Beginning September 5, our weekend excursion trains will depart from the museum's visitor center located at 1000 Boulder City Pkwy. Trains will now depart at 10:00am, 11:30am, and 1:00pm.

07/27/2026

Black and white photograph dated July 22, 1938: "Nevills Expedition Heads For Boulder Dam - Grand Canyon, Ariz.: The Nevills Colorado River expedition, which safely navigated the perilous rapids of the river from Green River, Utah, today resumed the journey towards Boulder Dam and Lake Mead. Norman D. Nevills, leader of the party, said they would continue to collect botanical specimens and take pictures of ancient cliff dwellings along the river. Photo shows (front row, left to right) Loren Bell, Miss M. Lois Jotter, and M.R. Tillotson; (second row, left to right) William Gibson, Dr. Elzada U. Clover, and Norman D. Nevills and Emory C. Kolb in the rear before the party started their trip to Boulder Dam down the Colorado River." Dr. Clover and Lois Jotter were the first two women to successfully float the Grand Canyon, which happened in 1938.

Photo by Acme Newspictures, Inc.

📸: 0006:2030

Thanks to all of you who played a part in making Christmas in July a big success!We had the most delicious Cookies and T...
07/26/2026

Thanks to all of you who played a part in making Christmas in July a big success!
We had the most delicious Cookies and Treats all homemade!
Thanks to the wonderful members of the BC Community Club and our own BC History & Arts Foundation volunteers.
Thanks to Patrick Mahoney and Máire Egan two excellent musicians for entertaining us and making us laugh and sing!
Thanks especially to all of you who came down to enjoy the party with us, you were a fun group!

07/25/2026

Goldfield, 1905, Before the Engines Took Over

One of the things I enjoy most about old mining photographs is how they reveal the enormous amount of work that happened long before modern equipment arrived.

This image, taken in Goldfield, Nevada around 1905, shows a team of 12 horses pulling three ore wagons. Every load represented countless hours of mining underground, followed by the difficult task of moving valuable ore to the mills for processing.

In the background, a mill and other mining facilities are still under construction, a reminder of how quickly Goldfield was growing during its peak years. Founded in 1902, the discovery of rich gold deposits transformed what had been open desert into Nevada's largest city by 1906, with a population of more than 20,000 people.

07/25/2026

In honor of National Thermal Engineers Day, we’re highlighting the critical work behind large-scale temperature management in major infrastructure projects. ❄️🔥

This historic view of the dam’s downstream face documents a key stage in thermal-control construction: the installation of header pipes for the concrete cooling network. In the lower left, lead lines from the on-site refrigeration plant and evaporation tower are visible as they supply chilled water to the interior.

The cooling system was designed to manage the significant heat generated during concrete curing. Maintaining controlled temperatures throughout the structure reduced the risk of thermal cracking and supports long-term structural performance. This highlights the important work thermal engineers do to manage heat in large-scale concrete projects.



📸: A section of the downstream face of the dam showing installation of cooling system header pipes. Lead lines from the refrigeration plant and evaporation tower are seen in the lower left. October 10, 1933

Its Christmas in July!Saturday July 25th, 1-4pm at the Masonic Temple.A Free event! We will serve christmas food items, ...
07/25/2026

Its Christmas in July!
Saturday July 25th,
1-4pm at the Masonic Temple.
A Free event! We will serve christmas food items, home made cookies baked by your neighbors.
Cookie decorating stations for Kids
and Santa and the Grinch will make an appearance.
You could win one of 30 nice Prize Baskets donated by the locals and businesses of Boulder City.
Patrick Mahoney along with Máire Egan will perform and play holiday tunes.
Join us!
901 Arizona Street, 1-4pm Saturday

Enjoy the videos and music you love, upload original content, and share it all with friends, family, and the world on YouTube.

Address

PO Box 61731
Boulder City, NV
89006

Website

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Boulder City History & Arts Foundation posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Contact The Museum

Send a message to Boulder City History & Arts Foundation:

Shortcuts

Share