Free printable vintage Hoover Dam postcards provide full details about one of the most impressive undertakings in American history!
The Hoover Dam is a concrete arch-gravity dam in the Black Canyon of the Colorado River, seven miles from Boulder City, Nevada. The dam is situated on the border between the states of Nevada and Arizona. Dam construction took place between 1931 and 1935 during the Great Depression. The Hoover Dam controls the Colorado River’s flooding, providing water to more than 16 million people and irrigation to more than 1.5 million acres of land.
The Hoover Dam is 726.4 feet high, which is as tall as a 60-story building. At the base, the dam is a city block thick, which is 650 feet. When the dam was completed in 1935, it was the highest dam in the world. Currently, it’s the second-highest dam in the world, after the 770-foot-high Oroville Dam in northern California. The Hoover Dam is carved in an arch to resist the tremendous pressure of the lake waters. The crest is 45 feet wide and forms a highway bridge from wall to wall of the gorge connecting Nevada and Arizona. It is part of a transcontinental route between Kingsman, Arizona and Boulder City, Nevada. [Sources – 1 | 2 | 3 | 4]
The original name for the dam was the Boulder Dam, which is what you’ll see on almost all of the postcards in this collection. There is quite a bit of controversy surrounding the transition of the name from Boulder Dam to Hoover Dam, which you can read about in more detail at history.com.
The Hoover Dam is located just 32 miles southeast of the Las Vegas strip, which is about a 45-minute drive. If you’re planning a visit to the Las Vegas area, it’s well worth making a half-day or full-day trip to the Hoover Dam. Whenever possible, travel to the Hoover Dam during the late fall, winter, or early spring months. If you will be visiting the Hoover Dam on a hot day, prepare accordingly with sunscreen, lots of water, and hats. There is very little shade. Visit the Bureau of Reclamation for more information about visiting the Hoover Dam.
The free printable vintage Hoover Dam postcards set includes 18 postcards, all linen texture with vivid colors and lots of detail. Enjoy!
Printable vintage Hoover Dam postcard formats
Each postcard ZIP folder includes the following three formats.
- Original ratio (3.5″ x 5.5″). All of the Hoover Dam postcards are standard size, which is 3.5″ x 5.5.” Having the postcards in their original ratio gives you maximum creative control for formatting and cropping for specific wall art and other projects.
- 4×6. I’ve formatted the Hoover Dam postcards in their original ratio with 0.5″ white borders on all sides for stress-free 4×6 printing. Every standard printing service offers 4×6 prints at low prices (as opposed to 3.5″ x 5.5,” which is nearly impossible to find). You’ll also have an extensive selection of affordable 4×6 frames to choose from for your new postcard prints.
- 8×10. I know that many readers have arrived at this post searching for 8×10 format prints for wall art for homes, offices, libraries, and classrooms. Again, I’ve added a white border on all sides of the 8×10 formatted Hoover Dam images. I’ve found that it’s the simplest way to keep approximately the original postcard ratio and to find a frame with or without a mat that works well.
I have a comprehensive size guide for my vintage postcard collection downloads. It has all of the details that you need to choose the best size(s) for your framing and craft projects. If you need additional assistance, don’t hesitate to ask!
After the Hoover Dam postcard downloads, I have a set of 8.5″ x 11″ pages. Each page has two original ratio postcards on it. The 8.5″ x 11″ pages save you the hassle of printing every postcard on its own piece of paper. You can print them at home or send them to the printing service of your choosing. The 8.5″ x 11″ pages are perfect for art/junk journals, scrapbooks, school projects, and DIY projects.
The postcard images and 8.5″ x 11″ pages are all 300 dpi to ensure the highest print quality possible.
Are you looking for more postcard formats?
Please let me know! I’m happy to provide more sizes or other printing options for specific wall art and craft projects.
About the free printable vintage Hoover Dam postcards
You may download and print the vintage postcards and 8.5″ x 11″ pages as many times as you like for personal use, which includes classroom use. You may use the images for limited runs (5,000 items or less) of physical items to sell. Physical item use DOES NOT include made-to-order sites, such as Cafepress and Society6.
You may also use the images for limited runs (5,000 items or less) of digital items to sell. Digital items must be flat, finished pieces (i.e., not Adobe Illustrator files). The items you sell must be your own original content using the images. You may not sell the images individually or as part of larger collections.
Finally, please don’t send anyone the download files. If friends, family, or co-workers are interested in their own Hoover Dam postcards, please provide them with a link so that they can download the files for themselves. Your support allows me to keep creating new printable vintage sets!
Please note: The low-resolution preview images in this post are only intended for preview purposes. They’re perfect for sharing on social media. They aren’t suitable for printing. Please use the download links to access the high-resolution versions of all of the images.
Free printable vintage Hoover Dam postcards
All of the information about the Hoover Dam that I’m sharing below comes from the backs of the postcards.
Hoover Dam and Powerhouse with Fortification Mountain in the Distance
The postcard provides a full view of the Hoover Dam and Powerhouse with the Fortification Range in the distance. Nevada is on the left, and Arizona is on the right, with the Colorado River flowing in between the two states.
[Hoover Dam and Powerhouse with Fortification Mountain in the Distance]
Hoover Dam at Night
A spectacular view of the Hoover Dam lit up at night with the color of the lights reflected in the water.
Boating on the Hoover Dam Lake with the Fortification Mountain in the Background
The lake is formed by the Hoover Dam and is eight miles wide and 115 miles long.
[Boating on the Hoover Dam Lake with the Fortification Mountain in the Background]
Hoover Dam
The Hoover Dam is also known as the Colorado River Project. It cost approximately 165 million dollars. The water that it impounds is enough to cover the five states of Connecticut, Massachusetts, Vermont, New Hampshire, and New Jersey.
Hoover Dam’s Downstream Face
The postcard depicts the downstream face of the Hoover Dam, showing the powerhouse and water falling higher than Niagara Falls from the canyon wall outlet works. The Diversion Tunnel outlet is in the foreground.
Figures of the Republic at the Hoover Dam
The two identical bronze figures were designed by Oskar J. W. Hansen and installed as the principal decoration at the Hoover Dam. They’re 30′ high and are cast in bronze. One figure sits on either side of the 125-foot flagstaff facing the gorge of the Black Canyon of the Colorado River over the crest of the Hoover Dam.
The inset at the base of the flagpole in between the two figures reads as follows: “It is fitting that the flag of our country should fly here in honor of those men who, inspired by a vision of lonely lands made fruitful, conceived this great work and of those others whose genius and labor made that vision a reality.”
Highway Across the Hoover Dam, Connecting Nevada and Arizona
The curved crest of the Hoover Dam forms a highway and footbridge across the Black Canyon, wide enough for two lanes of moving traffic and two parking lanes, with sidewalks on each side of the roadway.
[Highway Across the Hoover Dam, Connecting Nevada and Arizona]
Hoover Dam and Black Canyon Spillway in Foreground
When filled to capacity, Lake Mead, the Hoover Dam reservoir, reaches within a few feet of the crest of the Hoover Dam.
Hoover Dam and Lake Mead in Black Canyon
The precipitous walls of the Black Canyon gorge have lost much of their visible height as the rising Lake Mead waters crowd toward the top of the dam.
Lake Mead Flowing Over Spillway Gates of the Hoover Dam
The thundering road of falling tons of water shakes the Black Canyon when Lake Mead flood waters hurtle over the spillway and down the great 50-foot tunnels to the river bed below.
Lake Mead From Observation Point Near the Hoover Dam
The Observation Point is one-eighth of a mile from the main highway and one and a half miles from the Hoover Dam on the Nevada side. Lake Mead is about eight miles wide at this point and extends through the Boulder Canyon and Grand Canyon 115 miles upstream. The island to the left is called Hill 13, with Horseshoe Island beyond it.
Lowering a Loaded Box Car at the Hoover Dam
The postcard depicts a box car of Power House Machinery by a Government 150-ton cableway being lowered into the Hoover Dam.
Sunset at Hoover Dam
A beautiful view of the Hoover Dam at sunset with the Intake Towers lit up and the vivid colors of the sky reflecting in the water.
Transcontinental Highway Across the Hoover Dam
As the road toward the Hoover Dam approaches the Black Canyon gorge, it winds in graceful, safely banked curves along the rugged hills, a marvel of engineering ingenuity.
Transcontinental Highway Near the Hoover Dam
Another view of the Transcontinental Highway that runs through the Hoover Dam site.
Upstream Face and Intake Towers from the Arizona Side of the Hoover Dam
The waters of the Colorado River, which form Lake Mead, have been impounded behind the Hoover Dam. When the waters near the crest, they flow off through spillways, which drain into huge 50-foot tunnels around the dam and back into the river downstream.
[Upstream Face and Intake Towers from the Arizona Side of the Hoover Dam]
Upstream View of the Hoover Dam Showing the Arizona Observation Point
The view from the Arizona side of the Dam. It shows the four 385-foot high Intake Towers almost submerged by Lake Mead. In the foreground, hundreds of people stop at the Observation Point.
[Upstream View of the Hoover Dam Showing the Arizona Observation Point]
8.5″ x 11″ pages
Download the full set of original ratio postcards in one PDF file containing nine 8.5″ x 11″ pages with two postcards per page.
Please note: The above preview image has a black border because it gets confusing having a ton of white space around images in blog posts. The pages in the PDF file don’t have black borders.
I explain how to download and extract ZIP folders in my vintage dictionary pages post. The link takes you to the specific directions that you need.
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