Moment of History: When the Hoover Dam Lit Up L.A. For the First Time

In honor of Public Power Week, October 6-12, we remember one of the brightest celebrations Los Angeles has ever experienced. On October 9, 1936, tens of thousands of people jammed into Downtown L.A. and lined Broadway in great anticipation of a parade in honor of the first power slated to arrive from the newly completed Hoover Dam. At the given time, electricity traveled 266 miles from Nevada and illuminated Broadway and the night sky. As the parade began the crowds cheered in jubilation. According to newspaper reports of the time it was the largest celebration since the announcement of the end of World War I.

Photo courtesy of: Water and Power Associates