Book excerpt: The Boulder Canyon Project Act, authorized by Congress in 1928, designated funds for the construction of the Hoover Dam. This monumental undertaking affected the interests of seven states and is considered by many to be the most significant American public works project of the 20th century. A project of this scope required thousands of workers, and to meet their needs, the Bureau of Reclamation planned the town of Boulder City, Nevada. Today, the planning of Boulder City is recognized as a significant influence on modern city planning. To a country shaken to its roots by the tumultuous effects of the Great Depression, the Hoover Dam project provided two essentials that were in short supply: work and housing. With the planned community of Boulder City, there was yet another benefit--an oasis in the desert, a city with character and charm. From the hot, barren, cactus-covered land rose green lawns and gardens, workers and their families created a new sense of community, culled from their hard work and the massive dam that was rising before their eyes.