July 7: U.S. Builds Big Dam, U.S. Goes to Iceland and Women Enroll in Military Academy

On this day in history, a dam is built in Colorado, the U.S. goes to Iceland and the first women enroll in a military academy.

1930: Building of Hoover Dam Begins

On this day, July 7, 1930, the construction of the Hoover Dam began in Boulder Canyon, Colorado. Over a five-year period, 21,000 men and women worked aimlessly to create the largest damn of their time, as well as the world’s largest manmade structure.

The original vision of the dam was created by Arthur Powell Davis in 1902. Although the Hoover Dam was only a five-year long project, the construction for the dam took nearly 30 years. Davis’ engineering report became the guiding document when plans were finalized in 1922.

The United States' 31^st president, Herbert Hoover, played a major role in making Davis’ vision a reality. Even as a secretary of commerce in 1921, Hoover understood the dam would play key roles in helping Colorado and other states.

History.com said, “The dam would provide essential flood control, which would prevent damage to downstream farming communities that suffered each year when snow from the Rocky Mountains melted and joined the Colorado River. Further, the dam would allow the expansion of irrigated farming in the desert, and would provide a dependable supply of water for Los Angeles and other southern California communities.”

During the years of planning, the topic of water rights became a very heated debate among the western states that had claims on the Colorado River. In regards to this issue, Hoover negotiated the Colorado River Compact. This compact broke the Colorado River basin into two regions, with the water divided between them. The bill was finally approved by the House and Senate in 1928.

History.com said, “Today, the Hoover Dam is the second highest dam in the country and the 18th highest in the world. It generates enough energy each year to serve over a million people, and stands, in Hoover Dam artist Oskar Hansen’s words, as “a monument to collective genius exerting itself in community efforts around a common need or ideal.”

1941: U.S. Occupies Iceland

On this day, in 1941, the U.S. began to move closer to war with Germany. War with Germany was in sight due to U.S. forces landing on Iceland to begin the takeover of its garrisoning from the British.

History.com said, “From there on, the U.S. Navy had the responsibility of protecting convoys in the nearby sea routes from attack by German submarines.”

With Iceland being surrounded by water, there were many sea routes used. Now that those sea routes were under U.S. protection, the British Royal Navy had more freedom to defend its embattled Mediterranean positions.

Boots landed on the ground of Iceland less than a month after President Franklin D. Roosevelt froze all German and Italian assets in the U.S., and expelled the countries’ diplomats in response to the German torpedoing of the American destroyer Robin Moor.

After the German torpedo attack, most of the North Atlantic was now in the American sphere; thus, U.S. warships patrolled the waters for German Submarines. The U.S. would then notify London of any and all enemy activity.

1976: Female Cadets Enrolled at West Point

On this day in history, in 1976, 62 women were the first to enroll into the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, New York. And on May 28, 1980, these 62 women graduated and were commissioned as second lieutenants.

In 1802, Congress founded the first military school in America. In theory, the U.S. Military Academy was used for the purpose of educating, training and the practice of military science to young men.

West Point Military academy, A.K.A. West Point, is located at the high west bank of New York’s Hudson River. This academy was the site of a Revolutionary-era fort that was built to protect the Hudson River Valley from British attack.

History.com said, “In 1870, the first African American cadet was admitted into the U.S. Military Academy, and in 1976, the first female cadets. The academy is now under the general direction and supervision of the department of the U.S. Army and has an enrollment of more than 4,000 students.”