This morning, as I was out capturing pictures of what remained of the “Blizzard of 2019″, I was out at Hoover Dam before the tours started to show up. That’s when I remember what day it was. February 21. To most people, that’s just another day. However, I am not a normal person. So I have been told by a few people!
To me, a Las Vegas tourism professional. This date has some importance to me and what I do. February 21, 1941, was the day that Nig, the unofficial Hoover Dam Mascot was accidentally killed by a truck he was sleeping under.
Ironic as it may seem, back in 1941 Nig was under a truck trying to escape the unusually warm and sunny day that was. Seventy-eight years later, I was out at the Dam, trying to capture scenes from the unusual snowfall we just had and the unseasonably cold temperatures we are experiencing!
[arve url=”https://youtu.be/mTkL_JQS09g” title=” Remembering Nig, the Hoover Dam Dog” description=” On this day in 1941, Nig, The Hoover Dam Mascot was accidentally killed” /]The Dog
It’s always interesting when you have such a huge and monumental project like the Dam, that something so simple as a stary black lab mutt walking amongst the workers every day could have become such an important symbol to the men who were working and later, to the story of the Dam project itself. But he was.
NOTE: Nig’s grave is the only body buried at the Dam site. There are no bodies buried in the Dam itself!
Good news on the story of the dog is that the story of the dog has recently been upgraded and the new signs next to his grave give people a little more perspective of his life and the important role he played in keeping morale up in such a hostile and unforgiving work environment.
Snow at Hoover Dam?
Although it was low clouds and limited visibility today going out to the Dam, with snow on the mountains surrounding Las Vegas… there was no snow at the Dam at 8 am. Just a few people admiring the eerie silence of it all and the naturally dim lighting provided by the cloud cover.
Now to think that in less than ten days, Las Vegas resorts will kick off their 2019 Pool Season with massive pool parties and top named DJ’s poolside… Hope Mother Nature gets out of her funk before then and brings back the sunshine with much warmer weather!
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