Photo credit: www.businessinsider.com
A small town had to make way for the Hoover Dam.
The construction of the Hoover Dam began following the signing of a bill by President Calvin Coolidge in 1928, with the project finishing in 1936. This monumental infrastructure project led to significant changes in the surrounding landscape as the waters of the Colorado River began to rise dramatically.
As a result, Lake Mead emerged, but the flooding had devastating effects on the nearby town of St. Thomas, Nevada, which was unfortunately located directly in its projected flood zone.
St. Thomas was originally established in 1865 by Mormons, although many of the early settlers abandoned it after a financial dispute regarding taxes. The town experienced a revival in the 1880s, eventually hosting a population of about 500 residents. During its peak, St. Thomas boasted a school, a post office, an ice cream shop, and various other community establishments.
However, as waters from the river overwhelmed the valley, the last of the town’s inhabitants were forced to flee. In 1938, the final resident made their escape via boat as the town succumbed to the rising water levels.
“For a long time, getting to St. Thomas required scuba diving,” noted Michael Green, a history professor at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, during a conversation with The Las Vegas Review-Journal in 2019. However, the drought conditions that have since impacted the region have altered its accessibility.
The rise and fall of St. Thomas serve as a poignant reminder of how large-scale engineering endeavors, while often necessary for progress, can also lead to the loss of entire communities and cultural histories. The town is now submerged, and only traces of its past remain, accentuating the stark contrasts between human settlement and natural forces.
Source
www.businessinsider.com