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American Experience
Grand Coulee Dam: Engineering Challenges
Thousands of men began arriving at the Grand Coulee Dam construction site in June 1933, enticed by the promise of jobs. Located hundreds of miles from the nearest big city, there was no easy way to get to the construction site. The dam would have to span beyond the width of the river -- almost a mile across -- and would need to rise 500 feet in the air to stop up the river to build the reservoir.
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