Boulder dam under construction

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Glaha was employed by the United States Bureau of Reclamation to document the construction of Boulder Dam (which was renamed in honor of Herbert Hoover, who played an integral role in its construction, in 1947). Glaha’s images were used by the government to prove to legislators, the press and public that the project was structurally sound and that funds were being spent efficiently. While propagandistic in nature, his photographs also reveal an interest in the fine arts and an ability to manipulate formal artistic elements such as line, shape, pattern and texture. The museum has been developing a collection of industrial photographs because of their relevance to Akron’s history as a major industrial center.

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