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Grand Coulee Dam Visitor Center Exhibits
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Photo of workers in line on payday.

We Built This Dam
In the midst of the Great Depression, the construction of Grand Coulee Dam brought work and hope to thousands of jobless families. Their legacy is that they helped bring water to the thirsty landscape, security to downriver communities, and electrical power that transformed the economy of the Pacific Northwest.

The mp3 audio files below contain excerpts from interviews with people who were there: Wilfred Woods, Bill Miller, Cecil Scott, Rod Hartman, Jack Hilson, Edith Lael, Skip Lael, and Inise Powers.
Boomtown MP3 3.18 mb transcript
Building the Dam MP3 4.47 mb transcript
Life at the Dam MP3 2.76 mb transcript
Promise Fulfilled MP3 1.52 mb transcript

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Special Notice
Packages, boxes, backpacks, purses, and bags may not be taken on the tour due to current security measures. Cameras are allowed. Call (509) 633-9265 for more information.
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Last Update: June 15, 2009 4:06 PM