Ode to a Dog
February 21, 2011
Seventy years ago today, the workers at Hoover Dam and the residents of Boulder City lost an important and colorful character. Nig, the black lab dog who became known as the Hoover Dam mascot, was run over on this day in 1941.
From the stories we read and what I was told first hand, Nig was more the proprietor of the dam and the men were there at his approval! He was first found in the newly erected company town and quickly adopted by the men. Or maybe it was the other way around. Either way, he would ride only Six Companies trucks to the dam site, hang out with the workers, inspect their work and the progress of the dam before setting down to lunch with them. Afterward, he would be seen chasing feral cats and maybe some mice or rats, waiting for the end of shift whistle, before jumping on a truck heading back to camp.
Other than Frank Crowe, Nig was probably the most respected personality at the dam. Everyone loved the mutt or if they had issues with the dog, it was usually kept to themselves. Make an issue with Nig or (heaven forbid) you chased him away, you would end up facing a battle with other men or even the propect of losing your job.
Finally, in his older years, with his hearing starting to go and his slowing with age, Nig climbed under one of the trucks to escape the February sun, when the truck backed over him and he was killed. Many think he didn’t hear the back up bell or the calls from people nearby.
The workers held a memorial for him and buried him on the spot where he loved and lived his life. On the edge of Hoover Dam. A plaque today marks his grave on the Dam. Due to political correctness and a complaint, his name and photos have been removed from the dam. But his memory is kept alive by the people who know the story of the friendly mascot of Hoover Dam.
So the next time you are at the Dam and walking to the escalators down to the tour, look to your left and you will see the marker as well as his grave. Give him a nod and smile. Nig would appreciate the gesture.
