My late grandpa used to work on dam sites just like this one, albeit probably a bit smaller, in Finland in the late forties, early fifties. He was a Marion operator, driving one of those monstrous backhoes that could pick up a small car in one fell... scoop. He used to transport workmen across the river in the scoop itself. It held eight cubic meters, he insisted.

Makes one wonder about these great feats of civil engineering, accomplished by such small creatures as men with a lot of planning and some big machines. A lot was done by hand, too, where these days we have strange machines and novel ways of molding concrete pours and advanced reinforcement techniques.

But man, that is one huge site!

[They had their share of strange machines back then, too. Below is another view of the same work site. - Dave]

I still can't get over how I can instantly tell a Kodachrome on your site, and how amazingly crisp and colorful they are. Even a pic of a muddy construction site is so sharp and clear, it's a thing of beauty!

I also love how the Kodachrome's crispness and clarity gives you a you-are-there feeling, looking at one from the 1940's or 50's. So vivid and sharp.