Tennessee Valley, 1936

President Roosevelt's Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) brings electricity to the masses as it works to build dams and transport coal in horse drawn carriages throughout the Tennessee region. Norris Dam and Muscle Shoals and Wheeler are all featured in this Department of the Interior footage from the National Archives.

Tennessee Valley, 1936

Transcript (PDF): http://www.archives.gov/social-media/transcripts/transcript-tennessee-valley-...

CREATED BY
Department of the Interior. Division of Motion Pictures.

SUMMARY
Part 1 shows a dam, generators, power lines and a power house; workers constructing a dam with steam shovels and other machinery; the flooded Tennessee River; and views of horse drawn coal cars, deserted farms, and eroded land. President Roosevelt addresses Congress requesting the creation of Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA). It shows Wilson dam and powerhouse at Muscle Shoals, Ala., and Norris dam under construction. Part 2 shows views of laborers operating dump trucks, drills, steam shovels, and other equipment to construct Norris dam. Mrs. Roosevelt, Arthur E. Morgan, and David Lilienthal inspect Norris dam site. Includes an aerial view of the town of Norris. Part 3 shows the library, bank, dormitories, homes, and cafeteria for workers in Norris, and views of machine shops and trade schools. Workers watch a track meet. Wheeler dam is shown under construction. Rock is drilled and blasted, power shovels scoop up the rock, and concrete is poured into forms. President Roosevelt arrives in a motorcade, inspects the TVA area, and speaks. Part 4 shows a drill taking a rock core sample, men chopping down trees and burning brush, and men spraying river banks. Includes views of eroded land and a fertilizer factory. In part 5, land is contour plowed to prevent erosion. Water flows over Wilson dam at Muscle Shoals. Scenes of city streets and building illustrate the blessings of electric power from TVA. Contrasts the old animal and human muscle methods of performing farm chores with the modern electrical way.

ARD ID 11704
LOCAL IDENTIFIER 48.73

REPOSITORY:
Motion Picture, Sound, and Video Records Section, Special Media Archives Services Division (NWCS-M), National Archives at College Park, 8601 Adelphi Road, College Park, MD, 20740-6001.

For information about ordering reproductions of moving images held by the Motion Picture, Sound, and Video Records Section, visit: http://www.archives.gov/research/order/broadcast-quality-film-dc.html

SUBJECTS
Blasting
Building
Concrete
Dams
Earthmoving machinery
Electricity
Erosion
Farms
Floods
Military bases
Rural electrification
Lilienthal, David Eli, 1899-1981
Morgan, Arthur
Roosevelt, Eleanor, 1884-1962
Roosevelt, Franklin D. (Franklin Delano), 1882-1945
Tennessee Valley Authority.(1933 -9999 ), Producer
U.S. Congress. (1789 -9999 )
Muscle Shoals (Colbert county, Alabama)
Tennessee River

MORE INFORMATION:
More information is available in the National Archives online catalog:
http://arcweb.archives.gov/arc/action/ExternalIdSearch?id=11704

Category:

Education

Tags:

• World War II
• New Deal
• Great Depression
• TVA
• Tennessee Valley
• National ARchives
• NARA

[1972olk]

these was a great and wonderful project of roosevelt...kenyan government should learn from ...kudos

[13Kitties13]

The government put money into homes and jobs instead of giving bankers or auto company men big bonuses.

[thsensor]

That concrete was pure "soup"! How it lasted all these years is not possible,according to modern day test labs, not to mention all other factors,determining the quality of the mix.

[Yamaha519VX]

Is this in HD?

[johnp7620]

The tennessee valley authority totaly transformed the way we in Tennessee live through massive urban and rural change people see this as a building project it was so much more. The TVA formed schools and brought many people into the 20century in a very poor area of the US. It is still seen as the way of doing things years later a role model. Well done the tennessee valley autority

[nyxxxx]

They really didn't know how to make video back then. I really want to read a movie.

[met1bama]

I always wonder what would the Tennessee Valley be like without TVA?

[buranyj]

this seems longer than 36 mins