Little Niggy: Dog of the Dam

Boulder City, Nevada

Died 1941

The "Dog of the Dam" was a resourceful black shepherd, born on the work site of Hoover Dam, a loyal friend to construction workers for years. He knew every supervisor and would run to get a boss at the first sign of man tumbling into the cement or a crane giving way.

On February 21, 1941, a truck backed over the sleeping mascot. A memorial plaque was installed on the site, but was later removed by the government, which decided that the dam dog's name was offensive.

A concerted effort on the part of veteran workers forced the installation of a new memorial -- a slab with the single word, "nig." The slab is still there, though the word seems to have vanished. A plaque above the slab tells the story, but neglects to mention the dog's name.