Aerial view of Grand Coulee Dam, WA, 1949
- Card type
- Real photo
- Date
- c. 1949 (Chrome)
About this postcard
Aerial view of Grand Coulee Dam spanning the Columbia River, with the spillway and powerhouse at its base and the impounded reservoir stretching upstream between dark basalt walls. Bare coulee benches and the small government town site sit on the plateau above the river. Built in the 1930s and completed in 1942, the dam was the centerpiece of the Columbia Basin Project, meant to irrigate the dry plateau of central Washington and to generate hydroelectric power. By the time this photograph was taken it ranked among the largest concrete structures and hydroelectric producers in the world.
Postcard Details
No address detected
Postcard record
| Publisher | Ellis |
|---|---|
| Condition | Excellent |
| Place depicted | Grand Coulee Dam, WA |
| Notes | Black-and-white photograph with white border; date 1949 printed in image. No postmark, stamp, address, or message — unused divided-back postcard. Handwritten dealer price code "RMLT 2.00" in pencil at top center. Front is a real-photo view of Grand Coulee Dam, WN, dated 1949 in the negative, published by Ellis; white border, matte photo paper. |
Cite this card
Aerial view of Grand Coulee Dam, WA, 1949, postcard, c. 1949. PostalPast Collection. https://postalpast.com/postcard/aerial-view-of-grand-coulee-dam-wa-1949. Accessed November 2, 2026.