7.9/1019 votes#1 - Grand Coulee Dam
Season 1 Episode 1 - Aired 12/10/1993
The world’s largest concrete dam–and the largest concrete structure in the world–lies on the Columbia River in the State of Washington. B uilt in 1931, it is also one of the largest hydroelectric power plants in the world.
Director: N/A
Writer: N/A
8.0/1040 votes#2 - The Empire State Building
Season 1 Episode 2 - Aired 1/21/1994
The remarkable story of how the landmark New York City skyscraper was constructed during the depths of the Depression. Requiring 10 million bricks and 60,000 tons of steel beams and using a revolutionary technique to hold the steel girders in place–hot rivets–the world’s tallest building was completed four months ahead of schedule.
Director: N/A
Writer: N/A
7.5/1018 votes#3 - The Panama Canal
Season 1 Episode 3 - Aired 3/4/1994
Chronicles one of the most incredible engineering feats of all time: construction of the 51-mile canal that took 10 years to build and employed over 40,000 workers, 6,000 of whom died of yellow fever, malaria, and other horrors. An earlier, 9-year attempt by the French ended in failure and cost 20,000 lives.
Director: N/A
Writer: N/A
NaN/100 votes#4 - Cruise Ships
Season 1 Episode 4 - Aired 3/20/1994
A large machine turned water city, cruise ships are exciting and new.
Director: N/A
Writer: N/A
7.4/1030 votes#5 - Transatlantic Cable
Season 1 Episode 5 - Aired 3/27/1994
Looks at how one man’s vision and the cooperation between the U.S. and England resulted in an instant, reliable transcontinental mode of communication in the mid-1800s. See how wealthy 33-year-old Cyrus West Field endured many failures and lost millions in his attempt to close the communication gap between the Old and New Worlds.
Director: N/A
Writer: N/A
7.2/1025 votes#6 - Mt. Rushmore.
Season 1 Episode 6 - Aired 3/13/1994
The incredible tale of how Gutzon Borglum created the world's largest sculpture by carving the faces of four US presidents (George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt, and Abraham Lincoln) into the Black Hills of South Dakota. The four figures carved in stone pay tribute to the first 150 years of American history. The hour chronicles the "swiveled pointer" that Borglum put in each president's "head", and how workmen hung like spiders 6,000 feet above the ground to blast away 450,000 tons of rock.
Director: N/A
Writer: N/A
The Best Episodes of Modern Marvels Season 1
Every episode of Modern Marvels Season 1 ranked from best to worst. Discover the Best Episodes of Modern Marvels Season 1!
HISTORY’s longest-running series moves to H2. Modern Marvels celebrates the ingenuity, invention and imagination found in the world around us. From commonplace items like ink...
Genre:Documentary
Season 1 Ratings Summary
"Grand Coulee Dam" is the best rated episode of "Modern Marvels" season 1. It scored 7.9/10 based on 19 votes. Directed by N/A and written by N/A, it aired on 12/10/1993. This episode is rated 0.1 points higher than the second-best, "The Empire State Building".