This audio recording consists of a speech delivered by President Franklin D. Roosevelt on September 29, 1937, at the opening of the Bonneville Dam. It includes introductory remarks on traffic safety by Oregon Governor Earl Snell. The recording has been edited for radio broadcast and is a condensed version of Roosevelt's speech. A transcript, which was published in The Public Papers and Addresses of Franklin D. Roosevelt, includes the full text of his remarks.

In the speech, Roosevelt speaks about the challenges posed by urban growth, including traffic congestion, housing prices, and increased energy consumption. He then talks about the regional benefits of the Bonneville Dam and future dam projects on the Columbia River. He addresses his plan for rural electrification, as well as the arguments of those opposed to the plan. He closes the speech by again describing the benefits of the Bonneville Dam to the region.