Sophisticated equipment was used to monitor and control the potentially hazardous industrial processes at the K-25 plant and other Manhattan Project facilities.
Control Room at the K-25 plant, Oak Ridge, 1945 —
Sophisticated equipment was used to monitor and control the potentially hazardous industrial processes at the K-25 plant and other Manhattan Project facilities.
National Archives and Records Administration
Many of the workers in the three Secret Cities of the Manhattan Project were young women. The group seen here is leaving the Y-12 plant, where uranium was enriched through electromagnetic separation. The sign in the right background says "Make C.E.W. count." C.E.W. was the abbreviation for the Clinton Engineer Works, the official name of the Oak Ridge industrial site during the war, derived from the nearby town of Clinton, TN.
Shift change at the Y-12 plant, Oak Ridge, 1945 —
Many of the workers in the three Secret Cities of the Manhattan Project were young women. The group seen here is leaving the Y-12 plant, where uranium was enriched through electromagnetic separation. The sign in the right background says "Make C.E.W. count." C.E.W. was the abbreviation for the Clinton Engineer Works, the official name of the Oak Ridge industrial site during the war, derived from the nearby town of Clinton, TN.
Courtesy of the U.S. Department of Energy and the Oak Ridge Public Library
Residents of the Manhattan Project sites worked hard to make their dwellings as attractive and pleasant as possible, even when those dwellings were crude, government-issued trailers. Note the identifying numbers stamped and written on the side of the trailer.
Trailer with decorative trellis, Oak Ridge, 1944 —
Residents of the Manhattan Project sites worked hard to make their dwellings as attractive and pleasant as possible, even when those dwellings were crude, government-issued trailers. Note the identifying numbers stamped and written on the side of the trailer.
Photo by Edward Westcott. National Archives and Records Administration
Despite their often forward-looking design and planning, the three Secret Cities of the Manhattan Project treated racial segregation as a given. In Oak Ridge, many African American workers lived in plywood "hutments." The contrast between these crude, ill-heated huts and the comfortable housing built for most white workers was stark.
African American women hanging laundry in a hutment area, Oak Ridge, 1945 —
Despite their often forward-looking design and planning, the three Secret Cities of the Manhattan Project treated racial segregation as a given. In Oak Ridge, many African American workers lived in plywood "hutments." The contrast between these crude, ill-heated huts and the comfortable housing built for most white workers was stark.
Photo by Edward Westcott. National Archives and Records Administration
The Secret Cities were secure military compounds during World War II —passage into or out of each city was tightly controlled. Residents often had to create their own entertainment. The band pictured here was composed of skilled Oak Ridge workers seeking an outlet for their musical talents.
The "Rhythm Engineers" on stage, Oak Ridge, 1945 —
The Secret Cities were secure military compounds during World War II —passage into or out of each city was tightly controlled. Residents often had to create their own entertainment. The band pictured here was composed of skilled Oak Ridge workers seeking an outlet for their musical talents.
Photo by Edward Westcott. National Archives and Records Administration
The camp for construction workers at Hanford ultimately housed upwards of 50,000 people, making it the fourth largest "city" in the state of Washington.
Aerial view of Hanford Construction Camp, ca. 1945 —
The camp for construction workers at Hanford ultimately housed upwards of 50,000 people, making it the fourth largest "city" in the state of Washington.
Item courtesy of the U.S. Department of Energy, Hanford Collection
The mess halls at Hanford served thousands of workers at once, with rapid turnover.
Mess Hall, Hanford Construction Camp, ca. 1943-45 —
The mess halls at Hanford served thousands of workers at once, with rapid turnover.
National Archives and Records Administration
Retail establishments at Hanford during the war, including this branch of the famed Sears, Roebuck chain, typically occupied very modest buildings.
Sears, Roebuck and Co. store, Hanford, ca. 1943-45 —
Retail establishments at Hanford during the war, including this branch of the famed Sears, Roebuck chain, typically occupied very modest buildings.
Courtesy of the US Department of Energy, Hanford Collection
The B Reactor at Hanford was the world's first large-scale nuclear reactor. It produced plutonium for the device tested at the Trinity site in New Mexico on July 16, 1945, and for the bomb that was dropped on Nagasaki, Japan, on August 9, 1945. The B Reactor was permanently shut down in 1968, and is now being converted into a museum.
B Reactor, Hanford, ca. 1944-45 —
The B Reactor at Hanford was the world's first large-scale nuclear reactor. It produced plutonium for the device tested at the Trinity site in New Mexico on July 16, 1945, and for the bomb that was dropped on Nagasaki, Japan, on August 9, 1945. The B Reactor was permanently shut down in 1968, and is now being converted into a museum.
National Archives and Records Administration
The sites selected for the three Secret Cities all took advantage of natural barriers to enhance security and secrecy. Los Alamos, for instance, was sited at the top of an isolated plateau. The steep, curving road leading to the city was a nerve-wracking experience for drivers.
Road to Los Alamos, ca. 1943-45 —
The sites selected for the three Secret Cities all took advantage of natural barriers to enhance security and secrecy. Los Alamos, for instance, was sited at the top of an isolated plateau. The steep, curving road leading to the city was a nerve-wracking experience for drivers.
Courtesy of the Los Alamos National Laboratory Archives
Anyone approaching Los Alamos during the war had to pass through at least two checkpoints.
Los Alamos Main Gate, ca. 1943 —
Anyone approaching Los Alamos during the war had to pass through at least two checkpoints.
Courtesy of the Los Alamos National Laboratory Archives
At Los Alamos, the federal government appropriated property belonging to the Los Alamos Ranch School, a private boarding school for wealthy boys. The school campus included a number of distinctive log buildings, which were adapted for military use during the war. Seen here is Fuller Lodge, which served Manhattan Project workers as a dining hall and assembly space.
Graduation ceremony at the Los Alamos Ranch School, ca. 1930s —
At Los Alamos, the federal government appropriated property belonging to the Los Alamos Ranch School, a private boarding school for wealthy boys. The school campus included a number of distinctive log buildings, which were adapted for military use during the war. Seen here is Fuller Lodge, which served Manhattan Project workers as a dining hall and assembly space.
Courtesy of the Los Alamos Historical Society Photo Archives
The Los Alamos Ranch School included a small number of faculty cottages that were converted into housing for key scientists during the war. This string of houses came to be called Bathtub Row, as they were the only dwellings in the city to enjoy that amenity. Shown here is the house where Manhattan Project lead scientist Robert Oppenheimer lived.
Los Alamos Ranch School, Master Cottage #2 —
The Los Alamos Ranch School included a small number of faculty cottages that were converted into housing for key scientists during the war. This string of houses came to be called Bathtub Row, as they were the only dwellings in the city to enjoy that amenity. Shown here is the house where Manhattan Project lead scientist Robert Oppenheimer lived.
Courtesy of the Los Alamos Historical Society Photo Archives
After the war, Skidmore, Owings & Merrill continued to design buildings for Oak Ridge under the auspices of the Atomic Energy Commission, which directly administered all three Secret Cities in the immediate postwar period. During this time, SOM exploring increasingly cutting-edge design for housing, schools, and other buildings in Oak Ridge.
Postwar housing by SOM, Oak Ridge, 1948 —
After the war, Skidmore, Owings & Merrill continued to design buildings for Oak Ridge under the auspices of the Atomic Energy Commission, which directly administered all three Secret Cities in the immediate postwar period. During this time, SOM exploring increasingly cutting-edge design for housing, schools, and other buildings in Oak Ridge.
Photo SOM © Torkel Korling, courtesy Skidmore, Owings & Merrill LLP