Five Year Anniversary of the Park
Nearly two decades ago the Energy Communities Alliance started working with our communities on the idea of the Manhattan Project Historical National Park. In 2003 ECA held our first peer meeting on the park. As part of the fiscal year 2015 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), the Manhattan Project Historical National Park was authorized and on November 10, 2015 the Memorandum between the Department of Energy and Department of Interior (National Park Service) was signed. The Manhattan Project National Historical Park is located in Oak Ridge, Tennessee, Los Alamos, New Mexico and Hanford, Washington.
This brief timeline covers years of work of the local communities, Congress, Department of Energy, the National Park Service and many others all to commemorate the hard work during the Manhattan Project era.
Today, five years later, we celebrate the anniversary of the establishment of the Manhattan Project National Historical Park to preserve, interpret, and facilitate public access to key historic resources associated with the Manhattan Project. The Park conserves historic sites and artifacts that played a key role during the nuclear era while telling the story of the world’s first atomic bomb and exploring its historical and societal consequences.
The Manhattan Project National Historical Park effort began in the 1990s when DOE enlisted the help of the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation (ACHP). Working with the ACHP, DOE identified the “signature facilities” that would best preserve and recognize the historical importance of the Manhattan Project. It was these sites that as a group collectively represent the history associated with the Manhattan Project.
When remembering the Parks as these guardians of history, David Klaus, Former Deputy Under Secretary for Management and Performance, remarked: “Having been at DOE in the 1990s and again when the National Park was established, I want to recognize and appreciate the critical work that ECA and the community leaders have done throughout not just the last five years but the two decades that laid the foundation upon which the Park is built.”
Mr. Klaus also commended the amount of historical research and care that contributed to the preservation plan for the Manhattan Project. Mr. Klaus highlights that “I also think it is a time to recognize the extraordinary contribution of DOE’s long-time Historian, Skip Gosling. It was Skip who focused the Department on the historical significance of the properties that now comprise the core of the Park, and it was his idea to establish a “Corporate Board on Historic Preservation” comprised of senior DOE officials and designate key structures as “Signature Facilities” of the Manhattan Project. It was also Skip’s leadership that led the Department to commission the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation to meet with citizens and officials from the local communities as part of their review the Department’s overall preservation plan for the Manhattan Project. I can safely say that were it not for Skip Gosling a number of the facilities that are now part of a national park would have been reduced to piles of rubble years ago.”
Just as numerous scientists, community partners, and the federal government all came together for the creation and execution of the Manhattan Project, numerous entities came together for the preservation of such history. The Manhattan Project was a symbol of cooperation and communication and the Manhattan Project National Historical Park follow in those footsteps of collaboration.
The three communities, Hanford, Los Alamos, and Oak Ridge, all recognize the impacts that the work in the 1940s had on each of their communities. These Parks, although separated among the three locations, all identify the significance of the uniting force of history.
As noted by the ACHP, “With the creation of the national park, the future preservation of significant Manhattan Project properties is assured and will allow the public to understand and appreciate the massive effort that ushered in the Atomic Age.”
Oak Ridge Mayor Warren Gooch noted the significance of the Park anniversary: “The City of Oak Ridge had advocated for many years the need to preserve the history of the Manhattan Project. Needless to say, our community was extremely pleased when the news came in December 2014 that the National Defense Authorization Act included a provision to establish the Manhattan Project National Historical Park. It took many months of planning and hard work, but it was truly an unforgettable experience in November 2015 to participate in the ceremonies in Washington, and in Oak Ridge to officially establish the new national park. Much has been accomplished since then, including the construction of the K-25 History Museum, recently dedicated in Oak Ridge. As we approach Veterans Day, we continue to remember and honor the individuals whose achievements changed the course of world history.”
Pictured above: (1945) Photo taken in Oak Ridge by AEC photographer Ed Westcott
Pictured above: (2015) The community of Oak Ridge recreated the 1945 photo on November 12, 2015 in Oak Ridge’s Historic Jackson Square. Community members are holding up the Oak Ridger’s headline that day “Park Opens.” Ed Westcott, who has since passed away, is shown in front holding his original copy of the 1945 newspaper.
Councilor David Izraelevitz commented “This anniversary is a special time of celebration for Los Alamos, as our community heritage is so closely tied to the history of the Manhattan Project. It is also a time of gratitude for the tremendous support provided by our congressional delegation, federal and local staff, and everyone who worked so hard to get this park off the ground. I am also grateful for the strengthened ties that this park project has brought among the three communities."
Pictured above: the unveiling the Manhattan Project National Historical Park at Los Alamos, NM
The Manhattan Project National Historical Park is a central way to preserve and open up the history of the scientific accomplishments of the Manhattan Project. This affords the public a deeper understanding of an important piece of American history.
Mayor Brent Gerry from the City of West Richland remarked, “The Hanford site is truly blessed to have the B Reactor within its Park. With Hanford being the most accessible site of the three this gives our visitors a walkable tour of the B reactor with the opportunity to touch and smell a part of history.”
Pictured above: a tour of the B reactor at Hanford.
Having direct access to such a large component of American history cannot be understated. The Park provides an inside look at a significant scientific project, but the Park also provides a concrete example of the ways in which DOE, NPS, and the local communities worked together to accomplish a mutual goal.
ECA Chair and Roane County Executive Ron Woody summarized the sentiment best: “It's hard to believe a few short years ago we were in DC witnessing the signing of agreements between DOE and NPS. Since these times DOE, NPS, and local communities have continued to work to provide the general public with an experience like no other: the history, science, and interpretation of a series of years and events which changed history and continues changing history today. More work will be done by the agreeing parties to make these historical stories available to the public.”
Pictured above: ECA members at the 2015 Signing Ceremony from Los Alamos, Oak Ridge and Hanford Communities
Additional educational materials on the Manhattan Project and the Park:
Manhattan Project National Historical Park MOU
ECA's presentation on the Parks
Collaborative effort that resulted in the Park