About
On September 26th, 1944, Hanford’s B Reactor—the world’s first ever large-scale nuclear reactor—went critical for the first time. Built in just under a year, B and the 1,200 or so other buildings that populated the Hanford Site by that time, were the product of the labor of some 50,000 men and women from across the country who came to live and work at Hanford Camp. The fruits of their labor were instrumental to the success of the Manhattan Project and to the larger war effort.
Over the coming months—leading up to and culminating with a celebration of the 75th anniversary of the launch of Hanford’s iconic B Reactor—the Tri-Cities community will host a series of events reflecting upon and paying tribute to the men and women from all walks of life whose commitment and industry irrevocably changed the world.