Hanford Reactor B

In the early 1940's, the US pursued a breakneck project to produce Plutonium for four bombs that would end the Second World War. In about 2 years, the US went from a standing start to having a working reactor which would convert a ton of Uranium to about a pound of Plutonium. Possibly 15 pounds before the war ended at a cost of about $2 Billion 1945 dollars. The first bomb was a test, detonated near Alamogordo., New Mexico. The second fueled "Little Boy" dropped on Hiroshima. The third fueled "Fat Man" detonated over Nagasaki. And the rest held in reserve, ... in case.

The Hanford Nuclear Reservation is available for free tours courtesy of the National Park Service.

The tour guides are unapologetic about the purpose of the project and its success. And a wealth of information about the history and the details of how it was done.

Worth the visit!