For the people living along the Columbia River, and particularly the 300 people living in Hanford, Washington, everything changed with World War II. On February 8, 1943, the Secretary of War, used the Second War Powers Act to begin land acquisition proceedings. The town of Hanford was condemned, and most buildings razed.
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers selected E. I. Du Pont de Numours and Company to design, engineer, construct, equip, train personnel for, and operated Hanford Engineer Works. It was felt that the atomic bomb would shorten the War.
Like the U.S. Military and much of the United States during the War, the Hanford Camp was segregated by race.
The Reach Museum opened in 2014 in Richland, Washington. The Museum focuses on the Hanford Reach area with exhibits on the region’s geology, wildlife, Native American history, American settlement, the Manhattan project (developing the atomic bomb), and recent environmental and conservation concerns. Shown below are some of the displays relating to the Hanford Project.
Museums 101
Museums 101 is a series of photo tours of museum exhibits. More from this series:
Museums 101: Los Angeles and the Automobile (Photo Diary)
Museums 101: Railroad Handcars and Motorcars (Photo Diary)
Museums 101: Some Fort Steele Houses (Photo Diary)
Museums 101: The Nevada City Blacksmith Shop (Photo Diary)
Museums 101: The General Store (Photo Diary)
Museums 101: Chinese Noodle Parlors in Butte, MT (Photo Diary)
Museums 101: Farming in Washington (Photo Diary)
Museums 101: The Secret Life of an Artifact (Photo Diary)