Site of First Self-Sustaining Nuclear Reaction - U.S. National Register of Historic Places on Waymarking.com

On December 2, 1942, a team of scientists led by Enrico Fermi gathered under the bleachers of the University of Chicago's Stagg Field to conduct a test that would revolutionize not just science, but human history.

Conducted in secrecy, over the course of the day the control rods would be slowly removed, giving the researchers time to check and recheck their calculations, and see whether the reaction had yet become self-sustaining. At 3:36 PM, the pile finally worked - mankind had unleashed - and controlled - the power of the atom.

Stagg Field was demolished to make way for the Regenstein Library (although a field of the same name exists in the northwest corner of campus). Twenty-five years after this first experiment, the site became the home of Henry Moore's sculpure "Nuclear Energy". Both research buildings (on the west side of Ellis) and a new dormitory were built near the site as well.

However, the physical changes around the immediate location of the first pile (termed CP-1) are insignificant when compared to the monumental repercussions this experiment had on the course of human history. The power, both for good and evil, contained within the force first controlled that day would be honed and refined, leading in part to the end of World War II, the tensions of the Cold War, and myriad other concerns and events in our modern world.

Street address: 5600 Block of S Ellis Ave Chicago, IL USA 60637 County / Borough / Parish: Cook Year listed: 1966 Historic (Areas of) Significance: Person, Event Periods of significance: 1925-1949 Historic function: Education (Research Facility) Current function: Recreation & Culture (Sculpture/Memorial) Privately owned?: yes Season start / Season finish: From: 01/01/2006 To: 12/31/2006 Primary Web Site: [Web Link] Secondary Website 1: [Web Link] Hours of operation: Not listed Secondary Website 2: Not listed National Historic Landmark Link: Not listed

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Date Logged Log User Rating   04/11/2020 libbykc visited it 05/10/2019 Raven visited it 06/09/2010 adgorn visited it 11/21/2006 Shorelander visited it

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