Operation Teapot, 1955. Photo courtesy the National Nuclear Security Administration/Nevada Test Site Office
DOWNWINDERS OF UTAH
The 1950s marked the beginning of the U. S. government’s nuclear weapons testing in a remote desert area known as the Nevada Test Site. The explosions created mushroom clouds that could be seen for almost 100 miles. The fallout and radiation traveled far beyond that, with devastating effects to those living downwind. Now, a new Downwinders of Utah Archive, housed at the University of Utah’s J. Willard Marriott Library, depicts the stories of Utah communities adversely affected by the nuclear tests. The interactive collection—which includes audio and video recordings, oral history interviews, maps, and other documents—is available at downwindersofutah.org.