An Iconic Relic from the Dawn of the Atomic Age!
A firsthand account of Westinghouse in Forest Hills, by Maury Fey and Walt Dollard.
The first post, March 2015.
1959 model atomic power plant at HHC
The nuclear age: Atomic history isn't only Manhattan Project history.
The Westinghouse atom smasher, when constructed in 1937, was a 5-megavolt, 65-ft.-tall Van de Graaff particle accelerator.
It was built “for an inconceivable, possibly epic-making venture into the infinities of pure research” (Pgh Sun-Telegraph, July 7, 1937) — to explore the atom and learn how to harness its power.
The atom smasher was the starting point of the Westinghouse Electric Corp.'s ventures into the newly burgeoning field of nuclear physics. From here, Westinghouse went on to develop the nuclear engine for the USS Nautilus and much more. Today Westinghouse is a major supplier of nuclear technology for power plants around the world, and it all began with this atom smasher.
The lightbulb-shaped tank atop its research lab was a familiar sight in Forest Hills for nearly 80 years, until January 2015 when a developer knocked it down and left it to rust there. As the owner seeks a buyer for this property, this rare atomic-age artifact is in constant danger of being destroyed.
There are many of us out there who think it should be saved and could be a fantastic asset to the area, featuring history, science, and community!