TECH AREA II HISTORY
Building
904 in November 1948; looking southeast |
Research Historian Rebecca Ullrich
recently completed a draft history of Tech Area
II as part of the documentation to be provided to
DOE and the New Mexico State Historic Preservation
Officer to assist them in determining the historic
and architectural significance of Area II and its
buildings. The original buildings in the area, 901,
904, and 907, were built in the late 1940s for the
final assembly of the non-nuclear portion of nuclear
weapons, specifically the incorporation of high
explosives. Tech Area II represents a significant
aspect of Sandia’s early history and was a key facility
for the nation’s nuclear weapon program.
WIPP EXHIBIT
Angela
Carrillo and Tony Gardello examine the new WIPP
exhibit at the Credit Union (Juan Tabo and Comanche,
Northeast). |
The new History Program exhibit is an overview of
the WIPP project in southeastern New Mexico. By
means of historic photographs and graphics, the
display provides a brief chronology of the development
of WIPP--Sandia’s longest-lasting and most high-profile
undertaking. Sandia first became involved in 1974
at the request of ERDA and now, 24 years later,
is still principal scientific consultant. The many
Sandians who have been and are still involved in
this project are hopeful that 1998 will finally
see the opening of the WIPP facility. The exhibit
may be seen in the corridor of Building 894 at the
north end, and at the Credit Union on Juan Tabo
and Comanche.
Corporate Historian Carl Mora is
preparing a history of the WIPP project that is
scheduled for publication in 1999. Based on interviews
and archival records, the narrative will focus on
the experiences of the individuals who worked on
this project and the innovative ways in which they
solved the many technical challenges encountered.
Anyone having any materials or personal recollections
of the WIPP project is welcome to call Carl at 844-8011.
HISTORY EXHIBIT FOR THE
CENTER FOR NATIONAL SECURITY AND ARMS CONTROL (CNSAC)
DEDICATION
Research Historian Rebecca Ullrich
and Archivist Myra O’Canna developed an historical
exhibit titled "Advancing National Security - Past
to Present" for the dedication of the CNSAC building
on August 28, 1997. Thanks to Mark Greenslete of
the Weapon Knowledge Management Department we were
able to include visually unclassified MK5 and B61-11
bombs as part of the exhibit. This allowed exhibit
visitors to see how Sandia’s weapon designs have
evolved over the last 45 years. The exhibit included
photos and captions of personnel from the Crossroads
test in 1946; component testing in a cold chamber
in the 1950s; rocket sled testing; laydown weapon
testing at the Tonopah Test Range in 1958; a 1997
computer calculation of B61-11 penetration; a Trident
II submarine launch; Vela, GPS and DSP satellites;
and photos of Paul Robinson and Roger Hagengruber
with Russian officials. The dedication of this facility
was a truly historic occasion and an excellent opportunity
to exhibit Sandia’s history of work in national
security and arms control.
Research Historian
Rebecca Ullrich beside the Mk 5 bomb displayed
at the CNSAC exhibit. |
A view of the CNSAC exhibit
prepared by the History Program |
NEWS FROM CORPORATE ARCHIVES
Myra O’Canna, Archivist, plans to
establish a Corporate Archives Advisory Board of
five or six members. Membership on the board will
include two or three current employees and two or
three retirees. Although one current employee and
two retirees have expressed an interest in participating
on the board, we would like to locate several others
with various areas of expertise. The purpose of
the board is to help establish Corporate Archive
collection criteria, to evaluate current collection
materials, and to identify collection needs. The
Corporate Archives budget will allow minimal reimbursement
for members’ services. If you are interested in
participating on the advisory board and are willing
to assist with 10-40 hours of your time in FY98,
please contact Myra at 844-6315.
STILL PHOTO COLLECTION
The
Geodesic Dome (now located in the northeast
corner of Tech Area I) originally housed Sandia
displays for the 1958 State Fair. It was called
the "Sphere of Science" and featured mechanical
and scientific exhibits. |
The Corporate Archives became responsible
for Sandia’s Still Photo collection in 1995. Since
that time, we have indexed about 20,000 negatives,
starting with the earliest, onto a word searchable
database. This database has allowed us to respond
to requests for photos of early weapons. Shirley
Morris, Archives assistant and Still Photo clerk,
is also scanning high-interest photos onto the Creative
Arts image management database, C-Quest. By the
end of 1997, all the photos that appeared in the
new Sandia general history and some early Lab News
photos will be available on C-Quest. If you have
an interest in accessing C-Quest, call Russell Smith
at 844-9139. If you need help locating photos we
may have indexed or scanned, call Shirley at 844-7404.
If you have photos that you would like indexed and
stored in the Still Photo Collection, fill out form
SA 1400-ICF (available on the Corporate Forms Home
Page) and submit the form along with the photos
to Shirley at MS 0612.
Recorded Information Management Department
15102
Mail Stop 0612
Fax: 844-2621
Manager: Anna Nusbaum, 845-9440, e-mail: awnusba@sandia.gov
Corporate Historian: Carl J. Mora, 844-8011, e-mail:
cjmora@sandia.gov
Archives Coordinator: Myra O'Canna, 844-6315, e-mail:
mlocann@sandia.gov
Archives and Still Photo Clerk: Shirley Morris,
844-7404, e-mail: samorris@sandia.gov