ORNL FCU 75 Years

Nineteen fifty-nine was a year of political unrest, technological firsts, wondrous marvels, and gripping tragedies. Fidel Castro came to power in Cuba after the revolution while the Dalai Lama, along with tens of thousands of Tibetans, fled to India after China invaded Tibet. The first pictures of Earth were taken in space by Explorer 6 , Hawaii became the fiftieth state, and the film Ben-Hur premiered. The Antarctic Treaty was signed by twelve countries. Closer to home, Southeast Airlines Flight 308 crashed into the Holston Mountain range en route from Knoxville to Bristol with the loss of all on board. The average cost of a new house was $12,400; a new car, $2,800; a dozen eggs, 53 cents.

Above: Aerial view of the City of Oak Ridge in the 1960s. (US Department of Energy)

1959-1968 UNPRECEDENTED GROWTH | 21