The Uranium That Shaped Us: Nuclear Production in St. Louis – Dr. Gwendolyn Verhoff, St. Louis Community College

During World War II and the Cold War, as the United States confronted successive threats, the St. Louis region made essential contributions to the nation’s security. Nuclear research and development, together with the production of nuclear weapons, hinged on a key ingredient: chemically pure uranium. If this production from 1942 through the mid-1960s contributed an essential foundation to America’s aspirations in the nuclear field, it also left long-term legacies of damage to the environment.  This presentation will explore the context of uranium purification in St. Louis and survey some of its long-term consequences, such as Coldwater Creek and other sites. The guest speaker is Dr. Gwendolyn Verhoff, Professor of History at St. Louis Community College–Wildwood. This program is provided with FEL (Friends Enjoying Life), the Mirowitz Center men’s organization. The view this Zoom recording click here.