RIBBON CUTTING OPENS ELLENTON HERITAGE TRAIL

The ribbon-cutting celebration on May 12^th signaled the opening of the Ellenton Heritage Trail on the Savannah River Site.  The SRS Heritage Foundation will conduct guided public tours of the Trail in accordance with a real estate agreement between the Foundation and the Department of Energy. 

The ribbon-cutting ceremony was attended by about 40 guests including Dr. David Moody of the Department of Energy and Carol Johnson of Savannah River Nuclear Solutions.  Guests were treated to a van tour of the site of the former business community of the town of Ellenton.  The US Forest Service had cleaned the streets and walkways to facilitate the tour.    George Wingard of the Savannah River Archeological Research Program described locations of homes and businesses and showed photographs along the tour route.  Although no buildings remain standing, visitors were able to visualize the scope and harmony of the former community and understand the sacrifices of residents who were displaced to make room for the Savannah River Project.   

The Heritage Foundation is developing plans for the first public tours.  Tour attendees must be US citizens older than 16 with social security numbers and other forms of identification.  Initial tours will leave from the SRS Museum in Aiken, although subsequent tours may utilize other departure points.  Final arrangements and dates for the public tours will be announced in the near future.   

SRS HERITAGE FOUNDATION JOINS AIKEN COUNTY AND SRNS AT SRS HISTORY MUSEUM RIBBON CUTTING CEREMONY

Officials from the Savannah River Heritage Foundation, Aiken County, and Savannah River Nuclear Solutions gathered for a ribbon-cutting ceremony on October 27, 2014, to launch the new SRS Museum.  The purpose of the museum is to tell the stories of those who spent their careers working to win the Cold War, celebrate the technical and scientific achievements of SRS employees over the past six decades, and show the impact on the CSRA by the huge influx of people moving to the region to work at the Site.  The SRS Museum will officially open to the public in 2015, representing more than 10 years of planning.  Following the ribbon-cutting ceremony, representatives from the Foundation gave tours of the building and described the upcoming museum exhibit themes.  The SRS Museum is located at the former Dibble Memorial Library at 224 Laurens, St., SW, Aiken, SC.

AUTHOR TO SPEAK ABOUT SRS IMPACT ON AIKEN

   Dr. Kari Fredrickson, author of the recently-published book, Cold War Dixie, will speak to a joint breakfast sponsored by the SRS Heritage Foundation and Citizens for Nuclear Technology Awareness on Wednesday, March 26, 2014, at 7:30am at Newberry Hall in Aiken.  Dr. Frederickson is Associate Professor and Department Chair of History at the University of Alabama.  Her book describes how the coming of the Savannah River Site changed Aiken and other communities in the CSRA.  Her talk is titled, “Better Living: Life in a Cold War Company Town”.  Reservations can be made by calling 803-649-3456; the cost is $15.