Atomic Tourism in the 1950s

1951-1962

First test: January 27, 1951, at the Nevada Test Site
Last atmospheric test: Little Feller I, July 17, 1962
Atmospheric tests: One hundred at the Nevada Test Site between 1951 and 1963
All tests: 928 atmospheric and underground tests from 1951 to 1992
Location: Nevada Test Site, Nye County, about 65 miles northwest of Las Vegas; about 1,375 square miles
First press-witnessed test: April 22, 1952, watched by about 200 reporters from News Nob
Largest Nevada test: Hood, July 5, 1957, at seventy-four kilotons
Viewing spots: The Desert Inn's Sky Room and Mount Charleston were favourites
Treaty: Limited Test Ban Treaty signed August 5, 1963
Where to see it today: National Atomic Testing Museum, 755 E. Flamingo Rd.

About

In the Cold War, the United States wanted a test site closer than the Pacific. President Truman approved a site in Nevada, and the first test at the Nevada Proving Grounds, later the Nevada Test Site, came on January 27, 1951. The site lay about 65 miles northwest of Las Vegas, the closest city. PBS's American Experience reports that Las Vegans had only two weeks' notice before the first detonation, and that a government publicity campaign, along with the prospect of more visitors, quieted many worries.

Las Vegas did what it had done with Hoover Dam and sold it. Days after the first blast, the Chamber of Commerce issued press releases presenting the tests as another attraction; one official later said the angle was to make people think the explosions were little more than a gag. The Chamber printed a calendar of scheduled detonations and the best places to watch. The Desert Inn's Sky Room was a favourite vantage point, as was Mount Charleston, and some businesses held all-night "Dawn Bomb Parties."

On April 22, 1952, about 200 reporters watched a test from a spot called News Nob, ten miles from ground zero, and the broadcast set off a national atomic craze. The mushroom cloud turned up on postcards, candy and showgirls' headdresses, and PBS notes that the Flamingo and the Sands promoted the Atomic Cocktail, the Atomic Hairdo and Miss Atomic Bomb contests. The 1953 Annie test was televised, with houses, cars and mannequins placed to measure the blast.

The spectacle had a cost. The Online Nevada Encyclopedia notes that fallout from the 1953 Upshot-Knothole series alone may account for nearly a quarter of all radiation exposure from continental testing, and that families downwind in Nevada and Utah, test site workers and veterans have reported illness and loss for decades, leading to lawsuits and federal compensation programs. The last atmospheric test in Nevada was on July 17, 1962, and the Limited Test Ban Treaty of August 5, 1963, ended the mushroom clouds. Testing continued underground until 1992.

What to expect

The National Atomic Testing Museum, a Smithsonian Affiliate at 755 E. Flamingo Rd., tells the story of nuclear testing at the Nevada Test Site, from the first test on January 27, 1951, onward. Its collection of more than 3,500 artifacts includes a full-size nuclear rocket reactor, the Genie air-to-air missile and the Davy Crockett weapon system, and a simulated atomic blast. The museum lists hours of 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily, with the box office closing at 4:15 p.m., adult admission of $29 and free on-site parking.

Before and after

Good to know

Test counts vary by source and by what is counted. The Online Nevada Encyclopedia lists 100 atmospheric tests at the site and 928 tests in all from 1951 to 1992.
A three-year moratorium on testing ran from late 1958 to 1961; just before it began, the Hardtack II series set off thirty-seven tests in two months.
The 1953 test later nicknamed "Dirty Harry" produced the highest off-site contamination of any continental U.S. test, according to the Online Nevada Encyclopedia.
The Nevada Test Site is now called the Nevada National Security Sites, according to the Nevada Test Site Historical Foundation, which runs the museum.
The National Atomic Testing Museum offers docent-led tours with at least 72 hours' notice.

Questions about Atomic Tourism in the 1950s

Could you really see atomic bomb tests from Las Vegas?

Yes. The Nevada Test Site was about 65 miles northwest of the city, and PBS's American Experience reports that tourists watched the flashes and clouds from spots such as the Desert Inn's Sky Room and Mount Charleston. The Chamber of Commerce even published a calendar of test times and recommended viewing places.

When did nuclear testing start and stop in Nevada?

The first test at the Nevada Test Site was on January 27, 1951. The last atmospheric test, Little Feller I, was on July 17, 1962, and the Limited Test Ban Treaty was signed on August 5, 1963. Underground testing continued until September 23, 1992, after which a moratorium halted all U.S. nuclear testing.

What was Miss Atomic Bomb?

Atomic-themed beauty contests were part of how Las Vegas cashed in on the tests. PBS's American Experience reports that Las Vegas establishments including the Flamingo and the Sands promoted the Atomic Cocktail, the Atomic Hairdo and Miss Atomic Bomb contests, while the mushroom cloud appeared on postcards, candy, toys and showgirls' headdresses.

Was atomic testing dangerous for people nearby?

Yes. Officials scheduled tests for winds that would carry fallout away from Las Vegas, but the Online Nevada Encyclopedia notes that fallout drifted across much of the country, and ranchers and downwind communities in Nevada and Utah reported harm. Many test site workers, veterans and families have described lasting illness, and lawsuits and federal compensation programs followed.

Where can I learn about atomic testing in Las Vegas?

The National Atomic Testing Museum at 755 E. Flamingo Rd., just minutes from the Strip, covers the history of the Nevada Test Site and the nation's nuclear testing program. It is a Smithsonian Affiliate run by the Nevada Test Site Historical Foundation. Check its website for current hours and ticket prices.