RICHLAND, Wash. – The U.S. National Park Service offers a chance to learn about life in Richland during World War II. This new walking tour takes you through the history of Hanford workers and their families during the Manhattan Project.
According to Ranger Kalina Hildebrandt with the National Park Service, this is the first year of this tour. The tour is a two-and-a-half-mile walk through some Richland communities.
Along the tour is the Historical Resthaven Cemetery. Hildebrandt said the cemetery goes all the way back to the early 1900s. She said people can expect to see what those who lived during the Manhattan Project did, including how the community was designed and built.
“Gustav Albin Pehrson, who designed the master plan for the community, made it to be very walkable, very livable,” said Hildebrandt. “So what better way to experience the history than to walk it ourselves.”
Hildebrandt tells me you will see some of the homes and listen to some of the stories of the people who lived there. People will also see some of what everyday life looked like during the Manhattan Project.
Hildebrandt said she loves giving the tours and hearing community members’ stories.
“There’s such a rich history here,” Hildebrandt said. “People have lived here for a long time, so they have an opportunity to share their personal stories as well. You don’t have to. You can be just as new to this community as I am. There’s always something to learn, but I really like hearing back from the community.”
The “Life in Richland” tour takes place on the first Wednesday of the month and runs through August. So, if you missed this one, there is another one taking place next month. The tours are free. If you want to take one of these tours, she says, just head to their Facebook page, Manhattan Project National Historical Park.
