The town of Arco, ID, comes out to celebrate being the first city lighted entirely by atomic power on July 17, 1955.
After a biscuits and gravy breakfast sponsored by the Lost River Senior Center, the Atomic Days Parade began with ping pong balls (thrown out by the sheriff, not dropped by airplane), continued with Pirate alumni floats and more, and finished with blasts of water jets.
We’ve arrived in Arco, ID, to enjoy Atomic Days — a celebration of being the first city lighted by atomic energy on July 17, 1955.
In SeaTac, Washington, you’ll find Grandview Off-Leash Dog Park with stunning views of Mount Rainier and the Kent Valley just south of Seattle. Complete with trails, an agility course, and open areas, the complex is a former Nike Missile Site.
Project Nike Missile Launch Site S-43 (Seattle Defense Area) began operation in 1956, one of 11 sites forming a ring around the Puget Sound region to protect Boeing and military installations. This site could launch 30 missiles carrying three high-yield warheads, each. The site was in service until 1963.
Site S-43 had Ajax conventional warhead missiles during its service, managed by both regular Army and National Guard members. Other sites in the area were converted to Hercules missiles with nuclear warheads. This was necessary to protect the Kent Valley which contained numerous Boeing facilities (one of which later developed the Lunar Roving Vehicle).
Enjoy the grand view!