Fernald Feed Materials Production Center, Nuclear materials production facility in Crosby Township, Ohio, US.
Fernald Feed Materials Production Center was an industrial facility that processed uranium across 1,050 acres in Crosby Township using chemical and metallurgical techniques. The plant converted raw materials into finished products for weapons production programs operated by the federal government.
The facility began operations in 1951 and produced around 170,000 metric tons of uranium metal for the U.S. nuclear weapons program until closing in 1989. Following the end of production, an extensive cleanup effort began to address environmental contamination across the site.
The location was long hidden from public knowledge about its true operations and effects on nearby residents. Today, interpretation panels help visitors understand how a community lived alongside an industrial facility whose risks were not immediately apparent.
Visitors should know that the site is now managed as a preserve with certain areas open for access while others remain restricted for safety reasons. It is best to check ahead about which sections are visitable and what precautions to follow during your visit.
After closure, native plants and wildlife gradually reclaimed the grounds, showing how nature recovers from industrial use. Today, the land hosts various bird species and other animals that have made the restored grounds their home.
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