There are interesting posts about the history of Dawson Forest WMA and its former Georgia Nuclear Aircraft Laboratory run by Lockheed Martin posted here and here.
Dawson Forest is a tract of 25,000 acres owned by the City of Atlanta Department of Aviation. It was formerly the site of the Georgia Nuclear Aircraft Laboratory (GNAL) run by Lockheed, and was also to be the 2nd site for the Hartsfield Airport (ATL) up until 1968. The facility was heavily active from 1954-58, but Nuclear Aircraft research was officially shut down due to safety concerns and warming of Cold War tensions.
There was a 10 megawatt nuclear reactor that was used in the research and this was decommissioned in 1971. The nuclear facility includes the reactor, a run-off basin and a holding tank. This is a small reactor, however it was an "open air" reactor, not shielded by anything and allowed to operate in the environment - it was hoisted up on guyed towers and permitted to operate perhaps 100 feet above the forest floor, open to contaminate all surrounding area and life. As of recently, no significant remaining radioactive material (based on federal standards) exists in the area, but monitors do still show man-made radioactive material such as Cesium.
The site consisted of mainly above-ground buildings which have been destroyed and a rail-road system throughout the site mainly used for transport of test materials. Both rail bridges have been destroyed.
There was a 10 megawatt nuclear reactor that was used in the research and this was decommissioned in 1971. The nuclear facility includes the reactor, a run-off basin and a holding tank. This is a small reactor, however it was an "open air" reactor, not shielded by anything and allowed to operate in the environment - it was hoisted up on guyed towers and permitted to operate perhaps 100 feet above the forest floor, open to contaminate all surrounding area and life. As of recently, no significant remaining radioactive material (based on federal standards) exists in the area, but monitors do still show man-made radioactive material such as Cesium.
The site consisted of mainly above-ground buildings which have been destroyed and a rail-road system throughout the site mainly used for transport of test materials. Both rail bridges have been destroyed.
We camped in the horse camp near the main administrative center of the former GNAL facility.
The foundations of several buildings remain, including this one with a loading dock and a ramp.
I believe these were the entrances and loading dock to the main administration building.
We camped about 100 yards from the sole remaining standing structure, the "hot cell" building. It is a large cubical building with walls of 48-inch thick reinforced concrete, said to still house radioactive material - one of 3 sites on the tract that still display radioactivity. However, the radioactivity levels are little more than "environmental" levels, so not dangerous to visitors. Nonetheless, the Government required the building to be fenced off by double barbed-wire fencing, and the forest has largely overtaken the ruins.
A few hundred yards from the hot cell building is a retention pond that has been turned into a waterfowl refuge and viewing area.
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