Hyde Park in Chicago in Cook County, Illinois — The American Midwest (Great Lakes)

Site of the First Self-sustaining Controlled Nuclear Chain Reaction

December 2, 1942

October 20, 2013

1. Site of the First Self-sustaining Controlled Nuclear Chain Reaction Marker

Inscription. Physicist Enrico Fermi and his colleagues established the first self-sustaining controlled nuclear reaction in makeshift laboratories constructed under the grandstands of Stagg Field Stadium on December 2, 1942. The success of this experiment ushered in the atomic age, opening tremendous potential to modern science.

Erected by Commission on Chicago Historical and Architectural Landmarks.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Industry & Commerce • Science & Medicine • War, World II. A significant historical month for this entry is December 1556.

Location. 41° 47.551′ N, 87° 36.074′ W. Marker is in Chicago, Illinois, in Cook County. It is in Hyde Park. Marker is on South Ellis Avenue north of East 57th Street, on the right when traveling north. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Chicago IL 60637, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. Enrico and Laura Fermi (approx. ¼ mile away); "Original Professors’ Row" (approx. half a mile away); Greenwood Row Houses (approx. half a mile away); Charles E. Merriam Center for Public Administration (approx. 0.6 miles away); Masaryk Memorial Monument (approx. 0.7 miles away); Obama Kissing Rock

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(approx. 0.7 miles away); Kenwood (approx. 0.9 miles away); Julius Rosenwald (approx. 0.9 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Chicago.

Nuclear Energy image. Click for full size.

October 20, 2013

2. Nuclear Energy

Henry Moore sculpted this memorial to Chicago Pile-1, the world's first functional nuclear reactor.

Credits. This page was last revised on January 30, 2023. It was originally submitted on October 22, 2013. This page has been viewed 768 times since then and 34 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on October 22, 2013. • Al Wolf was the editor who published this page.