Aberdeen in Harford County, Maryland — The American Northeast (Mid-Atlantic)
ENIAC
Photographed by Beverly Pfingsten, February 16, 2008
1. ENIAC Marker
The first large-scale, general-purpose electronic digital computer, ENIAC (electronic numerical integrator and computer) was delivered to the U.S. Army's Ballistic Research Laboratory (BRL), Aberdeen Proving Ground, in 1947. Built by the University of Pennsylvania under an Army Ordnance Corps contract with technical supervision by BRL, ENIAC calculated artillery firing tables and performed computations on scientific problems until decommissioned in 1955.
Erected 2007 by Maryland Historical Trust & Maryland State Highway Administration.
Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Education • Science & Medicine. In addition, it is included in the Maryland Historical Trust series list. A significant historical date for this entry is February 15, 1946.
Location. 39° 30.385′ N, 76° 9.194′ W. Marker is in Aberdeen, Maryland, in Harford County. It is on Aberdeen Throughway (State Highway 22) 0.3 miles east of Old Post Road, on the right when traveling east. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Aberdeen MD 21001, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker is in Central Maryland. It is also in the American Mid-Atlantic and in the Chesapeake Bay Region. Globally, it is in the North Atlantic Region, North America, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once one of the original Thirteen Colonies and also the Antebellum South.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 2 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies: Halls Cross Roads (approx. 0.4 miles away); The Generals Highway (approx. 0.6 miles away); Aberdeen Proving Ground
this page online
Regarding ENIAC. ENIAC was formally dedicated at the University of Pennsylvania on February 15, 1946 and was heralded as a Giant Brain by the press. It had a speed on the order of one thousand times faster than that of electro-mechanical machines; this computational power, coupled with general-purpose programmability, excited scientists and industrialists alike
Related markers. Click here for a list of markers that are related to this marker. Another ENIAC marker
Also see . . .
1. The History of the ENIAC Computer. ThoughtCo website entry (Submitted on February 16, 2008, by Bill Pfingsten of Bel Air, Maryland.)
2. Wikipedia entry for ENIAC. (Submitted on February 16, 2008, by Bill Pfingsten of Bel Air, Maryland.)
Photographed by William Pfingsten
2. Historic photo of ENIAC
Photographed by Beverly Pfingsten, February 16, 2008
3. Entrance Gate to Aberdeen Proving Ground
The gate on MD 22 is only open during working hours and used exclusively by employees of APG. Visitors must use the entrance on MD 755.
Credits. This page was last revised on December 28, 2024. It was originally submitted on February 16, 2008, by Bill Pfingsten of Bel Air, Maryland. This page has been viewed 3,006 times since then and 50 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on February 16, 2008, by Bill Pfingsten of Bel Air, Maryland.
