The Fernald Feed Materials Production Center, located 18 miles northwest of downtown Cincinnati, Ohio, refined and produced uranium products for the American nuclear weapons program from 1951 to 1989. In the course of its Cold War mission, Fernald polluted the surrounding countryside and was responsible for increased illnesses among workers and nearby residents. Using a case study approach based largely on archival materials, this thesis places Fernald within the Cold War context, explains the creation of the uranium production system in the United States, and explores the conflict between Cold War production goals and protection of health and the environment. Despite its critical importance to nuclear weapons production, Fernald has received scant attention from Cold War or environmental historians. While the Fernald site has been remediated into a green space, medical studies have found elevated rates of cancer among the local population as well as continuing environmental contamination
