Three Mile Island emergency indelibly written into memories - 12/20 iconic photos
Bil Bowden captures a placid scene at Three Mile Island, published two weeks before the near meltdown at one of the nuclear power plant's units in late-March 1979. TMI is located in the Susquehanna River, opposite Goldsboro in York County, Pa. Background posts: Publishing legend Gitt vocal about nuclear power, When the rings of trees give history lessons and Readers can view best of Bil Bowden's photos on new blog .
Continuing the series of telling York County, Pa.'s, history through images: ... .
In plain view: This 1979 photo of Three Mile Island shows steam rising from TMI Unit 2's cooling towers. Today, the steam plumes are reversed. Steam comes from Unit 1's towers, and Unit 2's stacks are partially dismantled.
Behind the scene: A combination of human error and mechanical failure led to the accident. Fearing radiation leaks, scores of people in York County and else in Central Pennsylvania evacuated the area. That moment remains frozen in the minds of many local people who made snap judgment decisions about whether to evacuate. The accident led to reforms in the nuclear power industry worldwide. Interestingly, a York Daily Record series just weeks before the accident found that TMI had serious safety defects that should have been repaired.
Further details: See other examples of York Daily Record/Sunday News photographer Bil Bowden's documentary work at Bil's Eye View. And for memories of TMI, see: "Panic at TMI", part of the Remember series.
Past posts in this series:
- 400 years ago, John Smith explored Chesapeake Bay - 1 of 20 iconic images
- Declaration signer James Smith tops York County patriot list - 2 of 20 iconic images
- Going to market a longtime York County pastime - 3 of 20 iconic images
- William C. Goodridge: From slavery to success story - 4 of 20 iconic images
- Rebs' short York visit creates long memories - 5 of 20 iconic images
-Artist Horace Bonham captured everyday life - 6/20 iconic images
-York County farm vs. factory tension relieved in overnight raid - 7/20 iconic images
- York County stood firmly behind Allies on all fronts in WW II - 8/20 iconic images
- Downtown thrived in post-WW II York - 9/20 iconic images
- After WWII success, Farquhar sells assets to out-of-town outfit - 10/10 iconic images.
- Sears, York County Shopping Center in the middle of things - 11/20 iconic photos
- Three Mile Island emergency indelibly written into memories - 12/20 iconic photos.
- People of varying religious groups founded York County - 13/20 iconic photos
- President Reagan: 'Harley is back and standing tall' - 14/20 iconic photos
- Mayor of York, Pa.: 'We are no longer unprotected' - 15/20 iconic photos
- Grange Hall represented past way of York County life - 16/20 iconic photos.
- York County Honors Choir product of proud moment - 17/20 iconic photos.
- Meeting of riot victims brought hope for racial accord - 18/20 iconic images.
- Property rights foundational factor in Lauxmont dispute - 19/20 iconic photos.
- New baseball diamond serves as York cornerstone - 20/20 iconic photos
- Season 2 of York's campaign to come back - Iconic photos 21-23
- York on knees as its men storm Normandy beaches - Iconic photos 24-25
- One image illustrates two long-neglected subjects in York area - Iconic photos 26-27
- Images explain changes in York County factories - iconic photos 28-29.
