This year the Savannah River Site is celebrating 70 years of operation in South Carolina just across the Savannah River from Augusta, Ga. To commemorate the anniversary, SRS invited site employees to submit photos to document the seven decades since work on the site began.
Sean Poppy, outreach program coordinator for UGA’s Savannah River Ecology Laboratory, submitted this photo taken on the grounds near SREL’s conference center. Located along a walking trail frequented by hundreds of elementary school children each year as part of SREL outreach and educational events, the sign recalls a time when area residents weren’t yet accustomed to Uncle Sam’s growing presence. It reads, “U.S. Government Property – Trespassers Subject to Prosecution.”
Today, in addition to providing beautiful scenery for SREL visitors, the pond and its surrounding forests provide opportunities for researchers to study wildlife and the ecological impacts of the nuclear facility located nearby.
Poppy’s photo was selected for an art exhibit dedicated to SRS’ history, “Beyond the Barricade,” on display through Oct. 23 in the main gallery of the Aiken (S.C.) Center for the Arts. For more information about the exhibit, visit the Aiken Center for the Arts website.
