Posts Tagged ‘Surface’
Urban Legend Alert
1950s deactivated Elmhurst Illinois Atomic fallout/blast bunker.
Information for this video was compiled from a number of anecdotal accounts. So far there is only one secondary source which is the book, “Elmhurst Parks And Recreation 1920-1990″. This Elmhurst Park District Publication states, in Apendix C on pp 81; “abandoned reservoir used as Civil Defense headquarters which serves as a small sledding hill”. The book is at the Elmhurst Public Library ( H 352.73 JOH Non-Circulating ).
In the 1950s Elmhurst had a Civil Defense orginazation which was formed around city government. In April of 1953 the City Council passed a CD ordinance based upon the State model. The Council payed for city employees to travel to CD seminars and at one point the council even had a geiger counter demonstrated in/near the old city building (Glos Mansion).
Other area CD preperations included a 100 man emergency hospital located in the basement of York High School (the old basement track). The Chicago metropolitan area even had Nike Surface to Air (SAM) missiles located in over a dozen sites around the region. One of the radar/launch sites was in Addison (RT 53 & Army Trail RD).
We are trying to get as much information on this as possible. The site is indeed an old concrete water tank but close examination reveals that the entrance was rebuilt for a purpose other than storing water. In fact this modification would prevent water storage. It is possible that it was meant to be converted into a storage unit but one must wonder why the entrance was rebuilt with so much concrete?
In terms of a blast shelter it “might” protect you in the event of a Hiroshima size device being dropped on the Loop. However if a thermonuclear bomb/missile (Hydrogen H-Bomb) detonated anywhere within ten miles it is very doubtful that this reconditioned water tank would be much protection. Additionally the resulting firestorm would suck all the air out the shelter smothering anyone inside (who might have lived through the blast). In terms of a “Fallout Shelter” this place would have good protection, from the Gamma Wave radiation, with something like 12″ concrete all around and dirt banked up against the walls.
We invite anyone with information on this structure to contact either this page or the Elmhurst Historical Museum. Any and all contributions are appreciated be they pro or con.
Duration : 0:2:40
This on-site demo shows Infusion’s Touch TV solution to ist the Chicago 2016 team as a part of the city’s Olympic bid for the 2016 games. Official press release:
INFUSION SUPPORTS CHICAGO 2016′S BID FOR OLYMPIC AND PARALYMPIC GAMES
- Virtual Earth, Touch TV- and Infusions Falcon Eye technologies help bring Games Plan to life
Chicago, April 1, 2009 Chicago 2016 welcomed the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to Chicago earlier this month as part of the citys bid to host the 2016 Olympic and Paralympic Games. Infusion Development played an instrumental role in the IOCs Evaluation Commission visit, supporting the bid through the use of emerging technologies, including Microsoft Virtual Earth, Touch TV and Infusions Falcon Eye. Infusion invested time and expertise in emerging technologies to contribute to the Olympic experience Chicago 2016 presented the IOC.
Preparing for the Games is a tremendous undertaking. Its an activity that involves ingenuity and imagination particularly when envisioning future sites, said Tyler Davey, General Manager, Infusion Development. Through the use of its 3D mapping platform, Falcon Eye, Infusion helped Chicago 2016 communicate its Games plan to the IOC by displaying it on a Touch TV.
Infusion worked with Chicago 2016 and Creative Network, an event planning organization, on the project. By using the latest technologies and focusing on the tremendous power of visual mapping data, IOC delegates could take virtual tours through the city just by visiting the Touch TV kiosk.
Not only are delegates able to visualize future Olympic and Paralympic sites, they also have the opportunity to become acquainted with the citys landmarks and attractions through the Touch TV, said Davey.
Falcon Eye is a 3D operational dashboard that leverages Microsofts Virtual Earth and .NET platforms. It is designed to seamlessly integrate information from multiple sources, displaying numerous data streams on a virtual map of the city. Falcon Eye has ability to navigate real-time data on the Touch TV by simply touching the screen and selecting a preferred mode of navigation, exploration, or guided tour.
Duration : 0:3:55