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Surrounding Communities

The Nevada Test Site had profound impacts on surrounding communities in Nevada and Utah. The site provided good employment to thousands of Southern Nevada residents and brought laborers from out of state for steady, well-paying jobs. Simultaneously, there are controversies about the danger of radiation to surrounding populations on farms, ranches and communities, including Indian Reservations, particularly during the era of above-ground testing, 1951-1963. There is not consensus among experts about the dangers of test-site generated radiation to humans, animals, soil and water.

This 1923 historical map shows surrounding areas before the Nevada Test Site.
This 1923 historical map shows surrounding areas before the Nevada Test Site. (courtesy of University of Nevada, Reno Digital Collections)