Coldwar-Ct.com
Htfd State Tech. College
We are trying to confirm numerous reports that Hartford State Technical College (HSTC) on Flatbush Ave in Hartford at one point contained a small nuclear reactor for academic purposes. As far fetched as this sounds in the sixties close to fifty schools and colleges operated nuclear research reactors as part of their nuclear program. Apparently the Atomic Energy Commission (AEC) wanted to increase the number of trained reactor operators so as part of the "Atoms For Peace" initiative some schools received reactors. Nearby schools that at one point had training reactors include UMass/Lowell, M.I.T. in Cambridge and Worcester Polytechnic Institute.
Reportedly the reactor at HSTC was a small, "pool type" and was decommissioned/removed by the mid seventies if not earlier.
HSTC had a well respected nuclear program in the 60s/70s although many schools that had such programs did not have a working reactor. AEC records indicate that the school held several licenses for large quantities of radioactive material.
We have heard from two individuals who report seeing a room in the basement of HSTC (on the Flatbush Ave side) that had triple thick lead lined walls and had "Nuclear Reactor" stenciled on the door. This was in the early eighties.
The building was completely renovated over a decade ago so whatever was left over from the school's nuclear program is long gone.
Anyone with information on HSTC's nuclear program is welcome to contact us at webmaster@coldwar-ct.com.
Reportedly the reactor at HSTC was a small, "pool type" and was decommissioned/removed by the mid seventies if not earlier.
HSTC had a well respected nuclear program in the 60s/70s although many schools that had such programs did not have a working reactor. AEC records indicate that the school held several licenses for large quantities of radioactive material.
We have heard from two individuals who report seeing a room in the basement of HSTC (on the Flatbush Ave side) that had triple thick lead lined walls and had "Nuclear Reactor" stenciled on the door. This was in the early eighties.
The building was completely renovated over a decade ago so whatever was left over from the school's nuclear program is long gone.
Anyone with information on HSTC's nuclear program is welcome to contact us at webmaster@coldwar-ct.com.
2011 Photo looking SW from Flatbush Ave. Reportedly the
reactor might have been under the cafeteria.
If HSTC had a reactor it was probably a small pool type as seen in the above stock
photo. The reactor sat at the bottom of a pool of water with the water providing shielding of the radioactivity.
In 2015 a contributor gave us this lead brick which
he said he got from the former reactor area
at HSTC. No, it is not radioactive.
