Series: The Tri-Cities, WA, WWII Heritage City

This is a series of lessons about the World War II home front, focused on the Tri-Cities, Washington as an American World War II Heritage City. Its impacts to home front efforts includes its contributions to The Manhattan Project (the Hanford Site), Naval Air Station Pasco, and Big Pasco. The lessons highlight specific contributions but connect to larger themes and understandings of the U.S. home front during wartime. This series is a part of Teaching with Historic Places.

  • Article 1: Tri-Cities, Washington Introduction: A series of lessons from the WWII Heritage Cities Lesson Collection

    Black and white overhead of a factory complex and water tower in a forrest

    Overview of three lessons and a culminating lesson to help students understand the significance of Tri-Cities, Washington as an American World War II Heritage City: its impacts to home front efforts such as its contributions to The Manhattan Project (the Hanford Site), Naval Air Station Pasco, and Big Pasco. The lessons highlight specific contributions but connect to larger themes and understandings of the U.S. home front during wartime. Read more

  • Article 2: (H)our History Lesson: The Development of the Tri-Cities as a Home Front City

    Black and white of an air strip with an airplane on the runway and a line of soldiers to the right

    This lesson is part of a series teaching about the World War II home front, with Tri-Cities, Washington, an American World War II Heritage City. Tri-Cities, Washington is comprised of Kennewick, Richland, Pasco, and the surrounding areas. The lesson contains photographs, two background readings, and a primary source to contribute to learners’ understandings about the home front contributions of the Tri-Cities. It explores the migration of workers and war time industries. Read more

  • Article 3: (H)our History Lesson: Life and Work for African Americans on the Home front in Tri-Cities, Washington

    Black and white overhead photo of protestors, white and African American, crossing a street

    This lesson is part of a series about the World War II home front, with Tri-Cities, Washington, an American World War II Heritage City. The lesson contains photographs, one background reading, and two primary source interviews to contribute to learners’ understandings of the contributions of African Americans in the Tri-Cities and the wrongful discrimination against those that lived and worked there. Many moved to there for employment in war jobs like the Manhattan Project. Read more

  • Article 4: (H)our History Lesson: Hanford Site Workers in Tri-Cities, Washington

    black and white picture of two white women sorting papers

    This lesson is part of a series about the World War II home front, with Tri-Cities, Washington, an American World War II Heritage City. The lesson contains one secondary background reading about workers at the Hanford Site, and then two primary source readings. There is a focus on the role of women at the Hanford Site and how their contributions, and perceptions of these, changed over time. An optional activity explores the impact of the Hanford Site on the environment. Read more

  • Article 5: (H)our History Lesson: Tri-Cities, Washington: Comparing and Connecting WWII home fronts

    Black and white overhead photo of a large wall of wires and people in lab coats working in clusters

    This lesson is part of a series teaching about the World War II home front. Tri-Cities, Washington is an American World War II Heritage City. The lesson contains photographs, reading, and primary sources, with an optional activity, to contribute to learners’ understandings of the area as a WWII Heritage City. It combines lesson themes from the three other lessons in the collection to summarize the city’s contributions and encourage connections to the overall U.S. home front. Read more