Stagg Field

Stagg Field is a special name for two football fields at the University of Chicago. The first one, built a super long time ago, was named after a famous coach named Alonzo Stagg. It was a place for exciting games, but it also hid a HUGE secret!

This field was where scientists did a very important experiment that helped create new kinds of energy. It's like a playground that also became a science lab!

The first Stagg Field was used for sports from 1893 all the way until 1957. That's longer than your grandparents have been alive! But the most amazing thing happened there in 1942.

Scientists were working on a secret project called the Manhattan Project. They used a part of the field's stands to do a groundbreaking experiment. It was the very first time humans created a controlled nuclear chain reaction, which is a powerful way to release energy.

The super important science experiment happened inside the west viewing stands of the old Stagg Field. Think of it like a special room hidden inside the bleachers where people watch games. This experiment was so important that the spot is now a National Historic Landmark and a Chicago Landmark.

It's like getting a special badge for being super important! There's even a cool sculpture called 'Nuclear Energy' nearby to remind everyone of this amazing scientific achievement.

Don't worry, Stagg Field is still around! The University of Chicago has a new Stagg Field a few blocks away. This new field is used for football, soccer, and track and field. It even uses one of the old gates from the original field, so a piece of history is still there! It’s a place where new athletes can run and play, just like the old field was for sports and for making scientific history.