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Shoreham

A Nuclear Power Plant Produces Controversy

Beginnings: Before it became Shoreham in 1906, the community had a succession of names, all of them inspired by notable residents or local industry. There was Woodville Landing and Woodville, stemming from the abundance of cordwood harvested from its forests in the mid-1800s. It was also known for a brief time as Swezey's Landing after Daniel Swezey built his general store there in 1885. And, when entrepreneur James Warden came along in 1895, parceling the land into two-acre plots, he preferred Wardenclyffe.

Brush With Fame: With backing from financier J.P. Morgan, radio pioneer Nikola Tesla, Marconi's arch rival, came to Shoreham in 1901 to build his World Telegraphy Center. Designed by McKim, Mead and White, the power plant housed a laboratory, wireless transmitter and production facilities for Tesla's vacuum tubes. But financial problems plagued the project from the start and doomed it to failure. The 180-foot tower and unfinished complex were demolished in 1917.

Turning Point: Fifty years later, another kind of power plant came to Shoreham, generating only controversy. The Shoreham nuclear power plant was nearing completion in 1975 when 15,000 protesters gathered outside the complex, bringing the project to a halt. The plant, which was supposed to be built for $65 million and ended up costing $5.5 billion, remains closed on the 419-acre site on the west bank of Wading River.

Where to Find More: ``Shoreham: A Historical Perspective,'' by Dagmar Von Bernewitz; ``The Life and Times of Nikola Tesla: Biography of a Genius,'' by Marc J. Seifer; ``Tesla: Man Out of Time,'' by Margaret Cheney.