“Unveiling the Mystery: The Surprising Truth Behind the Iconic ‘Miss Atomic Bomb’ of 1957 Revealed!”
“‘Miss Atomic Bomb’ captured the imagination of a generation and became a global symbol of the Atomic Age,” Friedrichs said in a press release from the Atomic Museum. “To now put a name and story to her face is a tribute to the enduring cultural legacy of that extraordinary time in history.”
The Story Behind The Famous “Miss Atomic Bomb” Photograph
Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority ArchiveOpera singer Marguerite Piazza posed as “Miss Radiation” with servicemen at the Sands Hotel pool on March 29, 1955 to promote atomic tourism in Las Vegas.
In the 1950s, Nevada was the main location for the U.S. military’s atomic bomb tests. A mere 45 miles from Las Vegas, President Harry Truman established a 680-square-mile atomic testing ground, but rather than living in fear of the deadly power of these weapons, business owners capitalized on the sensation and turned the tests into Vegas’ greatest show.
The so-called Atomic Age was in full swing, and atomic tourism was a major money-maker in Las Vegas. Crowds would buy tickets to watch the atomic tests from a relatively safe distance at viewing parties across the city. The aftereffects of the tests could be seen far and wide across the horizon, as mushroom-shaped clouds lingered high above the Nevada landscape.
Bettmann/Getty ImagesGuests at the Last Frontier hotel in Las Vegas looking up at a mushroom cloud from atomic tests in the Nevada desert.
In the midst of this atomic fever, photographer Don English asked a local showgirl from the Sands Hotel to pose for a picture while he had some downtime. He attached cotton to her bathing suit and shaped it to look like a mushroom cloud. Lee Merlin, as she was then known, threw her hands up and smiled, then English snapped the photo.
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