Why Does Benton City Have a Love Affair With Uranus?
Most people don't know how much Benton City loves Uranus.
It's not a joke. One of my co-workers was telling me about the Uranus Orbital Marker in Benton City. She told me Benton City was the only town in Tri-Cities with such a marker, however, Richland either has plans or has built as many as three markers. I'm not in the business of tracking planetary orbital markers, but I like you, giggle like a child when someone says "Uranus."
When did Benton City build the Uranus Orbital Marker?
The ribbon for the Uranus Orbital Marker in Benton City was cut in April of 2021, as part of a broader project between the Chamber of Commerce and the Benton City Revitalization Organization for the Hanford Reach Solar System. Ideally, all towns that the orbit of a planet crosses over would have an orbital marker, Benton City happened to be first. If you're curious about the marker but don't want to make the trip, here it is.
What is the Hanford Reach Solar System?
The Hanford Reach Solar System is a project from SILAS Education to build a scale model of our solar system throughout the Tri-Cities region, starting with the sun at the Reach Museum. Wherever a planet's orbit would pass through a riverfront, an orbital marker is placed. The idea is that you could tour the entire solar system in one day, without wondering how to convert lightyears. Soon enough, the other eight (seven? Pluto?) planets' orbital markers will be placed, making Benton City's Uranus feel much less lonesome.