RICHLAND -- Today wraps up this years public tours of Hanford and the historic B-Reactor.

Onto the bus they go, 40 people from across the country, even as far as South Carolina, heading off to see a piece of the nations history.

Winding through the desert shrub land, the tour is headed to the B-Reactor, about 35 miles north of Richland.

Built during World War Two, the reactor was the first large scale plutonium production reactor.

For those on the tour, it's a piece history that's becoming more important as time passes.

"I think the history here is quite fascinating you know, a lot of world war two stuff is going on now days and i think as that generation passes on, people are looking at the history of that generation" said Kennewick resident Mike Doenges.

The reactor is enjoying some exclusive company as U.S. National Historic landmark, sharing that title with the White House and the Liberty Bell.

After taking only about a year to build, one person from today's tour said the reactor is a sign of what a determined country can produce.

"It really shows just how much we can do especially how much science has to offer to us if we're motivated enough" said Ian Johnson.

More than 100 tours and 5,000 people have taken tours of the Hanford Site and B-Reactor this year alone.

Michele Gerber has led tours for almost 20 years, and says she enjoys the trip more every time.

"Beautiful in its brute industrial strength, its a big gray concrete structure but its so rich with history that I'm more in awe of it every time I go there" said Gerber.

The Department of Energy will decide in the next few months how many tours will be offered next year.

Online registration for next summers tours will be sometime in march.