Manhattan Project National Historical Park to be discussed at Altrusa meeting Wednesday

The Manhattan Project National Historical Park will be the focus of the Wednesday luncheon meeting of Altrusa International of Oak Ridge.

Ray Smith, Y-12 National Security Complex historian, will be discussing the honor and importance in having a national park site in Oak Ridge, a press release said. Smith’s presentation will include the potential implications of a national park site in Oak Ridge as well as the probable timeframe for implementation of the national park bill, the release said.

Smith will be covering the potential meaning of the park for the City of Oak Ridge, the American Museum of Science and Energy, the Y-12 National Security Complex Calutrons, the Oak Ridge National Laboratory’s Graphite Reactor, and the East Tennessee Technology Park’s Heritage Center K-25 Gaseous Diffusion Building site. Smith will also discuss how the newly renovated Guest House at the Alexander Inn in Oak Ridge might contribute to the overall national park strategy.

Smith was selected to testify before the United States House of Representatives Subcommittee on National Parks, Forests, and Public Lands that would establish “The Manhattan Project National Historical Park.”  The bill was signed into law by President Obama on December 19, 2014. This new national park includes sites at Los Alamos, New Mexico; Hanford, Washington; and Oak Ridge, Tennessee.

Smith has more than 40 years of experience at Y-12. His many honors and recognitions involve his speaking and writing abilities in sharing the Y-12 Oak Ridge history, the press release said. He has produced several Y-12 history videos, written six photo books, and created a major documentary film project consisting of a four-episode television series on the history of Oak Ridge. He also shares his historical knowledge with newspapers and magazines.

Altrusa International is a service organization whose members focus on leadership, partnership, and service with an emphasis on literacy, education, and providing educational scholarships. Meetings are held in Salon A of the Double Tree Hotel in Oak Ridge. Reservations are required. The buffet line ($13) opens at 11:30 a.m. The meeting and program starts promptly at noon. The public is invited, but reservations for this Wednesday’s meeting had to be made by email at altrusareservations@gmail.com by noon on Friday, January 9.