The Oak Ridge Turnpike Gatehouse is pictured above on the west end of town. (Submitted photo)
A Manhattan Project National Historical Park program in west Oak Ridge on Saturday will give visitors some insight into what life was like in Oak Ridge during the Manhattan Project with all the security, the need for secrecy, and the worrying about spies.
The program is scheduled to start at 3:30 p.m. Saturday, September 10, at the Turnpike Gatehouse. It’s free and open to the public. Parking is limited, so please try to carpool if possible. The gatehouse is also at a trail head for the North Boundary Greenway, and visitors can go for a self-guided hike after the program.
The Manhattan Project National Historical Park was established in November 2015. It includes Oak Ridge, Tennessee; Hanford, Washington; and Los Alamos, New Mexico. The Manhattan Project was a top-secret federal program to build the world’s first atomic weapons during World War II, before Germany could. Oak Ridge was a production site for the project, and at the time, it was a secret city not shown on maps.
The Turnpike Gatehouse is located at 2900 Oak Ridge Turnpike in Oak Ridge. Visitors can access the Turnpike Gatehouse from Oak Ridge by following the Oak Ridge Turnpike west as if you are leaving town. Parking will be next to the Gatehouse on the north side of the road. For more information, visit the National Park desk in the American Museum of Science and Energy in Oak Ridge.
“Join Manhattan Project National Historical Park and help us celebrate our centennial by finding your park in Oak Ridge, Tennessee,” a press release said. “This year is the National Park Service’s 100th birthday; join us as we create activities which provide you with opportunities to create priceless memories when discovering national parks.”
Visitors are encouraged to visit the website for more information on the park at www.nps.gov/mapr/oakridge.htm. For more information or directions, contact the Manhattan Project National Historical Park at (865) 576-6767.
More information will be added as it becomes available.
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