Monthly dances by the Manhattan Project National Historical Park recreate the open-air tennis court dances that entertained 75,000 workers and their families in the Secret City during World War II.
“Put on your dancing shoes, another summer of tennis court dances are kicking off on the Jackson Square tennis courts,” a press release said.
The all-ages dances are scheduled monthly on the third Thursday.
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You can learn more about the history of Oak Ridge during World War II during a free national park walk through Jackson Square on Thursday, July 18.
The walk is offered by the Manhattan Project National Historical Park, which includes Oak Ridge.
The program is scheduled to start at 6 p.m. July 18, at the fountain in the main parking lot in Jackson Square.
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You can walk through Wheat with a National Park Service ranger on Saturday, July 13, and learn more about the history of this community before the Manhattan Project.
Wheat was in an area that is now west Oak Ridge, and it was one of the communities displaced by the Manhattan Project, a top-secret federal program to build the world’s first atomic bombs during World War II.
The free July 13 walk is scheduled from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
[Read more…]Bring your human-powered watercraft and explore the history of life on the Clinch River on Saturday.
“On a quiet bend of Melton Hill Lake sits the oldest surviving structure in Oak Ridge, the Freels Bend Cabin dating back to 1810,” the National Park Service said. “On a 1.5-mile roundtrip paddle from Guinn Park, explore the history of the Clinch River Valley leading up to the Manhattan Project.”
Note: This is a paddle program on Melton Hill Lake. Freels Bend Cabin is on U.S. Department of Energy property, and no landings will be permitted.
The trip is scheduled from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, June 22. To participate, please bring your own self-propelled watercraft. No boats are provided by the NPS.
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You can get an introduction to the history of the K-25 plant, which once had the world’s largest building, with a National Park Service ranger on Saturday.
K-25 was built as part of the top-secret Manhattan Project during World War II. That was a federal program to build the world’s first atomic bomb, before Germany could.
Saturday’s talk is titled “K-25: Enriching Uranium in Happy Valley.” It is scheduled to start at 11 a.m. at the K-25 Overlook across from the K-25 site, which is now known as Heritage Center or East Tennessee Technology Park. The talk is free, and it is expected to last about one hour.
[Read more…]Victory and pollinator gardens at the Children’s Museum of Oak Ridge will be open to the public on Saturday, June 1, the Manhattan Project National Historical Park said.
The gardens will be open from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. June 1 for the Seeds of Victory Program, the park said in a newsletter.
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The summertime tennis court dances organized by the Manhattan Project National Historical Park start in two weeks.
The first dance of this summer is scheduled to begin at 7 p.m. Thursday, May 16, on the Jackson Square Tennis Courts. They continue monthly on the third Thursday.
“The park recreates the open air tennis court dances held during the Manhattan Project to entertain the
75,000 war workers and their families contained within America’s Secret City (Oak Ridge),” a newsletter said. “The dances are an all-ages event, and all are encouraged to participate. Featuring swing music
from the 1940s, you might get bit by the jitterbug out on the court.”
A book about the desegregation of Clinton schools won the Tennessee History Book Award for 2023.
The book is “A Most Tolerant Little Town: The Explosive Beginning of School Desegregation.” It was written by Rachel Louise Martin, a historian and writer, a press release said.
The award was announced by the Tennessee Historical Commission and the Tennessee Historical Society. The award prize includes $2,000.
[Read more…]A historical walk through Jackson Square with the Manhattan Project National Historical Park has been rescheduled to February 10 due to the winter weather in January.
The walk with the National Park Service is titled “Building America’s Secret City: Ranger Walk Through Jackson Square.” It is now scheduled for 1 p.m. Saturday, February 10.
“Explore what it took to shape the farms and mud of East Tennessee into the Atomic City,” an event notice said.
[Read more…]Here is information from the National Park Service about Thanksgiving in the United States, Tennessee, and Oak Ridge.
Oak Ridge is part of the Manhattan Project National Historical Park, which commemorates the top-secret federal program to build the world’s first atomic bombs during the second world war. Besides Oak Ridge, the national park includes Hanford, Washington, and Los Alamos, New Mexico.
You can learn about settlements in the area before Oak Ridge was built during World War II during a hike with a national park ranger on Saturday, November 25.
The hike is organized by the National Park Service. Oak Ridge is part of the Manhattan Project National Historical Park, which commemorates the top-secret federal program to build the world’s first atomic bombs during the second world war. Besides Oak Ridge, the national park includes Hanford, Washington, and Los Alamos, New Mexico.
The hike on the North Boundary Greenway is scheduled to begin at 1 p.m. Saturday, November 25, at the east quarry trail head.
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On Thursday, Oak Ridge will host a movie premiere of “Oppenheimer,” a movie about physicist J. Robert Oppenheimer and his team of scientists who helped build the world’s first atomic bombs during World War II. Oak Ridge was part of the top-secret project to build those bombs.
The movie will be shown at 7 p.m. Thursday, July 20, at Cinemark Theater.
“Explore Oak Ridge is thrilled to present the premiere of ‘Oppenheimer, a movie that not only entertains but also pays tribute to the remarkable history of our city and the Manhattan Project,” said Katy Watt, president of Explore Oak Ridge. “This event celebrates Oak Ridge’s contributions to science and innovation, and we are honored to showcase our community’s heritage on the silver screen. Everyone is invited to an evening filled with drinks, popcorn, and a deep sense of pride as we honor the enduring spirit of our remarkable community and the remarkable history that defines us.”
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