The Children’s Museum of Oak Ridge will host the opening of an exhibition by Harvey Towns commemorating the 80th anniversary of the completion of Norris Dam. The opening reception will be from 2-4 p.m. Sunday, March 6, at the Children’s Museum, which is at 461 West Outer Drive. Refreshments will be provided.

On March 4, 1936, the outlet conduit gates in Norris Dam were closed and the storage of water in the reservoir began. This exhibit displays rare and historic photographs of construction leading up to that event. Norris Dam, hydroelectric facility, was the first dam built by the Tennessee Valley Authority.

In March 2015, a cache of original panorama photographs taken by contract photographer Rell Clements to document construction of the dam was discovered at the Children’s Museum of Oak Ridge by Exhibit Director Margaret Allard. Because of the age and fragile condition of the photographs, an effort to digitize and reproduce modern copies was begun. [Read more…]