Oak Ridge Today

Flat top house at AMSE is moving to new location

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The American Museum of Science and Energy is pictured above on South Tulane Avenue in Oak Ridge on Monday, Jan. 2, 2017. (File photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

 

The flat top house at the American Museum of Science and Energy is moving from its current location on South Tulane Avenue.

The new location hasn’t been announced yet, although an announcement about the move will be made Monday by representatives of the Children’s Museum of Oak Ridge.

The AMSE location on South Tulane Avenue has been used for more than 40 years. But it closed in late July because the museum is moving to a new location at Main Street Oak Ridge, the 58-acre redevelopment of the former Oak Ridge Mall. The new AMSE will be near JCPenney on the northeast side of Main Street Oak Ridge. It is scheduled to open in October. [Read more…]

RISE ABOVE: Redtail exhibition soars into Oak Ridge

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Rise Above

Commemorative Air Force project celebrating Tuskeegee Airmen appears as part of Secret City Festival’s “Celebrate Our Heroes” weekend

The Commemorative Air Force (CAF) Red Tail Squadron, America’s tribute to the Tuskegee Airmen, brings their RISE ABOVE Traveling Exhibit to Oak Ridge this week as part of the Secret City Festival’s “Celebrate Our Heroes” event. The exhibit is open to the public from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. now through Saturday at 115 South Illinois Avenue in Oak Ridge in front of Maxed Out Gym.

The RISE ABOVE Traveling Exhibit is a fully functional mobile movie theater housed in a climate controlled 53-foot semi trailer that is deployed to events around the country. This immersive experience inspires and educates audiences about the Tuskegee Airmen, our country’s first black military pilots and their support personnel, and the obstacles they had to overcome to serve their country during World War II. Because of its dynamic 160-degree panoramic screen, the film creates the feeling of being in the cockpit soaring above the clouds in the P-51C Mustang—the signature aircraft of the Tuskegee Airmen. View a preview at www.redtail.org/traveling-exhibit/.

More than half a million people in 36 states have experienced a compelling and inspirational piece of American history delivered by this unique educational outreach vehicle since the program launched in 2011, a press release said. Each year, the CAF Red Tail Squadron embarks on a nine-month cross-country tour that includes appearances at air shows, schools, museums, and community events. The group’s six guiding principles—Aim High, Believe In Yourself, Use Your Brain, Be Ready To Go, Never Quit, and Expect to Win—serve as the foundation for their outreach programs and are based on the experiences and successes of the Tuskegee Airmen. [Read more…]

‘Davy Crockett’ at ORHPA meeting on Thursday

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Davy Crockett at David Hall Cabin

“Davy Crockett” at David Hall Cabin in Claxton. (Submitted photo)

Walk in the footsteps of Tennessee and American history

Lynn Fox, a living history exhibitor, will be the featured speaker at a Thursday night meeting of the Oak Ridge Heritage and Preservation Association. It’s a living history presentation, and all ages will enjoy it, a press release said. Artifacts of the frontier period will be on display.

ORHPA’s celebration of Davy Crockett comes on the same week as the Crockett Birthday event in downtown Knoxville on Saturday, August. More information on that event can be found on the East Tennessee Historical Society website.

The presentation on Thursday, August 14, starts at 7 p.m. at the Midtown Community Center on Robertsville Road in Oak Ridge. The meeting is open to the public, and it is especially designed to appeal to young children and adults alike.

“For more than 29 years, Lynn Fox has kept the spirit of Tennessee and America’s heroes alive,” the press release said. “He has walked their footsteps on the Overmountain Victory Trail, and re-enacted events in their lives through entertaining and educational living history programs. [Read more…]

Secret City Festival: Got pics? Oak Ridge Camera Club does!

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Kix Brooks at Secret City Festival 2014

Singer Kix Brooks of country duo Brooks and Dunn was the Saturday night headliner at the Secret City Festival. (Photo courtesy Nelya/Camera Club of Oak Ridge)

 

 

The Camera Club of Oak Ridge took pictures at the annual Secret City Festival on Friday and Saturday.

Here are three. You can see more here. [Read more…]

Secret City Festival ‘Salute to Soldiers’ returns, see Saturday schedule

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The award-winning Living History program “A Salute to Soldiers” returned to the Secret City Festival this year, and it once again features members of the Five Oh First Army Airborne re-enactors.

The “Salute to Soldiers” gives festivalgoers the opportunity to experience 1940s life in an interactive way. With opportunities to try on uniforms, sample food rations, and watch weapons demonstrations, the event allows attendees to truly immerse themselves in the every day experiences of front line life.

On Saturday, demonstrations will be given by re-enactors multiple times throughout the day. [Read more…]

Secret City Festival started Friday morning, continues through Saturday evening

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Secret City Festival Opening Ceremony

B&W Y-12, which will no longer manage the Y-12 National Security Complex after June 30, has been a major sponsor of the Secret City Festival for 10 years and has contributed more than $250,000 total in the past decade. The federal contractor was recognized for its community contributions during the opening ceremony at the Secret City Festival on Friday morning. From left to right are Oak Ridge Mayor Tom Beehan; Dave Richardson, B&W Y-12 president and general manager; Mayor Pro Tem Jane Miller; and Bill Reis, B&W Y-12 vice president of public and governmental affairs.

 

The annual Secret City Festival, Oak Ridge’s largest festival, kicked off Friday morning and continues through Saturday evening.

Highlights of the two-day festival include concerts—Eddie Money and Kix Brooks are this year’s headliners—children’s activities, Manhattan Project site tours, arts, antiques, crafts, food, and fun. There are also World War II Living History activities and demonstrations, Oak Ridge history exhibits, and regional exhibitors and vendors.

Oak Ridge was a “secret city” during World War II, when it was part of the top-secret Manhattan Project, a federal program to build the world’s first atomic weapons. The festival helps honor that heritage and also includes a range of entertainment, community information, and family fun, among other things.

You can check updates on this year’s Secret City Festival on Twitter here.

See the Secret City Festival website for more information, including on how to purchase concert tickets for Eddie Money and Kix Brooks. [Read more…]

Tours of Manhattan Project sites a highlight of Secret City Festival

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Secret City Festival Logo

One of the highlights of the annual Secret City Festival, taking place Friday and Saturday at A.K. Bissell Park, is the series of tours that run all day both days.

Each of the four tours will depart from the American Museum of Science and Energy at scheduled times. In addition, the Secret City Scenic Excursion Train will be chugging along during the festival.

Visitors will have a unique opportunity to tour three historic Manhattan Project World War II sites. On Friday, June 13, Y-12 will host tours from 9 a.m. until 4 p.m. The one-hour tour will include the Y-12 History Center, Building 9731, the Chestnut Ridge Overlook, and Bear Creek Road.

Also on Friday, visitors can take the U.S. Department of Energy Facilities Bus Tour, which is included with a $1 admission to AMSE. This tour includes stops at the Y-12 New Hope Center, Oak Ridge National Laboratory’s Graphite Reactor, and a tour around the East Tennessee Technology Park. A separate tour that focuses on the X-10 Graphite Reactor is available at 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. on Friday.

On Saturday, there will be four opportunities to tour the ORNL Graphite Reactor. All tours will begin at the American Museum of Science and Energy. The Secret City Scenic Excursion Train will be running three tours as well. Departure times for both tours are listed below: [Read more…]

Secret City Festival features something for everyone

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Secret City Festival Crowd June 2012

A large crowd waits to hear music during the June 2012 festival.

 

Make plans to attend the 12th Annual Secret City Festival on Friday, June 13, and Saturday, June 14, in historic Oak Ridge. Join more than 20,000 visitors and residents to celebrate the end of World War II and the heritage of Oak Ridge from 1945 to the present.

Here’s an overview of some of the many activities and events taking place at this year’s festival: [Read more…]

Parks director explains change from WWII re-enactments to ‘living history’ at Secret City Festival

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World War II Re-enactment at Secret City Festival

The Secret City Festival has previously included one of the largest World War II re-enactments in the South, pictured above, but organizers changed this year to a “Salute to Soldiers” program. (Archive photo)

It had been one of the largest World War II re-enactments in the South, featuring close to 200 people in a dozen 1940s-era vehicles at the annual Secret City Festival.

An estimated 5,000 to 7,000 spectators watched the two mock battles at Alvin K. Bissell Park in Oak Ridge each year as British and American forces fought and defeated German military personnel.

But this year, the two-day festival did not include the re-enactments. They were replaced by a new “Salute to Soldiers” program that featured World War II living history activities and demonstrations. That program included period military camps, vehicles, equipment, and demonstrations, as well as educational displays. [Read more…]

Secret City Festival continues today, ends with Rick Springfield concert

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The Dirty Guv'nahs at Secret City Festival

The Dirty Guv’nahs played at the Friday night concert at the Secret City Festival in Oak Ridge, and Rick Springfield will perform tonight.

The two-day Secret City Festival started yesterday and continues today.

See this Secret City Festival website page for an events schedule. The schedule includes links to the entertainment schedule; youth, children’s, and toddlers’ games and entertainment; and World War II living history demonstrations, a new feature this year.

The festival ends tonight with a concert by Rick Springfield and Casey Abrams from “American Idol.” See www.secretcityfestival.com for more information, or see this previous story on Oak Ridge Today for a summary of events.

Secret City Festival features ‘something for everyone’

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Homemade Wine Band

The Homemade Wine Band played after the Friday morning opening ceremony at the Secret City Festival.

The annual Secret City Festival started today, and it features Manhattan Project bus tours and history displays, World War II living history activities and demonstrations, arts and crafts and antiques dealers, food vendors and exhibitors, a children’s festival area and youth events, and a car show and concerts.

“Join more than 20,000 visitors and residents to celebrate the end of World War II and the heritage of Oak Ridge from 1945 to the present,” a press release said.

Oak Ridge was built during World War II as part of the top-secret Manhattan Project, a federal program to build the world’s atomic bombs, and the festival celebrates the city’s heritage.

Festival organizers have provided an overview of some of the many activities and events taking place at this year’s festival:
 [Read more…]

Secret City Festival has World War II living history exhibit

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The Secret City Festival is introducing a new “Salute to Soldiers” program featuring World War II living history activities and demonstrations at A.K. Bissell Park on Saturday, June 22.

“Come out and salute our WWII veterans and enjoy an entire day of living history activities and exhibits provided by Five Oh First Group,” a press release said. [Read more…]