Manhattan Project National Historical Park Archives

Manhattan Project Park: Ride with a Ranger on Saturday

Posted at 10:27 am June 14, 2018
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Photo courtesy Manhattan Project National Historical Park

Manhattan Project: Ride with a Ranger on the North Boundary Greenway

Join a park ranger for a bike ride on the North Boundary Greenway to see how the former communities of the area have changed during the past 70 years.

The Manhattan Project National Historical Park will present this free program on Saturday, June 16, at 10 a.m. The program will begin at the Turnpike Gatehouse and travel down Quarry Trail.

“Along the ride, we will explore the former communities that were here before the Manhattan Project,” a press release said. “Rangers will stop several times along the bike ride to point out the rich history that is found within the Oak Ridge area.” [Read more…]

Demolished building once helped protect city, enriched uranium at Y-12

Posted at 2:18 pm June 1, 2018
By John Huotari Leave a Comment

A building that was mostly demolished on Wednesday, May 30, 2018, once helped to protect enriched uranium at Y-12, and it was used by military police and the Oak Ridge Police Department to help protect the city. Part of the building, a former secure federal communications center, was still standing among the demolition debris late Wednesday afternoon. This picture was taken looking southeast from near the intersection of Bus Terminal Road and Oak Ridge Turnpike. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

Note: This story was last updated at 8:30 a.m. June 2.

A building that was mostly demolished on Wednesday once helped to protect enriched uranium at Y-12, and it was used by military police and the Oak Ridge Police Department to help protect the city.

The building at 101 Bus Terminal Road was once connected by radio to a Y-12 building that stored the world’s only supply of enriched uranium-235, according to a 2010 newspaper article published by D. Ray Smith, who cited Bill Sergeant, head of security after World War II.

A small section of the Bus Terminal Road building that still had historic artifacts—two holding cells and a heavy, bulletproof steel door—remained standing, surrounded by demolition debris, on Wednesday and Thursday. It’s not clear why that one section hadn’t been demolished yet, but the 2010 newspaper article by Smith said it had been a secure federal communications center and was built to be safe from attack. That small section of the building, which had no external windows, was reported to have a concrete ceiling that was one foot thick.

The building, which is at the intersection with Oak Ridge Turnpike, is now being completely demolished so a Taco Bell restaurant can be built there. The building had been extensively modified, and it’s not clear how much of it might have been considered historic.

Smith said the Bus Terminal Road building was once connected by radio to Building 9213, which stored uranium-235 for about a year at Y-12. Building 9213 is on the south side of Chestnut Ridge, which is on the south side of Y-12. After it briefly stored uranium, Building 9213 was used for criticality experiments for years, Smith said. It’s also been used to train the National Guard to identify and isolate radioactive sources as part of their training for homeland security. [Read more…]

Manhattan Project Park: Hike with a Ranger on Saturday

Posted at 9:34 pm May 11, 2018
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Submitted photo

Join park rangers for a hike along the Cedar Hill Greenway in Oak Ridge on Saturday, May 12.

The hike, which is scheduled to start at 10 a.m. Saturday, will begin at Cedar Hill Park, the former location of Cedar Hill Elementary School.

Along the hike, rangers will discuss the early school system of Oak Ridge, early shopping centers, and housing in the Clinton Engineer Works, a press release said.

This 2.5-mile hike is considered moderately difficult, and some parts of the trail can wash out after a strong storm. Visitors are encouraged to wear appropriate footwear, insect repellent, and sunscreen, and bring drinking water, the press release said. [Read more…]

Secrecy, security, spies program is Saturday

Posted at 9:26 pm April 27, 2018
By John Huotari Leave a Comment

The Oak Ridge Turnpike Gatehouse is pictured above on the west end of town. (Submitted photo)

The Manhattan Project National Historical Park will present a program on Saturday, April 28, starting at 3:30 p.m. at the Turnpike Gatehouse in Oak Ridge. The program will give visitors some insight to what life was like in Oak Ridge during the Manhattan Project with all the security, the need for secrecy, and the worry of spies, a press release said. This program is free and open to the public; parking is limited, so, please try to carpool if possible.

The Gatehouse is located at 2900 Oak Ridge Turnpike. 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. For more information, visit the National Park desk in the Children’s Museum of Oak Ridge.

For more information or directions, contact the Manhattan Project National Historical Park at (865) 482-1942. Visitors are encouraged to visit the park’s website for more information at https://www.nps.gov/mapr/oakridge.htm. Follow the park on Facebook at www.facebook.com/Manhattan ProjectNPS, follow them on Twitter at @MnhtnProjectNPS, or on Instagram @manhattanprojectnps.

Manhattan Project Park premieres Minuteman missile film on Saturday

Posted at 5:46 pm April 20, 2018
By John Huotari Leave a Comment

The Manhattan Project National Historical Park will have a special premiere showing of the Minuteman Missile National Historic Site film, “Beneath the Plains,” in Oak Ridge on Saturday, April 21, 2018. (Submitted photo)

The Manhattan Project National Historical Park will have a special premiere showing of the Minuteman Missile National Historic Site film, “Beneath the Plains,” in Oak Ridge on Saturday.

The film showing is scheduled at 3 p.m. Saturday at the American Museum of Science and Energy, which is at 300 South Tulane Avenue in Oak Ridge.

The 30-minute film gives visitors a glimpse of how 1,000 missiles were kept on constant alert, a press release said.

“Hidden in plain sight during the Cold War, these nuclear weapons stood as a deterrent against a nuclear attack to the United States and its allies,” the press release said. [Read more…]

‘HerStory:’ A special women’s history reception & celebration on March 22

Posted at 9:34 am March 14, 2018
By Oak Ridge Today Staff Leave a Comment

Kattie Lue Strickland

As part of Women’s History Month and the 75th Anniversary of Oak Ridge, there will be a special Manhattan Project event on Thursday, March 22. The program will start at 5:30 pm at the New Hope Visitor Center at the Y-12 National Security Complex on Scarboro Road in Oak Ridge.

During the event, the Manhattan Project National Historical Park will be presented with a biscuit pan secretly used by Kattie Strickland during the Manhattan Project. The biscuit pan is an important cultural artifact for the park that can help provide context of the story of a woman who worked on the Manhattan Project, a press release said.

Each person had a unique story of why they found themselves working in the Secret City, the press release said. [Read more…]

Today: Manhattan Project Park celebrates 75 years of Girl Scouts in Oak Ridge

Posted at 8:49 am March 10, 2018
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Camp Trefoil Girl Scouts on Steps (Submitted photo)

The Manhattan Project National Historical Park is partnering with the Children’s Museum of Oak Ridge and the Girl Scouts of the USA to celebrate 75 years of Girl Scouts in Oak Ridge on Saturday, March 10.

Beginning at 10 a.m. Saturday, March 10, individual Girl Scouts and/or troops are welcome to participate in hands-on activities at the Children’s Museum until 3:30 p.m. Admission to the Children’s Museum will be free to any Girl Scout in uniform and their immediate family. Girl Scouts of all levels are invited to participate and will have the opportunity to earn multiple patches, while supplies last, a press release said. Some of the activities include a Children’s Museum scavenger hunt, donating items to support the community, games, and a cupcake celebration.

Girl Scouts who bring a new or gently used book to be donated for the local Free Little Libraries can earn a patch, while supplies last. Participants are also asked to bring items to make hygiene kits for the American Red Cross. These items include toothpaste, toothbrushes, deodorant, shampoo, lotion, soap, washcloths, razors, and shaving cream. Girl Scouts can earn a limited edition Oak Ridge 75th Girl Scout patch by participating in the various events offered throughout the day. [Read more…]

Park Service to discuss TVA role in powering Tennessee Valley, supporting war effort

Posted at 2:20 pm March 2, 2018
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Norris Dam (Submitted photo)

The National Park Service will have a talk on the Tennessee Valley Authority on Sunday while celebrating the 82nd anniversary of the completion of the TVA Norris Dam. During the program, the Park Service will discuss how the Tennessee Valley Authority changed the landscape and supported the war effort in East Tennessee, a press release said.

The Sunday program is free, and it is being offered by the Manhattan Project National Historical Park, a unique three-site park that includes Oak Ridge; Hanford, Washington; and Los Alamos, New Mexico. The program is scheduled to start at 2 p.m. Sunday, March 4, at the American Museum of Science and Energy in Oak Ridge.

The American Museum of Science and Energy is located at 300 South Tulane Avenue in Oak Ridge. The National Park Service visitor desk is located at the Children’s Museum of Oak Ridge at 461 West Outer Drive. For more information or directions, call (865) 482-1942.

Oak Ridge, Hanford, and Los Alamos were part of the Manhattan Project, a top-secret program to build the world’s first atomic weapons during World War II.

Manhattan Project public program: Oak Ridge past to present through A.K. Bissell Park on Saturday, Feb. 17

Posted at 7:11 am February 9, 2018
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A bridge in Alvin K. Bissell Park in central Oak Ridge is pictured above. (Submitted photo)

Join National Park Service staff for a walk and talk tour through Alvin K. Bissell Park on Saturday, February 17.

The Manhattan Project National Historical Park will present this free program starting at 10 a.m. Saturday, February 17, at the American Museum of Science and Energy in Oak Ridge.

“During the program, we will discuss the different lifestyles and challenges that Oak Ridge residents faced during the project,” a press release said. “In this easy to moderate walk of about one mile, we will visit some historical structures and discuss how the town has changed and how it has stayed the same in the 75th anniversary of Oak Ridge. Visitors should be prepared for this walk with weather appropriate clothing and sturdy shoes.” [Read more…]

Three subcontracts awarded for new K-25 History Center

Posted at 2:53 pm February 8, 2018
By John Huotari Leave a Comment

This is a rendering of the exterior of the K-25 History Center, center, on the second floor of Oak Ridge Fire Station Number 4 at East Tennessee Technology Park in west Oak Ridge. Also planned are an Equipment Building and Viewing Tower. (Image courtesy U.S. Department of Energy Oak Ridge Office of Environmental Management)

The U.S. Department of Energy’s cleanup contractor URS|CH2M Oak Ridge LLC, or UCOR, has awarded three subcontracts totaling more than $5.3 million to construct, conduct site improvements, and fabricate and install exhibits for the K-25 History Center at the East Tennessee Technology Park.

The history center will occupy 7,500 square feet in the second floor of the existing, city-owned Oak Ridge Fire Station Number 4. The building is adjacent to the K-25 Building’s 44-acre footprint, which is now part of the Manhattan Project National Historical Park. The history center will include a theater and interactive galleries that display equipment, artifacts, and other media to highlight the site’s workers and numerous Manhattan Project and Cold War-era accomplishments, a press release said.

UCOR awarded two subcontracts for construction and site improvements to North Wind Construction Services LLC of Knoxville, and it awarded a third subcontract for exhibit fabrication and installation to Formations Inc. of Portland, Oregon, the press release said. [Read more…]

Regular operations resumed at Manhattan Project Park when shutdown ended

Posted at 1:18 am January 26, 2018
By John Huotari Leave a Comment

National Park Service employees are pictured above at the American Museum of Science and Energy. (Submitted photo)

The three-day federal government shutdown ended Monday, and staff at the Manhattan Project National Historical Park, which includes Oak Ridge, resumed regular operations, officials said.

Congress passed a short-term spending bill on Monday that will fund the government through February 8, and President Donald Trump signed it Monday night.

On Tuesday, the National Park Service said employees of the Manhattan Project National Historical Park are “happy to be back at work, serving the American people and welcoming visitors to their national parks.”

The Park Service said it appreciated the support of local partners who “stepped up to offer support and continue to serve our visitors over the last few days,” and the NPS thanked the following partners: [Read more…]

Government shutdown: How it affects Manhattan Project Park

Posted at 7:00 pm January 21, 2018
By John Huotari Leave a Comment

During the federal government shutdown, the Manhattan Project National Historical Park location at the American Museum of Science and Energy on South Tulane Avenue will remain open to the public and continue to provide visitor services, but there will be no visitor services provided by the National Park Service. (Submitted photo)

The federal government shut down this weekend after federal funding expired Friday, and an official outlined the impacts to the Manhattan Project National Historical Park, which includes Oak Ridge, on Sunday.

During the shutdown, there will be no visitor services provided by the National Park Service at the Manhattan Project National Historical Park, including public information, said Kris Kirby, superintendent of the Manhattan Project National Historical Park in Denver. The Manhattan Project National Historical Park includes Oak Ridge, Tennessee; Hanford, Washington; and Los Alamos, New Mexico.

Because of the federal government shutdown, National Park Service social media and websites are not being monitored or updated and may not reflect current conditions, Kirby said. All park programs have been canceled.

Kirby said national parks will remain as accessible as possible while still following all applicable laws and procedures.

“During this time, the following locations will remain open to the public and continue to provide visitor services,” Kirby said: [Read more…]