1. Oak Ridge was built under a cloak of secrecy.As part of the Manhattan Project, the U.S. government secretly built Oak Ridge with the hope of developing technology that would end World War II. It was the first and largest of the three Manhattan Project sites built to produce the [...]
From mouth-watering slices of pizza, to homemade comfort food, Oak Ridge is home to several award-winning restaurants. Whether you’re in the mood for pasta, chicken wings, BBQ or ice cream, you’ll be able to find something that’s sure to satisfy your taste buds. Here are the top 5 local [...]
You may know that Oak Ridge has a wonderful summer farmers market in Jackson Square, but many folks are surprised to hear we have a thriving, indoor Winter Farmers Market as well. It meets indoors at St. Mary’s Catholic School gym, Saturdays 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., December through [...]
Relaxation in Oak Ridge The City of Oak Ridge is home to nearly 20 city parks, numerous sports fields, a skate park, and a dog park. Visitors to Oak Ridge will enjoy a fantastic network of clean, safe, and well-maintained city parks that boast basketball courts, scenic picnic areas, [...]
In the rowing world, Oak Ridge is known for having one of the country’s best training waterways available. Our race courses and venues offer visiting teams a challenging and fun spring training experience. For many Oak Ridgers, this means that rowing is associated with busy grocery stores, packed restaurants, [...]
The Secret City Festival is a showcase of Oak Ridge History, Art, Science and FUN! History The original concept for the festival began in 1982 as the Azalea Festival, a small one-day arts and crafts show featuring food and entertainment. The celebration grew and evolved over the years, and [...]
By Charlie Jernigan, President, UT Arboretum SocietyThe UT Arboretum was founded in 1964 when the Atomic Energy Commission donated over 2200 acres in Oak Ridge to the University of Tennessee for research and public outreach. To support the establishment and operation of an arboretum on this site, the UT Arboretum [...]
By Ray Smith, Y-12 Historian There were many secrets kept surrounding the Manhattan Project during World War II: What was being made in the Clinton Engineer Works Where exactly Oak Ridge was located Who was staying at the Guest House How many people lived in Oak Ridge Some information [...]
By Ray Smith, Y-12 HistorianAs early as November 1942, when construction of Oak Ridge first began with the Administration Building, this area was known as the Clinton Engineer Works and was the first site selected for the Manhattan Project.Some News Travels SlowlyIt was not until July 1943 that Prentice Cooper, [...]
East Tennessee is popular for a number of outdoor activities, including hiking, boating, and fishing. But one sport in particular brings a unique brand of outdoor enthusiasts to Oak Ridge’s waterfront. For people like Shannon Moore, rowing is what makes Oak Ridge a special place.Whole-Body WorkoutMoore is the Head Coach [...]