Oak Ridge

Missile

Atom display

Our latest touring urge took us to Oak Ridge, the city that didn't exist. This was built in a small secluded valley from four settlements that consisted of people who were displaced from the Norris Lake project. Needless to say, they were displaced again. The secret city of Oak Ridge was built as part of the Manhattan Project with the other parts in Manhattan, New York, and Las Alamos, NM. This amazing place was not on any map and did not officially exist until after WWII. We spent most of the day at the American Museum of Science and Energy learning our history of WWII and all about atoms and the construction of the bomb. After lunch at Firehouse Subs (started by firemen where you can eat like a fireman) we visited the historic cemetery which has no headstones. This contains 70-100 burials of black people thought to be construction workers and servants of some of the local families. Then we drove around the building pictured above. This is where the plutonium was extracted (I think). No one who worked in this building knew what they were doing. They just watched their dials to make sure they maintained the correct readings. We actually toured this last Tuesday, but couldn't blog until now. We bought a new computer and have been busy getting it up and working.
Tomorrow or Tuesday, depending on the weather, we will head to Amish country or Cumberland Falls. Wait and see!

Later dudes and dudettes,

Louise and Duane