Oak Ridge, Scientific research city in Anderson County, Tennessee
Description
Oak Ridge sits in Anderson and Roane counties, spreading across wooded hills and wide streets lined with residential neighborhoods and research centers west of Knoxville. The city follows no typical grid pattern but adapts to the terrain, with parks and greenways separating office complexes and laboratories.
History
The federal government founded the city in 1942 as a production site for enriched fuel during World War II, seizing land from farming families in Tennessee. After the war it remained under government control until 1959, when homes were sold to residents.
Culture
The American Museum of Science and Energy presents exhibits about nuclear science, while the Manhattan Project National Historical Park preserves the city's wartime legacy.
Practical
Several sports facilities and recreation centers are spread across the city, offering fields for soccer, baseball, and tennis as well as swimming pools. Many parks have walking trails that wind through wooded areas and provide shade during summer.
Did you know?
The population swelled to 75,000 residents between 1942 and 1945, yet almost no one outside knew what work happened here. Even inside the site, most work areas were strictly separated, so employees often had no idea what their neighbors were producing.
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Manhattan Project National Historical Park
14.6 km
American Museum of Science and Energy
880 m
United Church, The Chapel on the Hill
2.6 km
George Jones Memorial Baptist Church
12.9 kmUniversity of Tennessee Arboretum
4.3 km
Alexander Inn
2.5 km
Children's Museum of Oak Ridge
1.4 kmFreels Farm Mounds
6 km
Avery Russell House
17.3 km
New Bethel Baptist Church
9.7 km
Oak Ridge Historic District
1.9 km
J. B. Jones House
8.4 km
Luther Brannon House
5.9 km
Colonial Hall
7.8 km
Freel Farm Mound Site
6 km
Charles Vanden Bulck Bridge
15.1 kmOak Ridge High School
378 mLost Bottom Park
9.8 km
Dr. Herman Postma Memorial Solway Bridge
6.6 km
Bethel Valley Road Checking Station
5 kmBull Bluff
7.6 kmGrove Theater
404 mJefferson Theatre
2.2 kmRidge Theatre
812 mHewitt Bluff
8.6 kmStubbs Bluff
10.9 km
Oak Ridge Turnpike Checking Station
7.4 kmOliver Springs Theatre
8.2 kmDiscover hidden gems everywhere you go!
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