Oak Ridge: Pre-Manhattan Project Sites

In 1942, the United States government purchased almost 60,000 acres (242 sq km) of narrow valleys and rolling hills in rural East Tennessee to enrich uranium for atomic weapons. But the government wasn’t purchasing empty land. Several rural communities existed on the land that became Oak Ridge. These communities, with homes, schools, churches, and businesses, were small yet vital to the region for decades prior to the Manhattan Project. Scroll down to discover more of what became, and what is left, of these pre-Manhattan Project communities. 

Scroll down for sites that existed before the Manhattan Project 
 
Loading results...

    Last updated: January 13, 2023

    Park footer

    Contact Info

    Mailing Address:

    National Park Service, Manhattan Project National Historical Park
    c/o NPS Intermountain Regional Office
    One Denver Federal Center, Building 50

    Denver, CO 80225-0287

    Phone:

    Hanford: 509.376.1647
    Los Alamos: 505.661.6277
    Oak Ridge: 865.482.1942

    Contact Us

    Tools