Oak Ridge, TN: From Secret City to Standout
With roots in the dawn of the Atomic Age, Oak Ridge has been a beacon of innovation in East Tennessee since its establishment by the U.S. government in 1942.
Yet the region’s rich history goes beyond the Manhattan Project. Significant civil rights, arts and science achievements have made the once-secret city a prospering community.
In This Article
From Atomic Legacy to Innovation Hub
Oak Ridge was home to facilities that produced enriched uranium for the world’s first atomic bomb. Thousands of people lived and worked in the community in secrecy until the end of World War II. The innovation that occurred in Oak Ridge during the 1940s has had far-reaching effects on the community today.
“I can’t say enough about the impact that Oak Ridge has had on the area of East Tennessee, the nation or even the world,” says Ray Smith, Oak Ridge historian.
ORNL: Pioneering Scientific Advancements
Once the epicenter of atomic research, Oak Ridge’s achievements have gone beyond weaponry. Even during the Manhattan Project, scientists and engineers were aware of the groundbreaking potential of the technology they were developing.
At Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), tools invented during the Manhattan Project have been used to produce lifesaving medical isotopes, supercomputers and nuclear submarines.
“Oak Ridge is a really unique and special community that attracts some of the smartest people in the world to do incredibly impactful research, but also to make their home and raise their families,” says David Keim, director of communications at ORNL.
The Scarboro 85: A Civil Rights Victory
Perhaps due to its reputation as the “Secret City,” a significant civil rights achievement went largely unnoticed when it occurred on Sept. 6, 1955. Today, community leaders are raising awareness about the Scarboro 85, who were among the first Black students to integrate into white schools in the Southeast.
“To me, the Scarboro 85 is one of the greatest achievements in American civil rights history,” says John Spratling, a history teacher at Robertsville Middle School who is leading the initiative to create a monument for the Scarboro 85.
“The monument will feature those prominent people in the community who put their lives at risk, both Black and white, to make this happen.”
John Spratling, Scarboro 85 Monument initiative
The proposed monument will have an interactive component featuring the faces of students and community leaders who participated in the movement.
“The monument will feature those prominent people in the community who put their lives at risk, both Black and white, to make this happen,” Spratling says.
Predating other significant groups such as the Little Rock Nine and the Clinton 12, the Scarboro 85 took their name from the Scarboro neighborhood in which many Black students lived and went to school. When schools were integrated, the Scarboro School was lost, prompting the Scarboro 85 to keep their name as a testament to their roots.
“Our theme is to preserve, educate, heal and bring unity,” Spratling says. “We want to gain our rightful place in civil rights history.”
The City’s First Stage
In the midst of the Manhattan Project, arts and music were not lost on the Oak Ridge community. The Grove Theater, originally built as a performing arts venue to entertain workers on the Manhattan Project, continues to serve the city today.
“One of our primary missions when we bought the space was to restore it and return it to the community,” says David Allred, lead pastor at High Places Community Church, which owns and operates the Grove Theater. “Ultimately, it’s our theater as a city.”
The Grove Theater hosted the legendary music act the Oak Ridge Boys in the 1950s under their original name, the Oak Ridge Quartet. Today, a Tennessee Music Pathways marker outside the Grove Theater pays homage to the Oak Ridge Boys’ Tennessee roots. The Grove Theater continues to host performers from around the world while serving youth arts organizations, community nonprofit fundraisers and local talent.
Venues like the Grove Theater and the Oak Ridge Civic Music Association, home to the state’s first symphony, allow art to stand alongside science and innovation in a city with a rich history and beautiful backdrop.
“East Tennessee is one of the most beautiful places in the world,” Keim says. “It’s just a great place for anyone to raise a family and build a business or a career.”
Get to Know Oak Ridge
Want to learn more about living and working in Oak Ridge, TN? Check out the latest edition of Livability Oak Ridge, Tennessee.