Oak Ridge

A black and white photo of a two-story building with many windows.

Left image
The Guest House was built in 1943. Photo taken 1945.
Credit: US DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY/ED WESCOTT

Right image
The Guest House today.
Credit: NPS/KLEIN

History & Culture

The rolling hills and narrow valleys of East Tennessee proved to be the ideal location for the top-secret atomic weapons program developed there beginning in 1942. Oak Ridge, Tennessee was home to several massive Manhattan Project facilities employing thousands of workers during and after World War II and was the headquarters for the project after relocating from New York City. The facilities in Oak Ridge produced enriched uranium for use in the world’s first atomic bomb, Little Boy, which was dropped over Hiroshima, Japan on August 6, 1945. Today, Oak Ridge carries on the legacy of those fateful years so long ago. Several highly-secured nuclear research facilities still exist in the community, and the city is home to a wealth of historic sites that tell the remarkable story of the Manhattan Project and the dawn of the atomic age. Explore the Manhattan Project in Oak Ridge through six common themes that weave the different places in and around Oak Ridge together.

Choose a theme

Displacement

Learn about the sacrifice of communities that existed long before the Manhattan Project.
Secret Cities & Communities

Explore the history of the Secret City and the people that called it home.
Behind the Fence

Learn about the top-secret facilities that enriched uranium on a mass scale.
Breaking Scientific Boundaries

Explore the people, places, and science that ushered in the atomic age.
Untold Stories

Discover the hidden history of the people and places in Oak Ridge.
Legacies

Learn about the lasting impact Oak Ridge had on the region and the world.