Edgemoor Gatehouse

The Edgemoor Gatehouse controlled access to Oak Ridge from nearby Knoxville.

US DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY/ED WESTCOTT

Quick Facts

Location:

Oak Ridge, TN

OPEN TO PUBLIC:

No

The narrow valleys and wooded ridges of East Tennessee transformed into the secret city of Oak Ridge in less than three years during World War II, making this area the fifth largest city by population in Tennessee, behind Memphis, Nashville, Knoxville, and Chattanooga. Access to the highly-secured Clinton Engineer Works (Oak Ridge) was a top priority in order to provide transportation for both people and equipment to the area. Seven security gates operated 24 hours a day 7 days a week, providing armed security at the Clinton Engineer Works’ access points. 

One of seven gates controlling access to Oak Ridge, the Edgemoor Gatehouse controlled traffic entering the reservation via Edgemoor Road connecting to Highway 25, providing access from Knoxville. As the number of people involved in the Manhattan Project grew, construction workers converted Highway 25 into a 4-lane highway in 1945. The expansion began in July of 1945 but was not completed until April of 1946, over six months after the war's end. In addition to the expansion of Highway 25, improvements to Edgemoor Bridge and Edgemoor Road had to be made due to the high traffic volume that occurred along the route.

The Edgemoor Gatehouse opened on March 19, 1949 when Oak Ridge officially opened to the public. That same day, the Elza Gate, Solway Gate, and Oliver Springs Gate opened.

Continue Your Journey

The Edgemoor Gatehouse no longer exists. You can get a good sense of what the Oak Ridge gatehouses looked like by visiting the Turnpike Gatehouse. This intact gatehouse controlled access to K-25.