Browse Items (33 total)

During World War II, Dr. J. Robert Oppenheimer was the scientific director of the Los Alamos, New Mexico, site of the Manhattan Project. The purpose of the Los Alamos site was to design and assemble the atomic bomb, while that of Oak Ridge was to to…

Originally only intended for 12,000 residents, the Oak Ridge site of the Manhattan Project grew to 75,000 individuals by 1945. Such phenomenal growth placed high demands on the city’s support systems and infrastructures. Consequently, much hard work…

After World War II, Oak Ridge retained its function as a nuclear research center. While scientific experiments continued under the secretive veil of the laboratories and production facilities,
“homemade” experiments—like the link trainer depicted…

In addition to long lines, inadequate housing, and shortages of meat and cigarettes, Oak Ridgers also had to contend with mud. With the seeming constant addition of miles of roadways, most of which went unpaved, mud was a formidable obstacle in one’s…