Oak Ridge, Tennessee

Heiskell, Tennessee

Weather: low 62 degrees, high 84 degrees, clear skies, low humidity, slight breeze

If the area was trying to have good weather for some special event, they couldn't have done better than today. This was one of those days we call Chamber of Commerce weather. Now, if we could have several more just like it.....

This picture is of a sculpture composed of metal salvaged from the wreckage of the World Trade Center. It was located in front of the American Museum of Science and Energy in Oak Ridge.

After my morning walk and breakfast, we decided to drive over to Oak Ridge to check out the area. The Oak Ridge area was a key part in the effort to develop atomic weapons during World War II, and continues to be an important part of the US nuclear weapons program, as well as the civilian nuclear power program. In addition, much medical and industrial research is performed here.

Based on the importance of the Oak Ridge area to nuclear research, we didn't know what to expect in the way of a town. One thing we did expect was a larger town than what we found. Oak Ridge has about 30,000 residents, which is well below the 80,000 that lived there during the war. When the area was picked for the town and research facilities in the 1940s, it was farm land, with few people living there. The government requisitioned the land, paying an average of $45 per acre. In some cases, the people were only given two weeks to vacate homes that had been in their families for a hundred years or more.

A secret project was launched to build the town and facilities to develop nuclear materials for the atomic bombs. As many as 80,000 people worked on the project at one time, and most of them didn't know what they were building until the two atomic bombs were dropped on Japan. The area was so secret that it didn't appear on maps until well after the war was over.

Our impression of Oak Ridge is that it is a beautiful town with wide streets, well kept homes and parks, and thriving businesses. It is located in a valley with fairly steep hills on all sides.

This is a model of the atom, located in front of the museum we visited today.

While in Oak Ridge, we visited the American Museum of Science and Energy. Walking up to the museum, we noticed a large number of solar panels arrayed on the building. There were several hundred of the panels, and TVA claims that the panels would provide enough electricity for one or two homes a year. Folks, that statement right there gives a prime example of why solar and wind power will never be a significant contributor to the nation's energy needs. All those solar panels, and they were not sure if they would power two homes. That's not to say that there are not uses for these devices. The problem is that American homes use so much energy that it takes more than the average person can afford to install these types of devices. Besides that, what happens when the sun doesn't shine or the wind doesn't blow?

As we went through the museum, we enjoyed the history of how Oak Ridge was developed and some of the things that were developed there. In addition, we enjoyed the exhibit on civilian nuclear power, since we are both retired from that industry. Most of the rest of the museum was devoted to other forms of energy, including coal. Of special interest to the many kids were the hands-on exhibits.

A good day and a good adventure.

More later, be safe.

Today's Town - Oak Ridge, Tennessee: The Atomic City

Not all who wander are lost.