Secret City--Oakridge, TN

Another place that had been recommended for us to see in Eastern Tennessee was a place known during World War II as "The Secret City." It was such a secret that we had never heard of it! So we made the trip to Oakridge, Tennessee, to the American Museum of Science and Energy.

Shortly after the United States was bombed at Pearl Harbor, Albert Einstein wrote a letter to President Roosevelt advising him that America had the expertise to develop a nuclear weapon. A secret committee began work, and the War Department took possession of land in Eastern Tennessee to build the research and production facilities for the atomic bomb. Housing and a whole town had to be built for the 13,000 people that would be needed for this project. Thousands of houses were built for the workers and their families, as the population grew to 75,000. One of the fastest residences to build was a square flat-top house. They had one of the houses at the museum, and it had a similar square footage as our motor home.

All of this was done behind a fence in a remote location, and employees weren't told what they were working on. Even though they didn't know the project's goal, they were sworn to secrecy about any work they did at Oakridge.

This monumental project was so secret that President Truman didn't know it existed until two weeks after he became President. The rest of the world would find out about the work done in the secret city when the bomb developed here was dropped on Hiroshima, Japan.

That is a very short summary of the secret city story that we learned in the history portion of the museum. It was amazing to us that a large city (complete with schools, roads, hospital, churches, stores, etc.) was built almost overnight in a shroud of secrecy in this remote location.

But this first-rate museum also offered science demonstrations. We got a layman's lecture on electrons, using the simple atom model to the far right of the stage. Then we got to see these sub-atomic particles in action. They asked for volunteers from the audience. After a long silence, Denisa finally raised her hand and went up on stage beside the Van de Graaff generator. Please note that her hair was looking pretty good that morning.

After following the directions to place her hand on the generator's metal dome, those busy little electrons started causing a hair-raising experience. It was a fun adventure except that her metal glasses frames were causing her to get shocked around her nose piece and ears. After her glasses were removed she couldn't see, but it was more comfortable.

They needed another volunteer for the next demonstration, and Mark got nominated. So he got to hold the "spear of power" to make lightning bolts between it and the generator. He was enjoying his little lightning storm, and he was insulated from the static shocks.

For the last demonstration, our leader had to really search since she needed three volunteers. She automatically told us to come back on stage and coerced one other member of the audience to join us in a three-person chain. We got to experience a shocking experience as those busy little electrons traveled across our hands.

There were other sections in the museum that taught us about multiple science topics. There were colorful areas with hands-on science experiments for the young (and young at heart) that we also enjoyed.

The section featuring mirrors allowed for interesting pictures. There were no pictures taken in front of the mirror that made Denisa look short(er) and fat(ter). But Mark did agree to the shot that looks like he is floating off the ground.

In the lobby was a display on the abilities of one of the world's largest 3D printers. For example, something like this chair can be "printed."

But to make their point, they used a 3D printer to make most of the parts of this car. This technology might change the way that the world manufacturers much of what we use.

We thought that the American Museum of Science and Energy might be a quick one-hour trip through the past. But we spent almost four hours, learning about nuclear history, energy, science, and electrons. As we drove out of town, we recognized some of the little houses in Oakridge that were still in use seventy years later. There still may be employees of America's first nuclear industry living here. What an interesting secret we had discovered today!

But we discovered another secret in this area on the same day. We were told that the Norris Community Center hosts a weekly dance, so we headed that direction that evening. A local band kept us entertained all evening. We liked their schedule of songs, alternating a slow ballad with a fast two-step. So we danced every other song for the next three hours. No pictures of the two of us dancing together, but Mark took this one of Denisa learning the local line dance.

While we rested during the alternating slow songs, we got to know the other people sitting at our table. We got an invitation for another night of dancing at another dance venue, as well as an invitation to eat with the group at a local restaurant. We couldn't make either of those, but we appreciated being so welcomed. Denisa especially is enjoying the home-grown vine-ripened tomatoes that one of our new friends offered as we left. We have been blessed again by the wonderful people we meet.