Oak Ridge Wayside: Powering the Manhattan Project

The Oak Ridge Melton Lake Greenway wayside.

NPS/KLEIN

Quick Facts

Amenities

2 listed

Historical/Interpretive Information/Exhibits, Parking - Auto

Subtitle
A River Runs through it

Main Text  
Development of the world’s first atomic bomb required electricity – lots of it. General Kenneth Nichols, District Engineer of the Manhattan Engineer District, is quoted stating that Oak Ridge, itself, consumed one-seventh of the electricity produced in the United States, from 1943 to 1945. Such enormous demands for electricity required a reliable source of clean flowing water, and the Clinch River, along with hydroelectric power generated at nearby Tennessee Valley Authority’s Norris Dam provided that. The waterway was important for another reason – it provided a natural security barrier, surrounding Oak Ridge on three sides. Today, the Clinch River System continues to provide an important source of electricity as well as a popular destination for outdoor recreation.  

Photo text: Thermal Diffusion Process Building (S-50 Plant). The building with the smokestacks is the K-25 powerhouse. 

 
Exhibit Panel Description
A black and white exhibit panel on a black frame approximately four feet tall. The panel has a black band at the top and a title underneath that reads “Powering the Manhattan Project: A River Runs through it”. The center of the panel is covered by a black and white photo of a large factory complex on the bend of a river. The text on the panel is located at the bottom. 

 
Visit This Exhibit Panel 
The Melton Lake Greenway wayside is located along the greenway next to the boat launch. The address is Melton Lake Park, Houseboat Row, Oak Ridge, TN 37830.