Science and History

Yesterday was another beautiful day here in Eastern Tennessee. After doing some laundry and general putzing around the rig we drove over to Oak Ridge to visit the American Museum of Science and Energy. The museum is in downtown Oak Ridge – a city that didn’t exist in 1941 and consisted of one of the largest industrial complexes in the world with 75,000 workers at its peak in early 1945.

It’s hard to imagine today what an accomplishment the Manhattan Project was! After the attack on Pearl Harbor in December 1941 – in early 1942 the President and Congress decide to build an atomic bomb. This was at a time when just about everything about atomic physics was theoretical, relatively little had been demonstrated in real life, and certainly no one knew how to build a bomb with this theoretical technology. With that in mind – we decide to build three huge complexes at Hanford, Washington – Los Alamos, New Mexico, and Oak Ridge, Tennessee - costing tons of money and requiring the relocation and housing of tens of thousands of scientists, engineers, and technicians – all at a time when we are fighting two wars on two fronts. Americans were truly amazing and innovative patriots in those days – I wonder if we could pull it off today?

So out of a farmer’s field in sleepy eastern Tennessee “taken” by the Feds at a price of $45 an acre (you were allowed to complain but only after you vacated your land) rose this huge complex – and very few people even knew what it was for! Seriously – most of the workers had barely a clue what they were building and what product the plant would produce. Workers, mostly women, would work in shifts – 24 hours a day – while the plant was “in production” turning switches and knobs to keep gauges reading where they were told to keep them – without knowing why! I find that absolutely amazing.

Life must have been pretty interesting for these folks. They lived in a “secret city” surrounded by fences and security checkpoints requiring photo ID badges to even enter the city. But once inside – they had pretty much all they needed or wanted. It may not have been fancy – but they had housing, schools, grocery stores, dance halls, theaters – you name it. All brought to them by Uncle Sam. Come to think about it – we may be headed back in that direction!

About half of the museum was dedicated to the history of Oak Ridge and the other half talks about what goes on today at the Lab (only generally – most of what goes on inside the Lab is still Secret stuff) and then science and energy in general. It was a really interesting museum – I even think Peggy had a fun time.

Since we have been operating without a real plan for our return trip home – Peggy and I decided this morning that we will head further north starting tomorrow, traveling up I-81 in Virginia and will make our way back to New Jersey to visit again with Brian, Nicky, and the grandkids for a couple days before making the final leg back home.

Shhhh – don’t tell ‘em we’re coming!