ORHPA and City Leaders Working to bring National Park to Oak Ridge
They call them “the Greatest Generation.” By many accounts, it was the greatest war this country has ever taken part in. But, while there are national park sites dedicated to preserving Civil War battlefields, there are none telling the story and preserving the incredible scientific and technological feats of World War II. At least, not yet.
The National Park Service (NPS) recently concluded a two-year Special Resources Study to determine whether or not the story of the Manhattan Project and its sites were worthy of national park status. The “Preferred Alternative” suggests that the story in Los Alamos is easy to tell, so if an NPS site were to be created, Los Alamos would be the only city wherein to place a new park.
However, historic preservationists and city leaders in Oak Ridge and Hanford, Washington disagree. Everyone is encouraged to submit online comments to the NPS about the "Preferred Alternative."
“Only four percent of the Manhattan Project effort took place in Los Alamos,” explained Oak Ridge Heritage & Preservation Association (ORHPA) President David Bradshaw. “In contrast, fifty-nine percent of that effort occurred here in Oak Ridge, with a lot of work also taking place at Hanford, Dayton, and across the country at various universities that were working on research and development.” Bradshaw is one of several members of ORHPA and city leaders who have joined a special strategy team to help create a Manhattan Project National Historic Park in Oak Ridge. For several weeks now, this strategy team has met to discuss and create a concrete plan to address the NPS Preferred Alternative and propose a new One-Park/Multiple Sites approach.
“Los Alamos was an integral part of the Manhattan Project,” Bradshaw continued, “but to leave out the vast sites of Oak Ridge, Hanford and Dayton isn’t fair to those sites. All sites should be treated equally.”
It’s the belief of the strategy team that the NPS did not get a clear understanding of the two missions, four facilities, and city of 75,000 residents that were brought about in Oak Ridge as its role in the Manhattan Project. The team has designed a five-point plan to propose to the NPS at the Public Hearing on January 26 at the Department of Energy Information Center, located on the Turnpike near the Tractor Supply. There will be two hearings, the first at 1 PM and another at 6 PM, and the public is encouraged to attend to show their support of a national park in Oak Ridge. In addition, concerned citizens can also fill out an online form offering feedback to the NPS. A link to the form can be found at www.ORHPA.org.
ORHPA is a non-profit organization formed for the purposes of preventing further demolition of Oak Ridge's historic structures and the loss of the unique history. The mission of ORHPA is to preserve Oak Ridge's history and its built environment and develop economic, education, and cultural resources for the benefit of present and future generations. For more information, please call 865- 481-0542.