My Road Trip to Oak Ridge, Tennessee

It was a glorious spring day when Hubby and I decided to take a daylong road trip to Oak Ridge. It was an interesting educational trip that families can enjoy.

Oak Ridge has another name'"the "Secret City". During World War II, the government needed to build a city in a top secret location to house the Manhattan Project. The city would not be on maps and would be hidden from the rest of the world. Oak Ridge was chosen, partly because it was close to Norris Dam, which was producing large amounts of electricity that the Project needed.

On our road trip to Oak Ridge, TN we took the Clinton exit number 122 off of I-75N. From there, we headed west past Wal-Mart and fast food restaurants, through Clinton and into our destination. The drive from the interstate took us about 45 minutes.

Convention and Visitors Bureau
Our first stop on the road trip to Oak Ridge was at the Convention and Visitors Bureau. (CVB) The small white building sits directly on the corner at traffic light number 11. The building is easier to spot than the sign.

Parking is at the end of the building in front of the green double doors. They are not marked on the outside. I breathed a sigh of relief once we saw the sign on the interior door.

A friendly staff member greeted us. Within five minutes, we had been given more brochures and information for things to do than we remotely had time for. There were so many things to do in Oak Ridge that sounded intriguing that I'm considering suggesting another trip to pick up on the things we missed!

American Museum of Science and Energy
We took her suggestion to make the American Museum of Science and Energy the first stop on our road trip to Oak Ridge, Tennessee. It is a fascinating way to kill two hours. A large display describes the making of the atomic bomb and how the city was built. We've been here before but it's always worth the admission fee.

International Friendship Bell
Our next stop on our road trip to Oak Ridge was to visit the International Friendship Bell on the edge of A.K. Bissell Park. The CVB didn't have an address to give us, but instead told us to pull onto Badger Avenue and look for the only lot on the left after the turn. The directions worked beautifully. We found the International Friendship Bell with no problem.

The International Friendship Bell was conceived to serve as a token of peace between the United States and Japan. It is housed in a distinctive structure that looks to be about two stories tall.

Three huge diamond shapes make up the roof. The bell and large wooden striker are secured below the roof of the structure. There is enough room for a person to stand underneath it all.

The International Friendship Bell is a work of art. At the CVB we were told that it weighs over 4 tons. Large panels on the sides of the bell depict the official trees and flowers of the two countries. Knobs, rainbows and birds are also embossed on the bell.

As beautiful as the bell is nothing compares to tapping it with the striker. After tapping it with the striker we could feel the vibrations coming from the bell. Its low tones gently rippled across the park. It was a pretty cool. Hubby and I spent about a half hour there to take it all in.

East Tennessee Technology Park Overlook
Somewhat reluctantly, we headed back to Hwy. 58 to continue our road trip to Oak Ridge. Our next stop was to the overlook at the East Tennessee Technology Park. We found the small white building a few miles out of town and pulled into the driveway on the left.

Inside the building is a good, one-room exhibit and video that tells of the origins of the K-25 plant where the bulk of the Manhattan Project took place. The video brings you up to speed on the origins of the park and the current activities that are taking place there.

I had seen all that I wanted in about 20 minutes (including the video). Hubby could have stayed all day.

Fortunately for me, the area behind the building consists of a section of woods. A number of shaded picnic tables line the edge of the parking lot. It was a great place to unpack our lunch and walk around while waiting on Hubby.

We spent about 30 minutes there before heading to the final destination on our road trip to Oak Ridge, where Hubby would have his turn waiting on me.

Wheat Community African American Burial Ground

A left turn out of the overlook parking lot had us heading toward one of the lesser known points of interest on our road trip to Oak Ridge. If we hadn't been watching for the small road sign we would have missed it. Signage is better after you are off the highway.

The graves are those of slaves who possibly served the Gallaher-Stone plantation and the 1850's and a previous plantation before that. All graves are unmarked. A marker inside the fence tells us about ownership of the plantation, the number of graves contained (at least 90) and the name of the person who counted them.

It is a peaceful if somber spot. There isn't a parking lot as such but there is space for a few cars. A large monument has been erected outside the cemetery to the memory of the African Americans who were brought here in bondage.

We spent about 20 minutes here before heading back home.

There are a few area attractions that we did not see. We missed the historic Jackson Square, Children's Museum and antique shopping in Clinton. I believe I see another road trip to Oak Ridge, Tennessee in my future.