Manhattan Project National Historical Park

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Manhattan Project National Historical Park

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Learn about the people, stories, and legacies of a top-secret project that forever changed the world.

Learn about the people, events, science, engineering and legacies of the Manhattan Project. The top-secret project ushered in the nuclear age with the development of the world’s first atomic bombs. The building of atomic weapons began in 1942 in Hanford, WA; Los Alamos, NM; and Oak Ridge, TN. As World War II waned in 1945, the United States dropped the atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Japan — forever changing the world.

10/21/2026

Join Manhattan Project National Historical Park, in partnership with Oak Ridge Associated Universities (ORAU), in exploring the peaceful uses of the atom. Utilizing the rich history and museum collection of the ORAU Museum of Radiation and Radioactivity, this program will dive into atomic culture and innovations in medicine sparked by the Manhattan Project and expanded during the atomic age. Participants will have the unique opportunity to explore the Museum of Radiation and Radioactivity, not regularly open to the public.

This free and accessible program will meet at 2pm ET on Tuesday, October 27 at ORAU's Pollard Center.

For more information: https://www.nps.gov/planyourvisit/event-details.htm?id=18DFA6CF-A241-9297-B2ABBEBA85F3FD61

Image Credit: Oak Ridge Associated Universities

10/19/2026

In 1942, the federal government selected 59,000 acres in East Tennessee to construct Clinton Engineer Works for the Manhattan Project. The site was chosen because it met certain conditions: a large, sparsely populated area accessible by rail, a short distance from a sizable city, and a natural boundary of rivers and ridges. Most residents were told to leave within a short period of time, often in as little as two weeks.

The offers for the land were approximately $34.26 per acre in Roane County and $44.10 per acre in Anderson County. Compensation did not include relocation expenses and required that the landowners not be compensated until the land had been vacated. Often compensation was not paid until six months to a year following condemnation.

Image 1 Caption: Members of the Robinette family pictured in the Wheat community in 1939. Residents of Wheat would be displaced in 1942 to construct the K-25 plant.

Image 2 Caption: The K-25 plant begins construction behind an older homestead.

Image 1 Credit: US Department of Energy
Image 2 Credit: US Department of Energy/Ed Westcott

10/18/2026

During World War II, one of the few organized recreational opportunities available to African American men in Oak Ridge was baseball. In early August 1944, an African American baseball league was formed of six teams named after Clinton Engineer Works contracting companies: Roane-Anderson; Stone and Webster; J.A. Jones; Ford, Bacon and Davis; Keith Williams; and Carbide and Carbon. Games were held at sites throughout Oak Ridge including a segregated baseball diamond near the African American hutment area and an integrated diamond near much of the segregated housing at K-25.

This African American league could have been the genesis of the Oak Ridge Bombers, a semi-pro team created and managed by Robert Lee and James Capshaw in the late 1940s. Lee and Capshaw organized the African American men excluded from playing on white teams. These players, primarily workers from the postwar Oak Ridge plants, would work fulltime jobs and play traveling baseball on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays throughout the Southeast. The Oak Ridge Bombers continued to play into the mid-1960s, well after Jackie Robinson integrated professional baseball in 1947.

Image Captions: The Oak Ridge Bombers pictured in 1948.
Image Credits: US Department of Energy/Ed Westcott

10/16/2026

Hike Through Time (Richland, WA)

Join Manhattan Project National Historical Park rangers and REACH Museum educators on a free guided, 3.6-mile (5.8 km) round-trip moderate hike to the top of Candy Mountain on Saturday, October 24 from 12:00 noon to 2:00 pm Pacific time.

There will be several stops along the trail up to the summit where rangers will share short histories about the events and people that shaped the mid-Columbia region.

Hikers will gain 555 feet (170 m) of elevation as they hike to the top of Candy Mountain. Participants should be prepared to hike uphill, bring water and food, and plan for a variety of weather.

Meet in the Candy Mountain trailhead parking lot by 11:45 am for a 12:00 departure.

To ensure the safety of all participants, hikers will:
• Be able to go the distance. This is a moderate hike to the top of Candy Mountain.
• Be prepared to be outside for several hours and dress appropriately for the weather. Close-toed shoes, hat, and sunglasses are recommended.
• Bring water and snacks to make sure you have enough energy to complete the hike.

Learn more about ranger programs at Hanford: go.nps.gov/hanfordrangerprograms

Image Credit: NPS/Zimmerman

10/15/2026

On October 16, 1945, employees of the Los Alamos Laboratory and their families gathered for a historic moment. The laboratory received the Army-Navy E Award, the highest civilian honor for wartime production. Only about 5% of war plants earned this distinction.

Although the Army Corps of Engineers operated the Los Alamos facility, it was a civilian installation administered by the University of California.

The award flag showed three stars, each for 6 months of superior performance. The award scroll read, “In recognition of Research and Development of the Atomic Bomb, to the Men and Women of the University of California, Los Alamos Scientific Laboratory.”

The ceremony brought together leaders from across the country, including General Leslie Groves, Commodore Deak Parsons, University of California President Robert Sproul, and J. Robert Oppenheimer.

The day also marked a major transition. Oppenheimer stepped down as laboratory director, and Norris Bradbury took over the role. Bradbury originally agreed to lead the laboratory for just 18 months. Instead, he remained director for 25 years, guiding Los Alamos until 1970.

Image Caption: Los Alamos Director J. Robert Oppenheimer, General Leslie Groves, University of California President Robert Sproul, and Navy Commodore Deak Parsons at the Army-Navy E Award ceremony in Los Alamos, October 16, 1945.

Image Credit: Los Alamos National Laboratory

10/13/2026

Fall Fun: Ride with a Ranger, Richland, WA

Are you looking to get out and enjoy the crisp fall weather? Register today for Ride with a Ranger Saturday, October 17 from 10:00 am to 1:00 pm (PDT)! Ride with a Ranger is a 17-mile round trip bike ride along the along the Sacagawea Heritage Trail, on city streets through the Richland Parkway, and then continuing along the river to the REACH Museum. We will ride from the Leslie Groves Park to the REACH Museum where participants will have the opportunity to enjoy hands-on activities, attend programs about the Manhattan Project and local plants and animals, and explore indoor museum exhibits. The group will then bike back to Leslie Groves Park with the rangers or on their own.

This event is FREE for registered participants. Event registration will close on October 15 at 6:00 pm. Registration is required. Bike Tri-Cities paid for museum admission for registrants. For more information and to register, visit https://www.biketricities.org/event-6831769

Image Credit: NPS/REACH Museum

10/11/2026

Put on your dancing shoes, the final Tennis Court Dance of 2026 begins this Thursday, October 15 at 7pm ET on the Jackson Square Tennis Courts in Oak Ridge. This program recreates the open-air tennis court dances held during the Manhattan Project to entertain the 75,000 war workers and their families contained within America’s Secret City.

For more information: https://www.nps.gov/planyourvisit/event-details.htm?id=3CE60324-B09B-E05D-8E922DE8E7B9319C

Image Credit: US Department of Energy/Ed Westcott

10/08/2026

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to buy a car in a secret city during the Manhattan Project? The October 12, 1944 edition of the Oak Ridge Journal included the following notice:

Owners Of Former Army Vehicles Urged—Repaint This Week!

Major L. R. Block, chief Guard Officer, notified residents this week that cars purchased at recent Army auctions must be repainted. "A number of people bought Army cars at the Camp Forrest sale a few weeks ago," Major Block said, "and the bill of sale specified that the cars must be repainted a shade other than olive drab within a week of the sale.”

Prosecution of motorists will begin one week from today if the specifications are not met.

Image Caption: A car stuck in the mud in Oak Ridge in 1942. Many vehicles would meet this fate as construction projects increased throughout the secret city.

Image Credit: US Department of Energy/Ed Westcott

10/07/2026

Unveiling the Unknown: Giving Voice to African American History and Legacy at Hanford

Join us on October 8 at the REACH Museum in Richland, WA from 5:00-7:30 pm to celebrate the culmination of a three year-long project to research and document local Black history at the Hanford Site. Hanford History Project, African American Community Cultural & Educational Society (AACCES), and the park collaborated on this project to enhance understanding of African Americans’ contributions to Hanford during the Manhattan Project.

Doors open at 5:00 pm. At 6:00 pm speakers will provide insights into the research process and reflect on the impact of this history. Immediately following community elders will share stories that illuminate this rich history during a fire side chat. Program ends at 7:30 pm. The event is free and refreshments are provided.

Image Credit: NPS/Moon

Address

Hanford, Washington; Los Alamos, New Mexico; Oak Ridge
Oak Ridge, TN

Website

http://www.nps.gov/mapr, https://www.nps.gov/mapr/learn/photosmultimedia/social-media.htm

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