Norris

abolished the convict lease system and survived two devastating mine disasters at the Coal Creek Miners Museum and along the Coal Creek Mining Motor Discovery Trail.

On August 27, 1956, twelve young people in Clinton, Tennessee walked into history and changed the world. They were the first students to desegregate a state-supported high school in the south. Learn the fascinating history of the Clinton Twelve and how they not only changed a community, but a nation at the Green McAdoo Cultural Center.

With the hope of developing technology that would end World War II, the U.S. Government built the city of Oak Ridge under a cloak of great secrecy. When the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor on Dec. 7, 1941, the city of Oak Ridge didn’t even exist. But in early 1942, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers purchased 59,000 acres of century-old family farms and small rural communities for a top-secret mission to produce the world’s first atomic weapons, known as the Manhattan Project.

The Manhattan Project National Historical Park in Oak Ridge commemorates the story of the people, places and science that began the atomic age. Explore the story at the American Museum of Science and Energy, the new K-25 History Center, the Oak Ridge History Museum, the Y-12 History Museum at New Hope Center and the Children’s Museum of Oak Ridge. All of these museums give a one-of-a-kind, hands-on look at how the Secret City came to be and how the city’s global impact has drastically changed the world over the last seven and half decades.

Once a secret city, today, Oak Ridge is anything but a secret. Home to the US Department of Energy, Oak Ridge National Laboratory and the Y-12 National Security Complex, Oak Ridge has become a global leader in innovative science, engineering and technology. But, there’s more. Oak Ridge is one of the nation’s premier competitive rowing destinations and has played host to the US National Rowing Championships and is the home to many University of Tennessee Rowing competitions, to name a few.

Anderson County also has a thriving arts and culture scene, with one of the longest continuously running playhouses in the southeast. In addition, there is a symphony orchestra, arts center and ballet. You will also want to check out Historic Downtown Clinton, the south’s largest antique district with local artisans, boutiques, coffee shops, restaurants and more.

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