Oak Ridge City Manager Mark Watson

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Oak Ridge City Manager Mark Watson
Welcomes

• September 9, 2010

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Give Our Past A FutureORPHAs Role in Historic
Preservation

• Oak Ridge Heritage and Preservation Association

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Tonights Agenda

• Welcome Who and What is ORHPA?

• President David R. Bradshaw

• Overview of Oak Ridge History - Video

• Film Maker Keith McDaniel

ORHPAs Historic Preservation Efforts

• Work with DOE-ORO to Save K-25 History

• City Historian Bill Wilcox

• Work with DOE-ORO to Save Y-12 ORNL History

• Y-12 Historian Ray Smith

• Work with ORRE to Save the Guest House / Alexander

• Mick Wiest

ORHPAs Heritage Tourism Efforts

• Work with City Preserve America Grant to
  Commemorate The Birth of the City

• Bill Wilcox

• Work with ORCVB and the Citys Heritage Tourism
  Plan

• Nicky Reynolds

• Work with ORCVB on the Jackson Square Heritage
  Trail

• Bill Wilcox

• National Park Service Study

• Bill Wilcox

Closing

• Wrap Up Video

• Keith McDaniel

• Remarks

• David R. Bradshaw

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The Oak Ridge Heritage and Preservation
Association (ORHPA)
Mission To preserve Oak Ridge's history and
it's built environment (early buildings,
structures, etc.) and develop economic,
educational and cultural resources for the
benefit of present and future generations.

• Formed in September 1999 for the purposes of
  preventing further demolition of our historic
  structures and the loss of our unique history. 
• Quickly grew to over 150 members and gained its
  charter as an official non-profit organization in
  2000. Membership today is 170.
• Monthly meetings (open to the public) are held in
  the Midtown Community Center, a building that was
  saved through ORHPA's efforts and was provided to
  the organization by the city of Oak Ridge in
  2000.
• Today, ORHPA is a key partner in the preservation
  of all of Oak Ridge's heritage.

Purpose Giving our past a future in the form of
preservation, education and development and
support of heritage tourism.
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Overview of Oak Ridge History
Keith McDaniel
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Historic Preservation
ORHPA PKP Working with DOE-ORO On Saving the
History of K-25
Bill Wilcox
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The 1945, Just Finished K-25 U Building (6.0
Billion in 2008 dollars)
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(No Transcript)
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The K-25 History Center as You Drive In
Patrick McMillan, Architect, courtesy of BJC
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The Heritage Center History Trail
There are many historical sites to be marked and
remembered. the pre-K-25 Wheat Church and
Community The African Burial Ground Happy
Valley, the worlds largest K-25 Powerhouse the
S-50 Thermal Diffusion Plant, the Nuclear Powered
Aircraft Project.
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Historic Preservation
Work with DOE-ORO to Save Y-12 ORNL History
Integrated Facilities Disposition Plan
Mick Wiest for D. Ray Smith
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Integrated Facilities Disposition Plan
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Y-12 National Security Complex
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Oak Ridge National Laboratory
Future
Present
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IFDP Major Funding for Oak Ridge
Changes and Impact

• East Tennessee Technology Park demolition winds
  down in 2012.
• If the trained workers are to be retained and the
  demolition work continued, additional funding is
  a must
• ORNL and Y-12 have large numbers of buildings
  that could be removed
• This project will have tremendous impact on Oak
  Ridge
• Gerald Boyd initiated the request for money for
  this multi-year project

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Historic Preservation
ORHPA Working with ORRE Preservation Awards
Endangered Historic Properties
Mick Wiest
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The WWII Guest House Oak Ridges Hotel
ORHPA Working with ORRE on Preservation
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ORHPAs Primary Concerns are for Endangered WW II
Manhattan Project Properties
1. The Historic Guest House/Alexander
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Endangered WW II Manhattan Project Properties
2. The Historic K-25 Gaseous Diffusion Building
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Endangered WW II Manhattan Project Properties
3. The WWII Oak Ridge Public Health Center For
Years the NOAA Weather Station, now the ATDL
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Endangered WW II Manhattan Project Properties
4. The WWII Y-12 Medical Building
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Endangered WW II Manhattan Project Properties
5 . The Y-12 Beta 3 Calutrons (Helped Produce
The U-235 for the first Atomic Weapon - Little
Boy)
Also known as Bldg. 9204-3, this WWII building
still contains the two Tracks of 30 Calutrons
each.
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Endangered WW II Manhattan Project Properties
6. The Y-12 Calutron Pilot Plant 9731
XAX Alpha Calutron Magnet
Bldg 9731
XBX Beta Calutron Magnet
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Endangered WW II Manhattan Project Properties

• The Pine Valley Elementary School
• Now the Oak Ridge School Administration Building

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Endangered WW II Manhattan Project Properties

• Abilene Hall, one half of one of the 91 Dorms for
  13,000 Singles in the Secret City.
• Now the Glenwood Baptist Church Ministry Building

Looking East
H-Type Dorm Batavia Hall
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Heritage Tourism
ORHPA Working with the Citys 2009/2010 Preserve
America Grant for Commemoration of the Birth of
the City in 1960 (the 50th)
Bill Wilcox
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Preserve America- The Birth of the City
Monuments (4)

• Dealing with the Citizens
• Upgrading the Housing
• Education Health
• Municipal Services

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The Birth of the City Oak Ridge
I. THE CITIZENRY
In 1943, realizing that unhappiness with living
conditions could imperil the already fragile
prognosis for making an atomic bomb, the Army
overseers of Oak Ridge bent over backwards to
make life as good as possible for the uprooted
professionals sent here. They created a town
where housing, though temporary, was pleasant and
less costly than back home, schools and medical
services were as good, and the protected culture
unmatched. In 1947, the new civilian-government
owners, the Atomic Energy Commission (AEC), faced
bringing down the cost of all services that were
far higher than like-sized cities v In 1948, the
AEC embarked on an ambitious program to make a
normal incorporated city out of this 5 year old
place that had always been anything but normal.
It meant not only their spending tens of millions
to replace temporary housing, schools and
hospital facilities and municipal services with
permanent facilities, but it also meant turning
around the attitudes of the citizenry. v AECs
first move to open the Secret City gates in
1949 was met with loud protests, but finally with
acceptance. During the next four years the AEC
poured millions into impressive new housing areas
and permanent schools, but a referendum on
incorporation in 1953 was heavily defeated. Then
in 1955 Congress passed the law making possible
the disposition of houses. As those sales began
turning renters into home owners now interested
in lawns, street lights, and sewer systems,
attitudes began to change. By the end of the
decade home sales were complete and Oak Ridgers
love affair with their government-run city came
to an end. The referendum held May 5, 1959 saw
the citizens voting 14 to 1 in favor of running
their own town and paying for it. The official
transfers and Birth of the City took place June
1, 1960.
This marker was produced, in part, with funding
from the City of Oak Ridge and the Preserve
America Grant Program, National Park Service
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Heritage Tourism
Nicky Reynolds
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Vision and Goals for Heritage Tourism
Vision Elevate Oak Ridge to its rightful place
as one of the most significant and most visited
locations associated with World War II and the
Greatest Generation.

• Goals
• Develop a unified plan for near term and long
  range heritage tourism
• Increase local economic development through
  heritage tourism
• Provide satisfying experiences for the various
  types of heritage tourists
• Identify the Big Ideas which can be implemented
  with existing resources and assets

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Scope of Heritage Travel

• 81 of US Adults are Considered Historic /
  Cultural Travelers
• Spend an average 623 vs. 457 per trip
• 30 of travelers choice for destination was
  influenced by a specific historic or cultural
  event/activity
• More likely to be 7 nights or longer
• 4 in 10 added extra time to their trip
  specifically for historical/cultural activity
• 25 of travelers take three or more trips each
  year
• 44 of travelers include shopping among their
  trip activities vs. 33 of all other travelers.

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Who is the Heritage Tourism Customer?

• Profile
• Slightly Older
• 4 in 10 are from Baby Boomer Households (1946
  1964)
• 6 in 10 have a college degree
• 1/3 have a household income of 75K
• Baby Boomers travel more than any other age group
  in US
• 14 pay 1,000 or more for vacation, excluding
  the cost of transportation!

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Heritage Tourism Implementation Plan

• June 2007, project completed by AkinsCrisp Public
  Strategies in partnership with the ORCVB, City of
  Oak Ridge, Center for Historic Preservation at
  MTSU, and Cockrill Design Planning.
• There were 8 key strategies proposed
• Upgrade Signage and Wayfinding
• Focus on upgrading AMSE and Jackson Square
• Showcase the Manhattan Project Heritage assets
• Secret City Branding and Marketing
• Create a more robust CVB (new website)
• Determine the most appropriate NPS designation
• Highlight the Signature Facilities
• Undertake Outreach Campaign (PR, lead fulfillment)

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Heritage Tourism Strategies Accomplishments

• Upgraded Signage Wayfinding
• In 2008, a team from OR met with state officials
  earlier in the year (CVB, Chamber, City and ACP)
  to request identifying signage for DOE, Y-12,
  ORNL from interstate

• Focus on AMSE and Jackson Square
• AMSE has revamped entire Oak Ridge Room and added
  an original Flat Top House
• Jackson Square/Grove Center Merchants teaming
  together to create events, activities
• CVB working with all to promote new exhibits,
  events and activities

• Showcase Manhattan Project Oak Ridge Heritage
  Assets
• New CVB offices at Mid Town Community Center,
  October 2007
• Showcase MP history with help from ORHPA
  Childrens Museum (Dave Miller and Margaret
  Allard)
• Westcott photos featured throughout office (Dave
  Miller)

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Heritage Tourism Strategies Accomplishments

• Develop Secret City Branding Marketing
• Award-Winning Website
• Hermes Award American Association of
  Webmasters MarCom Award
• Secret City Brand

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Heritage Tourism Strategies Accomplishments

• NPS Designation
• Continue to work with City of Oak Ridge, DOE,
  SHPO
• Been part of recent support to offer alternatives
  for NPS study

• Highlight Signature Facilities
• Support PKPs efforts
• Promoting Heritage Tourism as a viable economic
  driver in the community
• Placing importance in saving the history, story
  and impact of K-25 for generations to come
• Work closely with ORHPA in support of
  preservation efforts, generate ideas for
  programs, hold current board position

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Heritage Tourism Strategies Accomplishments

• Undertake Strategic Outreach Campaign
• Press Tours utilizing the knowledge of ORHPA
  members like Bill Wilcox, D. Ray Smith, and
  Connie Black
• E-newsletter
• Blog
• Social Media Sites Facebook and Twitter

• Preserve America Grant

• Historic Markers

• Kiosks

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Heritage Tourism
ORHPA PKP Working with CVB On a History Trail
for Jackson Square
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World War II Townsite
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History Trail for Jackson Square
Proposed List of Historic Markers for Historic
Townsite Walking Trail

1. The Central Cafeteria and the First Womens
   Dormitories Group
2. The Oak Ridge Post Office
3. The Center Theater
4. The Town Hall Offices on Kentucky Avenue
5. The Ridge Recreation Hall
6. Williams Drug Store and The West Side of The
   Square
7. OR High School, The Guest House, Chapel
8. Community Grocery 1 and The East Side of the
   Square
9. The Broadway Stores Ridge Theater
10. The TC Café Bowling Alley

Black Type Indicates Style 24 wide x 36 high
5/8 letters, max. 100 words, short title All
these to have same text both sides, placed on the
sidewalks with the posts just inside the curb
line with posts tall enough for sign to be read
over parked cars. (Like in West Chester, PA
Paducah, KY Columbus, OH) Blue Type Indicates
Style - 42 wide, 36high Markers 5/8 letters,
max. 200 words
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History Trail for Jackson Square
Text for Sign 6
JACKSON SQUARE - WEST SIDE
This corner of the Square was anchored by the
very popular Williams Drug Store which opened on
1 Aug. 1943, soda fountain and all. When word got
out that another supply of cigarettes had
arrived, the lines stretched back to Kentucky
Avenue. In the center of this side was Samuels
Mens Store offering name brand 3-piece suits and
other essentials like felt hats. The Hamilton
National Bank anchored the other end, a necessity
for cashing paychecks, not for mortgages because
everybody rented. In between these major stores
were an always busy shoe repair shop, a shoe
store and a nice gift shop. Erected by a Grant
from Preserve America, 2010.
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Heritage Tourism
ORHPA Working with National Park Service On the
Manhattan Project National Historical Park
Bill Wilcox
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Manhattan Project Costs 1942 through 1945 1.890
B
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So What Might A Park at Oak Ridge Look Like?

1. The Oak Ridge Historic District and the Welcome
   Center Owned Operated by NPS, first stop for
   Visitors handouts, maps, brochures, guides.
   Guides. Park Ranger.
2. The AMSE "Hub" may sometime in the future be
   owned and operated by an entity other than DOE,
   not NPS.  It will have a Park Ranger as a
   welcomer to the exhibits, will continue to use
   its volunteers, perhaps wearing NPS shirts, etc.
3. At Y-12 there will be two WWII historic
   facilities to visit The building with original
   Alpha and Beta Calutron magnets, and the Track
   of 30 Calutrons-- owned, and maintained by DOE
   having a Park Ranger made accessible to the
   public as soon as national security allows.

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So What Might A Park at Oak Ridge Look Like?

1. At ORNL the Graphite Reactor, a National Landmark
   and DOE Sig, Facility will continue to be
   preserved and maintained by the DOE. It would
   have a Park Ranger and interpretation guided by
   NPS and made accessible to the public as soon
   as national security allows.
2. At K-25, DOE is in the process of tearing down
   WWII process building, and a 5 year debate is
   still underway as to how best to preserve the
   history of this nationally vital WWII and Cold
   War facility. Both ORHPA and COR have a seat at
   this table and are concurring parties to those
   decisions. This formal NHPA process will (DOE
   Hopes) be consummated this year, and the NPS will
   have a Park Ranger presence and role in the
   interpretation of this vital heritage tourism in
   western Oak Ridge. (only 5 miles off I-40, the
   Citys closest interstate).

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Closing Video
Keith McDaniel
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Closing Remarks
David Bradshaw