Oak Ridge is having a birthday. Our town will be 60 years old on Sept. 19, 2002, and events are planned by the Oak Ridge Heritage and Preservation Association to note this occasion. The public is invited to hear a presentation by expert preservationist Nellie Longsworth at 3 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 22. Longsworth has over 25 years' experience as a consultant and project manager for numerous historic preservation projects across the country. Her talk will focus on how to breathe new life and vitality into a community that is experiencing economic troubles, by taking into account their history. Longsworth, who lives in Maryland, is well-versed on Oak Ridge, past and present, having made numerous trips here on business, and to visit her uncle, Dick Smyser. The presentation will be held at the Midtown Community Center (also known as the Wildcat Den), located at 102 Robertsville Road. Refreshments will be served, and admission is free, although donations to the ORHPA, which are tax-deductible, will be accepted. Oak Ridge celebrates its birthday on Sept. 19 because it was on that day in 1942 when Col. Leslie Groves, a few days short of making general, arrived here and chose this area as the initial site for the Manhattan Project. Oak Ridge rapidly became the largest of the three project sites, and by the end of World War II, 60 percent of the total cost of the Manhattan Project had been devoted to Oak Ridge's research, development, production, and "townsite." To commemorate this birthday, the ORHPA on Sept. 19 will present first Oak Ridge Preservation Award to a local business that has shown dedication toward preserving one of Oak Ridge's original structures. The selection committee has used criteria from the National Park Service as a guideline, and has focused on public-use-type buildings for this year's list of candidates. Oak Ridgers can be proud that the Tennessee Preservation Trust in Nashville has selected our town for their regional meeting this fall. The ORHPA will be hosting this meeting to be held Oct. 17 at the Midtown Community Center of Oak Ridge. This meeting will give everyone a chance to learn about initiatives in other parts of the state related to heritage and preservation, and how we can work with regional and national affiliates. Meeting time and details will be announced soon. For additional information, call Mick Wiest at 483-1779.
