Oak Ridge in Anderson County, Tennessee — The American South (East South Central)

Historic Oak Ridge Playhouse

Ca. 1943 -

Photographed by Ray Smith, August 7, 2020

1. Historic Oak Ridge Playhouse Ca. 1943 - Marker

Inscription. One of the oldest continuously operating community theatres in the Southeastern United States. Oak Ridge Playhouse began in 1943 as the Little Theatre of Oak Ridge when the city was being built for the World War II top-secret Manhattan Project. The Playhouse moved in 1957 into its permanent home, the former Center Theater movie house, in historic Jackson Square. In 2017, the Tennessee General Assembly designated the playhouse as an Official State Community Theatre of Tennessee.

Erected 2020 by Tennessee Historical Commission. (Marker Number 1E 133.)

Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Arts, Letters, Music • Entertainment • War, World II. In addition, it is included in the Tennessee Historical Commission series list. A significant historical year for this entry is 1943.

Location. 36° 1.77′ N, 84° 14.397′ W. Marker is in Oak Ridge, Tennessee, in Anderson County. It is on Broadway Avenue just north of Kentucky Avenue. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 239 Broadway Ave, Oak Ridge TN 37830, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in East Tennessee

and in Greater Knoxville.

It is also in the American South,

specifically in the Upper South,

in Appalachia,

and specifically in Southern Appalachia. Globally, it is in North America,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once the original Cherokee Nation,

the territory of the Mississippian Culture,

one of the Confederate States of America,

and the Antebellum South.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Jackson Square (within shouting distance of this marker); Integration of Oak Ridge Schools (within shouting distance of this

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marker); The Guest House (about 400 feet away, measured in a direct line); From Little Boy to Big Fun (about 400 feet away); a different marker also named The Guest House (about 400 feet away); The Castle (about 600 feet away); Chapel on the Hill (about 600 feet away); The Chapel-on-the-Hill (about 600 feet away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Oak Ridge.

Historic Oak Ridge Playhouse Marker image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Darren Jefferson Clay, February 14, 2026

2. Historic Oak Ridge Playhouse Marker

Credits. This page was last revised on February 16, 2026. It was originally submitted on July 11, 2021, by Ray Smith of Oak Ridge, Tennessee. This page has been viewed 712 times since then and 58 times this year. Photos: 1. submitted on July 11, 2021, by Ray Smith of Oak Ridge, Tennessee. 2. submitted on February 15, 2026, by Darren Jefferson Clay of Duluth, Georgia. • Devry Becker Jones was the editor who published this page.