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

The Castle

Administering the Project

Photographed by Darren Jefferson Clay, February 14, 2026

1. The Castle - Administering the Project Marker

Inscription. The first headquarters for the Manhattan Project were in the offices of the US Army Corps of Engineers North Atlantic Division on the 18th floor of a skyscraper in lower Manhattan, NY. Across multiple New York City sites, the Manhattan Engineer District conducted research, procured materials and supplies, liaised with contractors and universities, and stored uranium ore.

In November 1942, construction of the Project's new administration building began in Oak Ridge, Tennessee. By late summer 1943, Manhattan Engineer District headquarters were officially transferred from Manhattan to "the Castle," a sprawling wooden barracks-type structure on the southside of the Oak Ridge Turnpike. Under District Engineer Colonel Kenneth Nichols, the operations for the uranium enrichment in Oak Ridge and plutonium production in Hanford, Washington were overseen. The administrative center of the Manhattan Project, Oak Ridge was second only to General Leslie Groves' office in Washington, DC, in directing the engineering of the Manhattan Project.

Administration of the Castle was transferred to the newly formed Atomic Energy Commission (AEC) on January 1, 1947. In 1970, AEC operations shifted to the newly constructed Federal Office Building and the Castle was demolished for the Federal Building's parking lot.

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Aerial view of the Castle, 1946.
This A-Bomb lapel was presented to those who worked on the Manhattan Project, 1945.

Erected by Manhattan Project National Historical Park, National Park Service, Department of the Interior.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Science & Medicine • War, World II. A significant historical date for this entry is January 1, 1947.

Location. 36° 1.689′ N, 84° 14.342′ W. Marker is in Oak Ridge, Tennessee, in Anderson County. It is at the intersection of Central Avenue and E Tyrone Road, on the right when traveling south on Central Avenue. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 127 Central 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: The Dormitories of Manhattan Project (about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line); Jackson Square (about 400 feet away); Historic Oak Ridge Playhouse (about 600 feet away); From Little Boy to Big Fun (about 600 feet away); The Guest House (about 700 feet away); a different marker also named The Guest House (about 700 feet away); Integration of Oak Ridge Schools (about 700 feet away); Castle on the Hill (about 800 feet away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Oak Ridge.

Photographed by Darren Jefferson Clay, February 14, 2026

2. The Castle - Administering the Project Marker

Credits. This page was last revised on February 17, 2026. It was originally submitted on February 16, 2026, by Darren Jefferson Clay of Duluth, Georgia. This page has been viewed 71 times since then. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on February 16, 2026, by Darren Jefferson Clay of Duluth, Georgia. • James Hulse was the editor who published this page.