In the first installment of this two-part series, Hometown History takes you on a journey to Oak Ridge, Tennessee, not just as it is known today—a pivotal site of the Atomic Age—but as it stood at the dawn of the 20th century. Here, in 1900, a peculiar tale unfolds with a village man who claims to have heard the divine amid the tranquility of the woods.

The cryptic prophecy he received, after laying with his head on the ground for 40 nights, promised revelations about the fate of Oak Ridge—a place that would later become instrumental in human history through its role in the Manhattan Project. This narrative sets the stage for a town that would emerge from the secrecy of war to become a crucible of nuclear power and scientific advancement.

As we set the scene for Oak Ridge's transformation from obscurity to the forefront of the Nuclear Age, stay tuned for the visions that foresaw its significance, and visit us at itshometownhistory.com for more episodes that delve into the forgotten chapters of history.