Oak Ridge | My Site 9

Type "A"

Type "B"

Type "E"

During World War II, basic building materials were in short supply. The United States needed housing and quickly for the Manhattan Project workers and their families.

The John B. Pierce Foundation and Celotex collaborated to develop a prefabrication system for building low-cost housing using Cemesto panels. Cemestos, a sturdy, light-weight, waterproof and fire-resistant composite building material comprised of a core of sugar cane fiber insulating board surfaced on both sides with asbestos and cement. Skidmore, Owings & Merrill; architecture firm designed Cape Cod houses with a gabled roof to house employees at the Glenn L. Martin Aircraft Company near Baltimore, Maryland. These houses in a development called "Aero Acres", were 24' by 28' and had large commercial-style windows. After adapting the Pierce system, Skidmore, Owings, and Merrill used Cemesto panels for the designs of some 2,500 pre-fabricated homes, known by the nickname "Cemestos," erected here in Oak Ridge, Tennessee. Simply named after the letters of the alphabet, there were mainly six Cemestos house designs in use in Oak Ridge (8 floor plans and finished homes pictured below). For most of the locals here they’re known as “Alphabet Houses.”

Here are the basic specs of the Alphabet Houses:

A: 2 bed/1 bath
B: 2 bed/1 bath, larger living area
C: 3 bed/1 bath

Type "B-1"

The A, B, C's of Housing in Oak Ridge

Oak Ridge's Alphabet Houses

Type "C"

D: 3 bed/1.5 bath, larger living area
E: 2-story, 4-plex
F: 3 bed/1.5 bath, utility room, largest living space

Type "D"

Ed Wescott - Pic collage of his pics.png

Oak Ridge, Tennessee, was established in 1942 as part of the top-secret Manhattan Project during World War II. The city was built almost overnight in a remote area of East Tennessee to support the development of the atomic bomb. Oak Ridge’s facilities focused on uranium enrichment and scientific research, employing thousands of workers from across the country. Though originally a secret government town, Oak Ridge grew rapidly and later became a hub for science, technology, and education. Today, the city celebrates its unique history while continuing to be a center for research, innovation, and the peaceful applications of nuclear science.

Manhattan Photographer - James Edward Ed Westcott

Oak Ridge National Lab

James Edward Westcott (January 20, 1922 – March 29, 2019) was an American photographer best known for his historic work documenting the Manhattan Project in Oak Ridge, Tennessee. At just 20 years old, he became the official government photographer for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, making him the only person permitted to carry a camera inside Oak Ridge during World War II. His thousands of photographs capture both the construction and operation of the secret facilities and everyday life in the “Secret City”—providing the main visual record of this pivotal chapter in history. After the war, Westcott continued his photography career with the U.S. Atomic Energy Commission and its successor agencies, documenting nuclear research and even photographing U.S. presidents and world leaders. His work has been widely exhibited, preserved in the National Archives, and remains a key part of how we understand Oak Ridge and its role in the atomic age.

Type "H"

Type "C-1"

Type "F"

Type "VC-1"

Type "G"

During the Manhattan Project (1942–1945), G and H houses were part of the "Alphabet Houses" (or "Cemestos") built for higher-grade workers and staff, while VC-1 (Victory Cottages) were lower-end temporary housing. While the specific numbers of G, H, and VC-1 houses are not detailed individually in the search results, the "Alphabet" Cemesto homes (A-H) were prevalent in the northern residential neighborhoods, and the "Victory" type, which included VC-1, was a common solution to the massive housing shortage.

Click each picture to see the original floorplans!