More than 40 years before Y-12 or Oak Ridge existed, told the future regarding Bear Creek valley that lay between two East Tennessee ridges and Black Oak Ridge just north of that valley.
He first predicted that soon a railroad would be built running from Knoxville through the central part of Anderson County. This prediction proved accurate and caused Hendrix to consider himself capable of even more amazing prophecies. He was told by a voice, he said, to sleep on the ground for 40 nights and he would learn about the future. He did as he was told and on the 41st day he emerged from the woods and beginning at the local crossroads general store he told everyone who would listen about the amazing things he had seen in his visions while sleeping on the ground.
“Bear Creek Valley some day will be filled with great buildings and factories and they will help toward winning the greatest war that will ever be.”
“There will be a city on Black Oak Ridge and the center of authority will be on a spot middle-way between Sevier Tadlock’s farm and Joe Pyatt’s Place.”
“A railroad spur will branch off the main L&N line, run down toward Robertsville and then branch off and turn toward Scarbrough.”
“Big engines will dig big ditches and thousands of people will be running to and fro. They will be building things and there will be great noise and confusion and the earth will shake.”
“I’ve seen it. It’s coming.” John also named the people around him that would be alive to see it happen and named the people who would not be alive, including him. He also notched the trees indicating where the main arteries of roads and railroads would be. He also marked the command center.
John Hendrix died in 1915 at age 49 and is buried on a hilltop in a subdivision of Oak Ridge named “Hendrix Creek.”
His predictions were uncannily accurate. Twenty-eight years after his death, Y-12 was built in Bear Creek valley. It was constructed in 18 months with nine huge buildings and all the necessary support facilities. The uranium U-235 needed for the first atomic bomb was produced there that led to the end of World War II. The city of Oak Ridge was built on Black Oak Ridge. The "Castle on the Hill" or center of authority was built where approximately between where Tadlock's and Pyatt's place were before they were removed to make way for the Manhattan Project. The railroad spur was placed as Hendrix described it.
http://smithdray.tripod.com/or/johnhendrixdetails.htmAmerican Museum of Science and Energy, has a John Hendrix exhibit. I have been to the museum a number of times and it is a good way to spend the day with your family I take grandkids and other related havlings to it when they come to town.
http://www.pitchengine.com/pitch/107992/
