I have created an online archive of Historically Speaking the weekly history column I write that is published in The Oak Ridger.  

Here is the link:http://www.smithdray1.net/historicallyspeaking/archive.html

If you want an article that I have not gotten into the online archive, just let me know and I will put it there for you. I am uploading the articles as I find time and trying to keep the newest ones uploaded.   

Posted by smithdray at 12:41 AM EDT

Updated: Wednesday, 17 August 2011 12:46 AM EDT

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Check out this new Facebook group where folks are sharing their memories of their home town, Oak Ridge, TN.

http://www.facebook.com/groups/102141879887490/

It has grown to have 1384 members in just a few days.  Great fun and good information being shared.  Makes a historian proud! 

Thanks,

Ray 

Posted by smithdray at 9:49 PM EDT

Updated: Thursday, 4 August 2011 10:09 PM EDT

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Mood:  celebratory

Here is a photo book published at the suggestion of those who saw the photographs I made this fall.  It was an unusual fall and was actually quite short for good color.  I had to seek out specific locations as one side of a hill would have color and the other side not.  One elevation might have color and below or above that level would not.  I found that getting close up helped and I really appreciated my 100 mm close up lens.

Click on link below to preview book:

http://www.lulu.com/product/lulustudio-photo-book/fall-2010-photos-of-east-tennessee/13842864

Thanks,

Ray

Posted by smithdray at 9:03 PM EST

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Mood:  happy

Here are some Merry Memories for Christmas 2010. 

Ray

Personalize a free scrapbook

Posted by smithdray at 8:48 PM EST

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Mood:  happy

Fanny and I recently went to Silverton, CO.  What a great place the San Juan Mountains are.  That is where many of Louis L'Amour's books are set.  I have read them all and enjoyed seeing the terrain and recalling the stories. 

We were there to see our youngest son, Zane, finish the Hardrock 100 mile endurance run.  He finished in 46 hours!  Silverton is 11,000 feet above sea level.  I could hardly climb stairs.  We stayed in the Royal Imperial Hotel (on the third floor with NO elevator!)

Here is a link to some photos of our trip: http://picasaweb.google.com/SmithDRay/ColoradoJuly2010#

Ray

Posted by smithdray at 12:40 AM EDT

Updated: Saturday, 7 August 2010 12:47 AM EDT

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Zane, my youngest son, ran in the Barkley Marathons this weekend at Frozen Head State Park, TN. 

To learn about the Barkley Marathons http://www.mattmahoney.net/barkley/

He started at 7:15 AM on Saturday with the temperature at 30 degrees.  Sunny and clear.  This lasted all day and into the evening.

Zane finished loop one of the Barkley in a bit over 12 hours. He went "out there" on lap two in the dark and by Sunday morning when he returned to the start/finish line he has spent the night seeking to stay on the unmarked course with some difficulty.  He had six of the 10 pages from books and was running out of time.  It was raining and that did not help as it slowed travel even more.

Here are some photos from Day 1 and 2 of the Barkley: http://cid-465e8525eded80a6.skydrive.live.com/browse.aspx/Barkley%20Marathons%20100%20-%202010?authkey=4QvCCYnijHQ%24&ct=photos 

Posted by smithdray at 10:25 PM EDT

Updated: Sunday, 28 March 2010 10:26 PM EDT

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The John Hendrix Story, about the man known as the Prophet of Oak Ridge, has just been published in hardback.  It includes both the articles I have published in The Oak Ridger's Historically Speaking column that feature John Hendrix and the content of the book, Back of Oak Ridge written by Grace Crawford, his adopted granddaughter.

Use this link to preview or purchase the book: http://www.lulu.com/content/hardcover-book/john-hendrix-story/7964119

Thanks, 

Ray

Posted by smithdray at 7:46 PM EST

Updated: Saturday, 26 December 2009 7:57 PM EST

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Mood:  incredulous

On August 25, 2009, my son, Zane Smith, climbed to the summit of Mount Rainier.  See more photos at:

https://cid-6cee8e7c9630cf28.skydrive.live.com/browse.aspx/New%20album

Posted by smithdray at 11:13 PM EDT

Updated: Saturday, 31 October 2009 6:48 PM EDT

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Mood:  happy

Former Tennessee Senator and President Reagan's Chief of Staff Howard Baker, Jr. is one of East Tennessee's most valuable treasures.  His humble, somewhat homespun manner endears him to anyone who meets him and his sincere desire to listen to hear precisely what is said makes him an unusually insightful person. 

His perception of our nation's history and future is aligned with his personal experiences and vast world knowledge.  He sees the United States as the world's greatest hope for democracy and feels we are still feeling out the details of our republic.  He believes the world's nations will all benefit from the grand experiment in public policy and governance that is our republic form of democracy.

It is a joy to listen to him.  He was chosen as the very first video oral history to be completed by the newly formed Center for Oak Ridge Oral History.  I was priviledged to be allowed to be a part of the four-person interview team that recently captured his thoughts on the history of Oak Ridge.    

To see more photos of the filming go here:https://cid-465e8525eded80a6.skydrive.live.com/browse.aspx/Senator%20Howard%20Baker%20Jr.%20Oral%20History%20-%208-19-09?link=1

Posted by smithdray at 11:49 AM EDT

Updated: Friday, 21 August 2009 12:36 PM EDT

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