Residents of Ellenton knew there was a big announcement coming in 1950, but the rumor was that officials would be announcing the construction of a large broom company.
What they got instead was a notice that they had to move their belongings and lives so the federal government could make hydrogen bombs in preparation for the Cold War on the same property they once lived.
That was one of many facts explained Tuesday after the ribbon-cutting of the Ellenton Heritage Trail, an area cleared out at the Savannah River Site where the town of Ellenton used to be.
The trail is located just west of Highway 125, about 9 miles southeast of the town of Jackson.
The trail covers about 1.5 miles of original streets within the downtown area of Ellenton, occupying nearly 6 acres.
Former Ellenton residents Clarence and Mary Bush said they remember receiving the notice that their families and friends would have to move. Clarence said he helped build the town of New Ellenton.
"This trail means everything," he said while walking along the path. "I can picture where every building was, the schools ... everything. It's so important to our history."
Several organizations were involved in the creation of the trail, including the U.S. Forest Service, which helped clear the path, the Energy Department, the Savannah River Archaeological Research Program, Savannah River Nuclear Solutions and the SRS Heritage Foundation.
George Wingard, administrative manager of the research program, gave a tour of the trail and said more than 6,000 people moved to build SRS and another 6,000 bodies were moved from nearby cemeteries.
The tour took place on the grounds where some of Ellenton's schools used to be and on Center Street, the main road of Ellenton.
Wingard spoke about many of the local businesses that flourished during the time period and the sacrifices that residents like the Bushes had to make for the benefit of the country.
"We can sit here and tell stories all day, but these folks need to be remembered for their contributions and for truly being patriots," Wingard said. "It's great that this trail is opening up for that purpose."
On Nov. 28, 1950, an announcement was made that the federal government would take over parts of Barnwell, Aiken and Allendale counties in South Carolina, to include the communities of Dunbarton, Ellenton, Hawthorne, Leigh, Myers Mill and Robbins.
All original houses and businesses were removed or relocated to the surrounding area as construction began on the Savannah River Plant.
Locally, the SRS Heritage Foundation has been working to preserve the memory of Ellenton and other towns since June 2014, when it was granted a five-year license enabling the group to conduct public tours on the trail.
Walt Joseph, the executive director of the foundation, said the heritage trail has been a dream for almost a decade, along with the SRS Museum located in downtown Aiken.
Now, the foundation will be able to host public tours along the trail, something that Joseph hopes will begin as early as next month.
He said, "This is a first for people to be able to walk through and talk about what was there in this small, agricultural community and how it was all displaced by the coming of the Savannah River Site."
For more information on the tours, call the SRS Heritage Foundation at 803-226-0116.
Derrek Asberry is the SRS beat reporter for the Aiken Standard and has been with the paper since June 2013. He is originally from Vidalia, Ga., and a graduate of Georgia Southern University. Follow him on Twitter @DerrekAsberry.