Manhattan Project & Funny Reservations, New Mexico

This was a shorter Travel Day of just about 170 miles or so, from Deming, NM, to Socorro, NM. Passing Truth or Consequences reminded us of Autio (footnote 1) telling us about the game show and how the town changed the name from Hot Springs to Truth or Consequences for the TV game show. It was in 1950. And then kept it. HA 

City of Socorro Rodeo & Sports Campground, Socorro, NM 03/25

We got to the Socorro rodeo grounds and saw the campground. We had some confusion as our receipt said site SC-1 but we didn’t see anything with that name. I got out the receipt again and saw down the page “SC” is for “Socorro Lane.” HAHA Nice level gravel site with a tree beside us. I think it would have felt a little close to your neighbor but the 5 RVs there were spread out all around. Nice.

Our View From Kevin’s Office Window, Rodeo de Santa Fe Campground, Santa Fe, NM 03/25

The next day was Travel Day to Santa Fe, New Mexico, about 130 miles to travel. Had no trouble at all going through Albuquerque this morning (a Sunday). North of there we started climbing up more in elevation from around 5000 ft. At La Cienega the landscape changed to cedar trees and we went through the mountains. Santa Fe is 7000 ft elevation. 

Rodeo de Santa Fe Campground, Santa Fe, NM 04/25

Now our “reservation” for Rodeo de Santa Fe caused us a little stomach rolling. Back when I was planning this leg, I found this rodeo fairground where RVs can park when activities aren’t happening. It is $30 a night with full hook ups so that is very good. Kevin had called the guy, Jim, and Jim said to call back a week before our stay. So last week Kevin called and called and called and left messages and couldn’t get a hold of anyone. Finally he got someone who forwarded him to Jim where Kevin had to leave another message. This went on for several days. So Kevin called more and Jim answered and said to call 3 days before arrival and then he would give Kevin the directions and gate code. Called 3 days before arrival and after several calls, Jim answered and said to call 1/2 hour before we got here. That got my heart to pumping! So, 1/2 hour out of Santa Fe we pulled into a casino parking lot and Kevin called. Phone reception was bad but he was able to get the directions, “follow your GPS” and the gate code. We got there just fine. We see 7 other RVs along the row of full hook ups. Kevin drove back behind the horse stalls and rodeo arena to see what was over there. There are some full hook ups available plus and large area all around here for dry camping. He decided to go back to the front part. We were able to back in just fine. We got set up quickly and then drove to old part of the town.

I decided to look online at FamilySearch to see if we have relatives in the Santa Fe National Cemetery. I found 3 for me and 9 for Kevin. The closest are 3rd cousins. One of Kevin’s was in the civil war with California group. The official military paperwork says he was discharged due to dying from pneumonia. Yeah, I guess that is a way to get discharged! LOL I looked up on the link of FamilySearch to see where his grave is. It had a mark on the satellite picture so I took a screenshot of it. Nice to have that to help us find it. Then I looked at another relative and what do you know…same place. I quickly saw they aren’t exact. That got me thinking about Find A Grave. I use that website often to find a grave (no pun intended!). I knew people volunteer to take pictures of grave markers/stones for this website and had thought about doing that awhile back ago. So today I googled how safe that website is and found it is owned by Ancestory.com. Check. Then I texted my sister-in-law because I know she looks up graves sometimes. She replied that she is on Find A Grave and actually manages some of them. Great endorsement. So, I read more of how to do it on their website and then signed up. I am super excited to help by taking pictures for people who request. Now, I am not going to go crazy with it but if we are in an area and have nothing to do in the evening, yeah, this will be fun!

Near Los Alamos, NM 04/25

Background: Kevin worked at the headquarters for a nuclear waste clean-up company. He would often fly to Oak Ridge, TN or Los Alamos, NM to do computer IT work. (These were Manhattan Project and National Lab places.) This entire area is beautiful. It is rolling hill valleys with mountains ringing around it; some 12,000+ ft elevation. From about 5500 ft we end up on the finger-plateau of Los Alamos at over 7200 ft. Lots of cedar trees around.

El Parasol, Where Kevin Ate With Co-Workers, Los Alamos, NM 04/25

Our first stop, Kevin said, would be to El Parasol Restaurant. This is a place he would come to often to eat with his co-workers. The large open room has heavy wooden tables and chairs, usually sitting for 6 or more at each place. You order at the counter. I had a chicken burrito and he had tacos. It was very good and the memories were great.

War Dept Letter To Los Alamos Ranch School, Los Alamos, NM 04/25

From there we went to Los Alamos History Museum. Los Alamos used to have Native Americans that would live here. Later homesteaders came. In 1917 Los Alamos Ranch School started. It was a prestigious boarding school for boys. The student body was from wealthy, prominent families across the country. Tuition was $2400 per year in the 1930s; that equals $44,800 today. The school limited to 48 students per year. In Dec 1, 1942, the war department sent a letter to the school saying the school had to close by Feb 8, 1943 because the federal government was taking over the school for military purposes. Also the land of the homesteaders was taken. I later asked a question of a docent at Hans Bethe house: did the school move somewhere and keep going, and, what was the reason the students were given for the closing of the ranch school. She said they tried to move the school to Taos, NM, but it really didn’t work. We were at war and it just wasn’t a good time. She said they were told the land was needed for the war.

Project Y, was the name of the site here at Los Alamos. It was called “the Hill” and was a secret and locked city, like Oak Ridge, TN. The people here couldn’t tell anyone where they were. Even for the Manhattan Project workers, they weren’t allowed to talk about their work with others and not to their families, either. There would be a weekly colloquia and this was the only time scientists could exchange ideas freely. Even with all the security, there were at least three spies there; their espionage wasn’t discovered until after the war! Along a path outside we saw where The Big House was; the dormitory for the Ranch School. During the Manhattan Project, many scientists stayed here until housing could be set up. In 1948 it was torn down by the Atomic Energy Commission so that a community center could be built.

In Front Of His Office Where He Would Call Me, Los Alamos, NM 04/25

Guess what…this is the office where Kevin would come and work!!! He would call me while walking along this path. Which is Bathtub Row. And now…Bathtub Row. When this was the Ranch School, these log and stone cottages were the homes of the school staff. When the Manhattan Project took over, the highest level scientific and military personnel lived in these houses. It was a tree-lined street and were the nicest living quarters. They were so nice that they were the only places with bathtubs! The houses built by the Army only had showers.

Oppenheimer House, Across The Path Kevin Is Walking On In Pic Above, Los Alamos, NM 04/25

Oppenheimer and the base commander lived in these houses. The Hans Bethe House is where the docent was that I asked my question. Kevin asked if visitor rate increased here after the Oppenheimer movie came out a few years ago. She said, yes, it increased 5 times. Wow! It had great displays and this house was lived in up to 13 years ago. One of the displays told about how work continued here.

Los Alamos Main Gate, Los Alamos, NM 04/25

It wasn’t until 1957 when the Atomic Energy Commission removed the gates, fences, and 24-hour security. It opened the town but many residents felt “rattled” because they felt safe and sturdy behind the gates. During the 1960s people could own their houses. By this time it was after 4:00 p.m. and we knew we would come back another day for more. We stopped at the Main Gate where passes had to be presented to the guards. The sunset was fantastic!  

1. Autio is an iPhone app that tells all sorts of history and stories about places all over the country. It is narrated and with my iPhone on accessibility, it shows captions of the words being said. So thankful!