By Madeline Whitacre, archivist-historian, National Security Research Center
The winter season is here, bringing with it beautiful snowy scenes and cold-weather activities.
The National Security Research Center (NSRC) — the Lab’s classified library which also houses unclassified artifacts from Los Alamos history — has preserved photos of wintertime scenes from over the years in an effort to safeguard our history. We’re sharing a few of our favorites in a nod to the season.
Year-round shorts? Timeless
Before the Lab was established in Los Alamos in 1943, the mesa was home to a boys’ boarding school. Students at the school also enjoyed winter activities, such as playing hockey on Ashley Pond. The school uniforms included shorts that were worn year-round, even on snowy days.
Lab employees have skied for nearly 80 years
During World War II, the Manhattan Project — the secret wartime effort to create the world’s first atomic bombs — established its weapons design laboratory in Los Alamos. During their free time, early Lab staff took advantage of the winter weather in northern New Mexico, taking part in cross-country and downhill skiing near the town.
These images are from Hugh and Marjorie Bradner — a physicist and secretary at the wartime lab, respectively — who took home videos of their adventures in New Mexico.
![011822 Skiing](https://cdn.lanl.gov/c9315e66-7d13-4dec-a3a9-40a4e9f2062f.png)
![011822 Skiing 2](https://cdn.lanl.gov/5c7f012a-7d8f-4b98-a9e9-f0e09fd2e774.jpg)
![011822 Skiing 3](https://cdn.lanl.gov/429f642a-c558-4bfe-a08d-af76e3d81ab9.png)
Northern New Mexico was beautiful back then, too
![011822 Main Hill](https://cdn.lanl.gov/7a5d5825-a502-4209-b3c4-7e66aaace3ab.jpg)
![011822 Omega Bridge](https://cdn.lanl.gov/b8a95e5f-3699-4b97-8f67-99a6d1143b5d.jpg)
![011822](https://cdn.lanl.gov/9c6f521a-19a7-40df-b663-3ce2ade4a564.jpg)
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