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.
Northern New Mexico was beautiful back then, too
LA-UR-21-31032