Friends of History Lecture Series Intersecting with History: The Los Alamos Ranch School and the Manhattan Project

When the United States government condemned the Los Alamos Ranch School and surrounding property to isolate the Manhattan Project on the Pajarito Plateau, the place and a way of life changed abruptly, affecting the lives of those who had lived for decades surrounded by the peaceful beauty of the Jemez Mountains. This lecture will look at some of the individuals whose lives were changed by that decision, how they adapted, and what they experienced. Many key individuals will play a role in this story, among them Peggy Pond Church, Edith Warner, J. Robert Oppenheimer, and the young men of the Los Alamos Ranch School.