Fuller Lodge was originally one of the largest structures at the Los Alamos Boys Ranch School; it was built in 1928, and was taken over by the Army in 1942 for housing post personnel as the nuclear labs at Los Alamos grew during the war. The building and the grounds right now are part of a neat historical park and museum. The little museum is an especially good one chronicling the history of the Ranch School and the growth of the Army presence and Manhattan Project in Los Alamos during World War II.
During wartime, military personnel or their family members that died were not allowed to be buried in the town and were interred elsewhere. For each person who died, a rose bush was planted here at Fuller Lodge, and this very old rose garden still remains and is cared for by the ladies of a Los Alamos Garden Club:
WE HAD LUNCH AT EL PARASOL, guacamole and pork burritoes that were delicious:
Los Alamos is a beautiful town of 12,000; it sits high up on several plateaus in the northern Jemez Mountains at 7320 feet. It has also been called "the hill" since World War II days. The trip up the mountain and then the return trip back down have breath-taking scenery that has some of the most gorgeous views in the state. Unfortunately, I didn't get any pictures of the mountain vistas. Next time.
3 comments:
I've never visited the Fuller Lodge - very interesting. We used to make trips to Los Alamos for different reason, but many were for medical reasons - like when Jesse broke her arm. We have also skied there at the little ski area - very nice.
A friend of ours who lives in RR was born in Los Alamos during the time it was "the Secret City." His birth certificate listed his birth place as a post office box.
Wow... Los Alamos is the same size as Portales (population-wise)! And there the similarities end. Abruptly, too. :D
Lou - I am always facsinated by the history of this really interesting city. The museum we went to added a lot of information.
Buck - I guess we were kind of surprised at how green it was there. And how much new development, including a shopping/restaurant area that was pretty neat.
John said he could live there. I couldn't - that drive up the mountain is too hairy for me to do as a regular thing.
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