Manhattan Project National Historical Park office. Photo Courtesy NPS
COUNTY NEWS
Los Alamos County will celebrate the fifth anniversary of the institution of the Manhattan Project National Historical Park (MPNHP) during the second week of November, with a guest panel of speakers, special programming with partners in the national park initiative, and other virtual events planned that promise to be fun for families and online visitors interested in joining the celebration.
Events kick off on Tuesday, Nov. 10 with a proclamation and welcome from Council Chair Sara Scott on Zoom at Noon, followed by a panel of guest speakers discussing the early history of the MPNHP, including the efforts undertaken to bring the Park to life in 2015 and an update from the National Park Service on future plans for the Park.
A recording of the original signing ceremony held on November 10, 2015 will be available to view on social media. PAC-8 will also broadcast footage captured during the Los Alamos Site Grand Opening held on Veterans’ Day 2015. Check PAC-8 to view that broadcast at either Noon or 8:00 p.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 11.
Thursday, Nov. 12 will feature several special events designed around the Park. A new digital display in the lobby of Fuller Lodge will be available to view starting at 8 a.m., and residents are encouraged to sign up for the Historic District’s Walking Tour that begins at 11 a.m. that day. A special Zoom Webinar, the History of the Making of the Park, will begin that evening at 5 p.m. and residents or visitors are welcome to attend.
In addition, the Creative District will offer a special photo project for viewing that opens on Nov. 12, and information about related programs – including exciting news about an update to the LANL app featuring the Secret City – will also launch on Nov. 12.
Other projects related to the Manhattan Project and the history of Los Alamos will be featured on Facebook throughout the day, including a special Manhattan Project stamp promotion, and an excellent talk by historian Alan Carr that was featured this past summer during Sciencefest.
Saturday, Nov. 14 will be family fun day with an intriguing local and virtual “Break Out Box” scavenger hunt, engaging the community and online visitors in a search for clues related to the Manhattan Project. The hunt is sponsored by the Los Alamos Main Street Association.
Sunday, Nov. 15, don’t miss a virtual tour online of the Women’s Army Corps (WAC) Building recently acquired by the County.
On Monday, Nov. 16, guided tours of the historic district continue along with many other promotions offered through the County’s Facebook Page.
The special events wrap up on Tuesday, Nov. 17 with SPY DAY, including a new/updated spy tour on Facebook, a special spy article feature from LANL, and a lecture on Zoom sponsored by the Los Alamos Historical Society featuring the “Best Kept Secret of the War” beginning at 6:00 p.m.
These are just a handful of the special events celebrating the fifth anniversary and residents are urged to watch for more details in the coming week by visiting the webpage for the project, at lacnm.com/mapr or checking the Los Alamos County Facebook page.
For more information or questions about this special event, please contact Linda Matteson at linda.matteson@lacnm.us or call 505-662-8086.