Manhattan Project National Historical Park office in Los Alamos. Courtesy photo
COUNTY NEWS
Los Alamos, New Mexico—where discoveries are made—will be hosting a series of virtual events to commemorate the fifth anniversary of the Manhattan Project National Historical Park (MAPR). In celebration, November 10-17 will feature National Park and historical themed events via Zoom and social media, with additional information, links and resources available on the main event page at lacnm.us/mapr.
“Manhattan Project National Historical Park is an incredible excursion into the past of Los Alamos and the science that changed the world, and we’re thrilled to celebrate its fifth anniversary,” said Linda Matteson with the Los Alamos County Manager’s Office. “Recognizing that people are staying home and staying safe, this celebration will largely take part online, allowing people from across the globe to commemorate the occasion and to dive into the history of the Secret City.”
Beginning on Tuesday, November 10, starting at noon, events will kick off with a webinar featuring a proclamation and welcome from Council Chair Sara Scott, followed by a panel of speakers who will present on the efforts to bring the Manhattan Project National Historical Park to life, as well as a special update from the National Park Service regarding the Park’s future plans. Join this webinar at https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83372688226.
Virtual participants can also view the original signing ceremony. The 2015 Los Alamos Site Grand Opening Ceremony will be re-broadcast on PAC-8 at noon and at 8:00 p.m. on Wednesday, November 11. It is also available on YouTube. On Thursday, November 12 at 5pm, join a virtual lecture on the History of Making the Park by Cindy Kelly of the Atomic Heritage Foundation at https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82179358448.
The exploration of the park continues throughout the weekend with a family fun virtual scavenger hunt, the release of the updated “The Secret City: Project Y” app, “Ranger in Your Pocket” virtual tours of Park assets and history, video tours of the Historic Fuller Lodge, the Women’s Army Corps (WAC) dormitory and the Los Alamos Historic District, along with the restoration work of historic sites conducted by the Los Alamos National Laboratory.
Events culminate on Tuesday, November 17—SPY DAY—with the release of the newly updated Atomic City Spy Tour guide on VisitLosAlamos.org, and a Los Alamos Historical Society lecture at 6pm about the recent discovery of a new Soviet spy that worked on the Manhattan Project in Los Alamos. The “Best Kept Secret of the War” Zoom webinar begins at 6pm. Please register in advance at https://www.losalamoshistory.org/events.html.
Links for all events, resources and tours are available on the main event page at lacnm.us/mapr/.
For more information on Manhattan Project National Historical Park, visit https://www.nps.gov/mapr/index.htm.