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Fuller Lodge in Los Alamos, NM Image by Martha Hutchens |
Some buildings have seen more history than others.
Immediately, you might think of Independence Hall in Philadelphia or the Tower of London. But the building I am thinking of was a lot more recent.
Fuller Lodge was built in 1928, as part of the Los Alamos Ranch School.
Fuller Lodge was built in 1928, as part of the Los Alamos Ranch School.
At this time, many people were coming to New Mexico hoping the dry climate would cure various lung ailments. In the crowded east coast, coal was the main fuel for heating and cooking. The smoke could aggravate many breathing conditions. Boarding schools in the west became popular for upper class children, particularly because the schools advertised that they could teach children self-reliance in the American west.
Ashely Pond, Jr. moved to New Mexico prior to 1900 after contracting typhoid as a Rough Rider in the Spanish-American War. He realized his dream of founding a ranch school in 1917. This school incorporated an outdoor, vigorous lifestyle along with rigorous academic standards.
In 1928, Philo C. Fuller paid for the construction of the Lodge in memory of his son, who had been an instructor there. A Santa Fe architect, John Gaw Meem designed the structure. He and the ranch school director, A. J. Connell, personally selected the 771 pine trees that provided the logs for the building.
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Fuller Lodge Image by Martha Hutchens |
In 1928, Philo C. Fuller paid for the construction of the Lodge in memory of his son, who had been an instructor there. A Santa Fe architect, John Gaw Meem designed the structure. He and the ranch school director, A. J. Connell, personally selected the 771 pine trees that provided the logs for the building.
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Column at Fuller Lodge Image by Martha Hutchens |
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Two-story dining hall from above Image by Martha Hutchens |
On January 28, 1943, the Ranch School held its final graduation ceremony. In February, the Army Corps of Engineers began building what would become Los Alamos National Laboratory.
During the Manhattan Project, Fuller Lodge was the center of town activity. The original dining hall was used as a restaurant and for many social activities such as skits and square dances. The upstairs rooms housed visiting scientists. Boys climbed onto the roof to ring the meal bell.
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Upstairs room as it was during the Ranch School Image by Martha Hutchens |
Even today, Fuller Lodge is the heart of Los Alamos. It hosts musical events, history lectures, science discussions and many other things. In the late 1940’s, two wings were added to the structure. They now house an art gallery and the Los Alamos Historical Society. And on Christmas Eve in 2020, the bell over Fuller Lodge rang as part of a world-wide event to bring people together while still social distancing. So far as I know, it was the first time the bell had rung since the end of WWII, except for pranks by the boys in town.
Martha Hutchens is a transplanted southerner who lives in Los Alamos, NM where she is surrounded by history so unbelievable it can only be true. She won the 2019 Golden Heart for Romance with Religious and Spiritual Elements. A former analytical chemist and retired homeschool mom, Martha is frequently found working on her latest knitting project when she isn’t writing.
Martha’s current novella is set in southeast Missouri during World War II. It is free to her newsletter subscribers. You can subscribe to my newsletter at my website, www.marthahutchens.com
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Thank you for posting today, and Happy New Year! I appreciate finding out about these places that I will never have an opportunity to see. I'm an armchair traveler for sure, and this blog helps carry me away many days.
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