Manhattan Project Era Chapel

Manhattan Project Era Chapel. Los Alamos Historic District Walking Tour. Originally constructed for Bruns General Army Hospital in Santa Fe in 1943, this chapel was moved to Los Alamos in 1947 as the military turned over the Manhattan Project base to the newly formed Atomic Energy Commission. It is one of 604 such chapels the Army built during World War II, and one of the few remaining. At first, all faiths - Jewish, Catholic, and Protestant - used the chapel. On October 19, 1947, The United Church of Los Alamos was formed as an experiment in promoting unity among church denominations. The United Church remained in the building as non-participating faiths found their own places of worship in the late 1940s. Over the years, the chapel has been well maintained, and it continues to serve the community with an active congregation and space for weddings, performances, and even as a filming location for movies., Below: An artist's rendering from builder W.C. Kruger, the company that constructed the wings on either side of the Chapel in 1947. (photos courtesy Los Alamos Historical Society) Right top to bottom: The Chapel's first Catholic mass on May 4, 1947; People gather outside The Chapel, before the landscaping was finished in 1947 (photos courtesy The United Church); The original chapel shortly after it was assembled in Los Alamos and the landscaping was done, circa late 1947. (photo courtesy Los Alamos Historical Society), Pick up a copy of the Historical Walking Tour Guide at the Los Alamos History Museum, Bradbury Science Museum, Los Alamos Nature Center, any of the Visitor Centers, or one of the visitor guide kiosks around town. Download one by scanning the QR code, or go to visitlosalamos.org.