Los Alamos in Los Alamos County, New Mexico — The American Mountains (Southwest)

WWII Army Chapel

Manhattan Project National Historic Park

Photographed by James Hulse, March 25, 2025

1. WWII Army Chapel Marker

Inscription.

world war two Army Chapel. Manhattan Project National Historic Park. "During Project Y housing was top priority, and the army saw fit not to supply Los Alamos with either a Chapel or, at first, a chaplain. It was more than a year after the end of the war when General Groves (commander of the Manhattan District) approved funding for a church building in townsite., A standard army chapel was dismantled at the Bruns General Hospital in Santa Fe and reassembled on this site. Wings were added and Jewish, Catholic and Protestant worshippers shared the building, which opened on May 4, 1947. Within a few months, Protestants of many beliefs banded together to form a new kind of church, one where all denominations could worship as one. On October 9, 1947, members of the group signed a document that created the United Church of Los Alamos." [C. Martin, 2012], With visionary leadership, former military chaplain Abram "Abe" Sangrey, found many in Los Alamos quite willing to move boldly into an ecumenical Christian venture., The building was first known as "The Chapel" and later, after members of the Catholic and Jewish faiths moved to their own houses of worship, it became the "United Church"., Retaining its classic design, entrance and interior reconfigurations were completed in 1977, with further upgrades and transformations to the buildings and grounds in 2016., . 1941 Chapels approved for military bases , . 1943 Army builds chapel at Bruns Hospital site in Santa Fe , . 1946 Post war, Bruns Hospital closes and General Leslie Groves orders Chapel move to Los Alamos , . 1947 Chapel reassembled here at the 2500 block of Canyon Drive , . Civilian Atomic Energy Commission succeedes the Manhattan Engineer District , . The cross wings were added and Jewish, Catholic, and Protestant services held , . The United Church established by agreement of several protestant denomenations, Captions , (Photo #1) Standard Army chapel design approved by Congress in 1941 (a total of 604 were built) Courtesy of www.TheChaplainKit.com , (Photo #2) The Chapel prior to adding cross wings in 1947. Photo by Seymour Katcoff, 1947 , (Photo #3) Circa 1950's

"During Project Y housing was top priority, and the army saw fit not to supply Los Alamos with either a Chapel or, at first, a chaplain. It was more than a year after the end of the war when General Groves (commander of the Manhattan District) approved funding for a church building in townsite.

A standard army chapel was dismantled at the Bruns General Hospital in Santa Fe and reassembled on this site. Wings were added and Jewish, Catholic and Protestant worshippers shared the building, which opened on May 4, 1947. Within a few months, Protestants of many beliefs banded together to form a new kind of church, one where all denominations could worship as one. On October 9, 1947, members of the group signed a document that created the United Church of Los Alamos." [C. Martin, 2012]

With visionary leadership, former military chaplain Abram "Abe" Sangrey, found many in Los Alamos quite willing to move boldly into an ecumenical Christian venture.

The building was first known as "The Chapel" and later, after members of the Catholic and Jewish faiths moved to their own houses of worship, it became the "United Church".

Retaining

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its classic design, entrance and interior reconfigurations were completed in 1977, with further upgrades and transformations to the buildings and grounds in 2016.

• 1941 Chapels approved for military bases
• 1943 Army builds chapel at Bruns Hospital site in Santa Fe
• 1946 Post war, Bruns Hospital closes and General Leslie Groves orders Chapel move to Los Alamos
• 1947 Chapel reassembled here at the 2500 block of Canyon Drive
• Civilian Atomic Energy Commission succeedes the Manhattan Engineer District
• The cross wings were added and Jewish, Catholic, and Protestant services held
• The United Church established by agreement of several protestant denomenations

Captions
(Photo #1) Standard Army chapel design approved by Congress in 1941 (a total of 604 were built) Courtesy of www.TheChaplainKit.com
(Photo #2) The Chapel prior to adding cross wings in 1947. Photo by Seymour Katcoff, 1947
(Photo #3) Circa 1950's

Erected by Los Alamos.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Religion & Religious Structures. A significant historical date for this entry is May 4, 1947.

Location. 35° 53.072′ N, 106° 18.295′ W.

Photographed by James Hulse, March 25, 2025

2. WWII Army Chapel Marker

Marker is in Los Alamos, New Mexico, in Los Alamos County. It is at the intersection of Rose Street and Circle Drive, on the left when traveling east on Rose Street. The marker is located next to the west side of the church. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 2525 Canyon Road, Los Alamos NM 87544, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in Northern New Mexico.

It is also in the American Southwest.

Globally, it is in North America,

the Rocky Mountains,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once New Spain.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Manhattan Project Era Chapel (within shouting distance of this marker); Life on the Pajarito Plateau (about 400 feet away, measured in a direct line); Power House (approx. 0.2 miles away); A Sense of Place (approx. 0.2 miles away); Pajarito Mountain Ski Area (approx. 0.2 miles away); Victory Garden (approx. 0.2 miles away); Welcome to the Harold Agnew Cold War Gallery in the Hans Bethe House (approx. 0.2 miles

Photographed by James Hulse, March 25, 2025

3. WWII Army Chapel Marker

away); The History is Here Campaign (approx. 0.2 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Los Alamos.

Also see . . .
1. Los Alamos where discoveries are made. Los Alamos County (Submitted on April 12, 2025, by James Hulse of Medina, Texas.)

2. Historical Walking Tour Map. Los Alamos Historical Museum

Walk from the Stone Age to the atomic age. Your walking tour spans eight centuries of Los Alamos history, from ancestral Pueblos, through homesteading on the Pajarito Plateau, to the future of science and technology. We hope that it will be just the beginning of your acquaintance with Los Alamos.

(Submitted on April 12, 2025, by James Hulse of Medina, Texas.)

WWII Army Chapel - United Church of Los Alamos image. Click for full size.

Photographed by James Hulse, March 25, 2025

4. WWII Army Chapel - United Church of Los Alamos

Credits. This page was last revised on April 12, 2025. It was originally submitted on April 11, 2025, by James Hulse of Medina, Texas. This page has been viewed 186 times since then and 43 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4. submitted on April 12, 2025, by James Hulse of Medina, Texas.