Snow days in Los Alamos always seem to create a need to reminisce about the past. Of course, my thoughts first turned to epic snow days of the past, which you can read about HERE. And then I started thinking about what life must’ve been like a long time ago here in Los Alamos when it snowed like crazy. The one population here in Los Alamos that was absolutely out this past snow day, driving around like crazy people on a snow/work from home/no school/sleep in day were the Los Alamos Stable Owners. No matter how much snow falls, they’ve been known to cross country ski out there to get the horses fed and watered on time.

That got me thinking about Los Alamos in the early days. How on earth did they plow their way out of there when the snowfall was even heavier on a regular basis?

Jim Womelsduff was one of a handful of Los Alamos Ranch School employees who were critical to the success and sustainability of the community on the Pajarito Plateau. You can read a bit more about Jim in a previous post about the Chief Mechanic’s House. Jim’s nephew, Richard E. Womelsduff, wrote about his uncle in his manuscript, “It Was a Good Time and Place to Be a Boy”, the entirety of which can be read in the Wirth and Aldrich book, Los Alamos: The Ranch School Years. Jim Womelsduff was mechanically inclined in all of the best ways.

It seems consistent with most descriptions of early winters at the ranch school, that snowfall was considerable. As we all know, there aren’t that many ways in and out of Los Alamos. But Jim Womelsduff was responsible for clearing the access roads in and out and also from building to building since many of them were pretty far flung. (Would YOU want too shovel your way from the intersection at Trinity and 20th Streets to Fuller Lodge?) For this purpose, Jim actually designed and built enormous snowplows which could be attached to the Caterpillar tractors, which Jim also kept running. And THAT is how the school kept itself alive in the winter!

Science Class at the Local Ruins

Richard Womelsduff goes on to tell another tale of life in early Los Alamos regarding the native ruins located near the Romero Cabin on 19th St where the road dead ends into a parking lot connected to Central Park Square.

“There were Indian ruins on Los Alamos mesa as well as most places on the Pajarito Plateau. A small ruin mound of about five hundred square feet was located just a few yards to the west of the Big House. It showed a dozen or so small rooms and was worked on from time to time by a science class of schoolboys.”

Can you imagine getting an anthropology or archeology or even a geology lesson where you actually got to dig into a mound and uncover ruins for yourself? Evidently there were several more nearby ruins that were utilized in history seeking expeditions during the boys’ free time. Womelsduff’s account goes on to say, “These ruins were so prevalent all over the area that they were accepted as a normal part of our environment, with little thought given to the people who had once lived and died there.” Oddly enough, this rather reminds me of the general level of appreciation most of us felt about a trip to Bandelier during elementary school. Just another part of life in Los Alamos. As an adult, I’ve come to realize what an incredible opportunity this is!

Six Gun School Play

Richard Womelsduff tells another laughable story about the introduction of a formal elementary school for the local children of ranch school employees. This occurred when AJ Connell hired Fred Rousseau as the LARS business manager. Fred and his wife, Edna, promptly moved into Master Cottage #1. Edna took up a position as the elementary school teacher.

Richard does remember the bonus of a new grade school was that the old grade school building became the home of a horse wrangler named Ted Mather. Ted must’ve been like a character from a book or a tall tale to the young boys of the ranch school. The man came complete with a bow legged walk, a huge moustache, and a six gun that he actually wore strapped to his waist when out and about.

Richard was very pleased that Ted allowed him to borrow the gun, without bullets of course, for his part in the school play. Certainly any kiddo who grew up playing mountain main running about the wilds of early Los Alamos would love a chance to wave a six gun shooter around as he acted in a school play. And perhaps nothing draws a more glaring line between the “good old days” and the here and now. Though I am reminded that our Los Alamos High School has a talented group of young trap shooting and sporting clay shooters who participate in the “Young Guns” Club. It’s even a co-ed group that competes all over the state!

As we gear up for another winter here in Los Alamos and wonder what on Earth happened to autumn, let’s be happy we have things like teleworking, snow plows, central heat and modern wood, gas, and pellet stoves. At least when our fireplace is crackling merrily and we’re curled up in front of our favorite binge watching television, we aren’t usually worried about choking on smoke or having to run out to the forest to chop more wood!

There are so many more funny little tidbit tales about early life in Los Alamos. We’ll have to take a trip through the “Culture Club” era soon. And when you’re ready to find your perfect hearth in Los Alamos, give me a call! I’d love to talk Los Alamos Housing and comfy living spaces in Los Alamos with you!