Los Alamos Historical Society Announces Free Two-Part Lecture Series on Local Buildings

On Jan. 5 the Los Alamos Historical Society announced a free, two-part lecture series called "If These Walls Could Talk" aimed at deepening public knowledge of the county's built history and preservation work. The first program will be held Tuesday, Jan. 13 from 7 to 9 p.m. in the Pajarito Room at Fuller Lodge and will focus on the Buildings of the Los Alamos Historic District. The second session is scheduled for Tuesday, Feb. 10 from 7 to 9 p.m. and will address Stories from the Buildings Behind the Fence, including Laboratory properties and ongoing preservation efforts.

Part 1 will feature volunteers and society staff who will discuss the Historic District's buildings and the people associated with them, tracing how structures and community life intersect in the county's midcentury origin. Part 2 will include staff from Los Alamos National Laboratory and representatives of Manhattan Project National Park, who will present on Laboratory properties and preservation work that touches both federal lands and the community's shared heritage.

For residents, the series offers an unusual opportunity to hear directly from those responsible for maintaining and interpreting Los Alamos' distinctive inventory of historic buildings. That connection matters for several practical reasons: local preservation decisions influence the appearance of neighborhoods, stewardship of public spaces, and how the county interprets its role in national history. Engagement with Laboratory and National Park staff also clarifies how federal and local preservation priorities intersect, which can affect access to historic sites and future coordination on maintenance and interpretive programming.

The events are free and open to the community; the society acknowledged multiple sponsors in the announcement and invited area residents to attend. Hosting the first session at Fuller Lodge places the program in a familiar civic setting that regularly accommodates cultural and educational events, potentially drawing visitors to nearby businesses and reinforcing Fuller Lodge's role as a community hub.

As Los Alamos continues to balance living history with contemporary scientific work, the lecture series creates a forum for transparent discussion about the physical legacy of the Manhattan Project era. Residents interested in the county's built environment, heritage interpretation, or federal-local coordination on preservation will find these sessions a practical way to learn about decisions that shape both daily life and long-term stewardship of Los Alamos County's historic assets.