McDonald Ranch House facts for kids
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McDonald Ranch House
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U.S. National Historic Landmark District
Contributing Property |
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The McDonald-Schmidt Ranch House. The concrete box at the foot of the stone wall is the remnant of a 1984 time capsule, buried for 25 years on the completion of the home's restoration.
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 Location in New Mexico
Location in the United States
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| Location | White Sands Missile Range |
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| Nearest city | San Antonio, New Mexico |
| Built | 1913 |
| Part of | Trinity Site (ID66000493) |
| NRHP reference No. | 66000493 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
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| Added to NRHP | October 15, 1966 |
| Designated NHLDCP | December 21, 1965 |
The McDonald Ranch House is a historic building in the Oscura Mountains of Socorro County, New Mexico. It is famous as the place where the world's first nuclear weapon was put together. This bomb, called the "gadget," was similar to the Fat Man bomb later dropped on Nagasaki, Japan. Its parts were assembled here on July 13, 1945. The bomb was then moved to a test tower and exploded on July 16, 1945, in what was called the Trinity nuclear test.
The ranch house was built in 1913 by Franz Schmidt, a German immigrant. The McDonald family bought it in the 1930s. In 1942, the United States Army took over the land for the Alamogordo Bombing and Gunnery Range. This was to train bomber crews during World War II. The McDonald family had to leave, even though they didn't want to.
The family hoped to get their ranch back after the war. But the Army decided to keep it permanently in 1970. The McDonald Ranch House was empty and started to fall apart. In 1982, the Army made sure it wouldn't get worse. Then, in 1984, the National Park Service fixed it up. They made it look exactly like it did on July 12, 1945. Today, you can visit the site twice a year, in April and October.
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A Look at the Historic Ranch House
The McDonald Ranch House is surrounded by a low stone wall. Franz Schmidt built the house in 1913. His old house had burned down the year before. The McDonald family, who moved to the area in the late 1870s, bought the ranch in the 1930s. They added a section to the north side of the house.
The ranch house is a single-story building. It is made of adobe, which is a type of mud brick. The walls were plastered and painted. On the west side, there was an ice house. An underground tank collected rainwater from the roof. This water was used for the house. There is also a large water tank and a windmill east of the house. In the summer of 1945, scientists and workers even used the north tank as a swimming pool! South of the windmill, you can still see parts of a bunkhouse and a barn. The buildings around the house have been made stable so they don't fall apart.
The McDonald family had to leave their ranch in 1942. The Alamogordo Bombing and Gunnery Range needed the land for training bomber crews during World War II. The Army took over many lands in the area. Ranchers were told to leave. The McDonalds went to court and received about $60,000 for their land.
The Manhattan Project's Secret Work
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The house was empty until early 1945. That's when people from the Manhattan Project arrived. The Manhattan Project was a secret effort during World War II to build the first atomic bombs. The northeast room of the ranch house, which was the master bedroom, became the assembly room. Workers put in workbenches and tables. To keep out dust and sand, they covered the windows with plastic. They also sealed doors and cracks in the walls with tape.
The parts for the core of the "gadget" bomb arrived at the McDonald Ranch House on July 11, 1945. Brigadier General Thomas F. Farrell signed for them. He then gave them to Louis Slotin, who led the team putting the core together. The main parts of the bomb were assembled in this room on July 13, 1945. The next day, the completed bomb was lifted up the test tower. The Trinity test happened on July 16, 1945. A plutonium Fat Man-type bomb exploded.
The explosion was only about 2 miles (3.2 km) away. It blew out most of the house's windows. However, the main structure was not badly damaged. Years of rain leaking through the roof caused more damage later. The barn roof was pushed inward by the blast. Some of its roofing blew away, and the barn later collapsed.
Restoring a Historic Landmark
On December 21, 1965, the Trinity Site, including the McDonald House, was named a National Historic Landmark. Then, on October 15, 1966, the McDonald House was listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
The McDonald family had hoped to get their ranch back after the war. But this did not happen. In the 1970s, the Army said they would keep the land. In 1982, Dave McDonald and his niece, Mary McDonald, protested the Army keeping the ranch.
The house was empty and getting worse until 1982. White Sands Missile Range commander Major General Niles J. Fulwyler ordered the house to be made stable. This stopped further damage. Soon after, General Fulwyler got money from the Department of Energy and the Army. This money allowed the National Park Service to fully restore the house. They made it look just like it did on July 12, 1945. The restoration work was finished in 1984.
General Fulwyler buried a 25-year time capsule about the restoration. It was opened on October 3, 2009. The items from the time capsule are now on display inside the house.
Visiting the McDonald Ranch House
For many years, the site was open to visitors twice a year. This was on the first Saturday in April and October. There is no charge to visit. During each open house, there is a display about the Schmidt family inside the house. In 2014, the White Sands Missile Range announced that the site would only be open once a year due to budget issues. However, in 2015, this decision was changed. Now, the site is open twice a year again. 2022, you can visit on the first Saturday in April and the third Saturday in October.
