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 very important place in history. It is located in the Oscura Mountains of Socorro County, New Mexico. This ranch house was where the world's first nuclear weapon was put together.
On July 13, 1945, scientists assembled the parts of a special bomb, nicknamed the "gadget," inside the house. This bomb was similar to the one later dropped on Nagasaki, Japan. The next day, the completed bomb was moved to a test tower. It was detonated on July 16, 1945, in what was called the Trinity nuclear test.
The house was built in 1913 by Franz Schmidt, a German immigrant. The McDonald family bought the ranch in the 1930s. In 1942, the United States Army took over the land for World War II training. The McDonald family had to leave, even though they didn't want to.
After the war, the family hoped to get their ranch back. But the Army decided to keep the land permanently. The McDonald Ranch House became empty and started to fall apart. In 1984, it was carefully restored by the National Park Service. Today, it looks just like it did on July 12, 1945. You can visit this historic site twice a year.
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A Secret Place in History
The McDonald Ranch House is surrounded by a low stone wall. The house itself is a one-story building. It was built in 1913 by Franz Schmidt. His old house had burned down the year before.
Building the Ranch House
The house was made of adobe, which is a type of sun-dried brick. The adobe was then covered with plaster and painted. The McDonald family, who moved to the area in the late 1870s, bought the ranch in the 1930s. They added a new section to the north side of the house.
Life on the Ranch
The ranch house is about 1,750 square feet in size. 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 was also a large water tank and a windmill east of the house. During the summer of 1945, scientists even used the north tank as a swimming pool!
South of the windmill, you can still see the remains of a bunkhouse and a barn. The barn was also used as a garage. Further east, there were corrals and pens for animals. Today, these older buildings are kept stable to prevent them from falling apart.
Leaving Their Home
In 1942, the McDonald family had to leave their ranch. The Alamogordo Bombing and Gunnery Range needed the land for training bomber crews during World War II. The government took over the land, and ranchers were told to leave.
The McDonalds went to court and received about $60,000 for their land. They had hoped to return after the war. However, the land was never given back to them.
The Manhattan Project's Big Secret
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The ranch house stood empty until early 1945. That's when people from the Manhattan Project arrived. The Manhattan Project was a top-secret effort to build the first nuclear weapons.
Preparing for the Bomb
The northeast room of the house, which was the master bedroom, became the assembly room. Workers installed 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. This made sure the sensitive instruments and tools stayed clean.
Assembling the First Nuclear Bomb
On July 11, 1945, the special plutonium parts for the "gadget" bomb arrived. Brigadier General Thomas F. Farrell signed for them. He then gave them to Louis Slotin, who led the team assembling the bomb's core.
The main parts of the bomb were put together in the assembly room on July 13, 1945. The next day, the bomb was carefully lifted up the test tower. The Trinity test happened on July 16, 1945. A plutonium bomb, similar to the one later used in Nagasaki, was detonated.
The Trinity Test Explosion
The explosion happened only 2 miles away from the ranch house. The blast blew out most of the house's windows. However, the main structure of the house was not badly damaged. Years of rain leaking through the roof caused more damage over time. The barn roof was bent inward by the blast. Some of its roofing was blown away, and it collapsed later.
Saving a Historic Landmark
In the years after the war, the McDonald family still hoped to get their ranch back. But in the 1970s, the Army confirmed the land would not be returned. In 1982, Dave McDonald and his niece, Mary McDonald, even protested by briefly reoccupying the ranch.
Becoming a National Landmark
On December 21, 1965, the Trinity Site, including the McDonald Ranch House, was named a National Historic Landmark district. This means it is a place of great national importance. On October 15, 1966, the McDonald House was also added to the National Register of Historic Places.
The house was empty and getting worse until 1982. White Sands Missile Range commander Major General Niles J. Fulwyler ordered the house to be stabilized. This stopped further damage. He then got money from the Department of Energy and the Army. This funding allowed the National Park Service to fully restore the house.
The Ranch House Today
The restoration work was finished in 1984. The house now looks exactly as it did on July 12, 1945. General Fulwyler buried a 25-year time capsule describing 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
The McDonald Ranch House is open to visitors twice a year. You can visit on the first Saturday in April and the third Saturday in October. There is no charge to enter. Inside the house, you can see a display about the Schmidt family, who first built the ranch.
