Los Alamos Ranch School was a private school for boys near Otowi, New Mexico, in what would eventually become Los Alamos, New Mexico. It was private, exculsive, residential boys school that featured the outdoors, sports, and horses. Famous alumni included William Burroughs and Gore Vidal. In November 1942, it and the surrounding land was purchased by the Manhattan Engineering District as part of the Manhattan Project to develop the first atomic bomb, in order to become a top-secret weapons laboratory. The site was chosen for its isolation, access to water, the fact that it had pre-existing buildings which could be used for housing, the fact that much of the surrounding land was already owned by the federal government, had ample space, and was located on a mesa in which all entrances could be secured. The area was originally referred to as "Site Y", but would later become known as Los Alamos National Laboratory.

External links

• "The Ranch School Closes Down" - article from Los Alamos National Laboratory

Manhattan Project