Placitas Library to commemorate 80th anniversary of Trinity explosion

The Placitas Community Library is commemorating the 80th anniversary of the Trinity atomic explosion, a pivotal moment in human history that occurred on July 16, 1945, just 133 miles south of Placitas. 

This event, the first of hundreds of nuclear tests, led to the end of World War II within three weeks. 

Throughout the month, the Placitas Community Library will feature a display of photos, books and documents detailing the history of the Trinity event. This groundbreaking project was developed and engineered at Los Alamos. Placitas itself was once home to several officials connected to The Manhattan Project, the highly secretive undertaking responsible for developing “the bomb” during the war.

A special showing of the PBS documentary “The Bomb” is scheduled for July 13 at 2 p.m. at the Placitas Library. The first half of the film, leading up to the Trinity explosion, will be screened, followed by a dedicated discussion on the current implications of nuclear weaponry.

Attendees will have the opportunity to view the second half of the documentary at a later date. Following each session, the library encourages attendees to share their memories of the Cold War era, including “Duck and Cover” drills and other historical artifacts. This PBS program, originally aired on the 70th Anniversary of Trinity, is considered one of the most comprehensive histories on the subject.