Editing Manhattan Project (section)

=== Los Alamos ===
{{Main|Project Y}}
[[File:Los Alamos map.gif|thumb|upright=1.3|Map of Los Alamos site, New Mexico, 1943–1945]]
The idea of locating Project Y at Oak Ridge was considered, but it was decided that it should be in a remote location. On Oppenheimer's recommendation, the search for a suitable site was narrowed to the vicinity of [[Albuquerque, New Mexico]], where Oppenheimer owned a ranch.<ref>{{harvnb|Jones|1985|pp=83–84}}.</ref> On 16 November 1942, Oppenheimer, Groves, Dudley and others toured the vicinity of the [[Los Alamos Ranch School]]. Oppenheimer expressed a strong preference for the site, citing its natural beauty, which, it was hoped, would inspire those working on the project.<ref>{{harvnb|Fine|Remington|1972|pp=664–665}}.</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.lanl.gov/history/road/school-arsenal.shtml |publisher=Los Alamos National Laboratory |title=50th Anniversary Article: Oppenheimer's Better Idea: Ranch School Becomes Arsenal of Democracy |access-date=6 April 2011}}</ref> The engineers were concerned about the poor access road, and whether the water supply would be adequate, but otherwise felt that it was ideal.<ref>{{harvnb|Groves|1962|pp=66–67}}.</ref>

Patterson approved the acquisition of the site on 25 November 1942, authorizing $440,000 for the purchase of pre-calculated {{convert|54000|acre|ha}}, all but {{convert|8900|acre|ha}} of which were already owned by the Federal Government.<ref name="Jones, pp. 328-331">{{harvnb|Jones|1985|pp=328–331}}.</ref> [[Secretary of Agriculture]] [[Claude R. Wickard]] granted about {{convert|45000|acre|ha}} of [[United States Forest Service]] land to the [[United States Department of War|War Department]] "for so long as the military necessity continues".<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.lanl.gov/history/road/pdf/4-8-43.pdf |publisher=Los Alamos National Laboratory |title=Secretary of Agriculture granting use of land for Demolition Range |date=8 April 1943 |access-date=6 April 2011}}</ref> Wartime land purchases eventually came to {{convert|49383|acre|ha}}, but only $414,971 was spent.<ref name=AHF>{{cite web |url=https://ahf.nuclearmuseum.org/ahf/history/civilian-displacement-los-alamos-nm/ |title=Civilian Displacement: Los Alamos, NM |author=<!--Not stated--> |date=2017-07-26 |publisher=Atomic Heritage Foundation |access-date=2024-08-01}}</ref> Work commenced in December 1942. Groves initially allocated $300,000 for construction, three times Oppenheimer's estimate, but by the time Sundt{{efn|M.M. Sundt Construction Co., the general contractor and construction company responsible for Los Alamos.<ref>{{Cite web |title=History |url=https://www.sundt.com/about-us/history/#1943 |access-date=2025-04-02 |website=Construction Company & General Contractor {{!}} Sundt |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Sundt Corp. {{!}} Encyclopedia.com |url=https://www.encyclopedia.com/books/politics-and-business-magazines/sundt-corp |access-date=2025-04-02 |website=www.encyclopedia.com}}</ref>}} finished on 30 November 1943, over $7&nbsp;million had been spent.<ref>{{harvnb|Hunner|2004|pp=31–32}}.</ref>

During the war, Los Alamos was referred to as "Site Y" or "the Hill".<ref>{{harvnb|Hunner|2004|p=29}}.</ref> Initially it was to have been a military laboratory with Oppenheimer and other researchers commissioned into the Army, but [[Robert Bacher]] and [[Isidor Rabi]] balked at the idea and convinced Oppenheimer that other scientists would object. Conant, Groves, and Oppenheimer then devised a compromise whereby the laboratory was operated by the University of California under contract to the War Department.<ref>{{harvnb|Hewlett|Anderson|1962|pp=230–232}}.</ref> [[Dorothy McKibbin]] ran the branch office in Santa Fe, where she met new arrivals and issue them with passes.{{sfn|Conant|2005|pp=58–61}}