Los Alamos Historical Society

The Los Alamos Historical Society preserves, promotes, and communicates the remarkable history and inspiring stories of Los Alamos and its people for our community, for the global audience, and for future generations. We do this through the Los Alamos History Museum, the Los Alamos Historical Society Archives and Collection, publications through Bathtub Row Press, ownership and interpretation of historic buildings, educational programs such as our lecture series, and more. 

T H E   T E A M

Todd Nickols
Executive Director
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Todd is almost a Los Alamos native, having moved here as an almost 2-year-old. He is a Los Alamos High School graduate and holds two degrees in applied sciences from
Metropolitan Tech in Nebraska.
Before becoming the manager of the Museum Shop in 2016, he ran the Bandelier National Monument concessions and gift shop for eight years. He has enjoyed acting experience
in TV and films, and now pursues skiing, hiking
and the outdoor life around the plateau.


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Sharon Snyder
Bathtub Row Press Publications Director
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Sharon Snyder is the author of At Home on the Slopes of Mountains, a biography of New Mexico poet and author Peggy Pond Church. She also coauthored, with Toni Michnovicz Gibson, Los Alamos and the Pajarito Plateau. Sharon is a historian interested in northern New Mexico history, focusing on Los Alamos, Santa Fe, and the La Junta Valley. She serves on the board of directors of the Los Alamos Historical Society. Sharon holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of New Mexico and a master’s from New Mexico Tech. 

Contact Sharon if you are interested in ordering our publications.
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Don Cavness
Curator
As the curator of collections, Don is responsible for the conservation, preservation, restoration and cataloging of the Los Alamos Historical Society's cultural artifact collections. He received a bachelor's degree from SWTSU (Texas State University) with majors in government and English, and minors in history and economics with teaching certifications. His graduate study at ASU/Texas A&M was in educational administration. He attended the collections management program at SFCC/IAIA and is certified in archives management by the Northern States Conservation Center. Don and wife, Jackie, are passionate about museums, having in the past five years toured museums in Scotland, Finland and Estonia. Don's oil paintings have been shown in several area art galleries.
Rebecca Collinsworth
​Archivist
Rebecca has been with the Los Alamos Historical Society for almost 30 years. She earned both a bachelor's degree and a master's degree from the University of New Mexico with a concentration in Far Eastern History.
Her specialty is photographic collections, and she added digital image capture to the archive's capabilities in 2004.

Call Rebecca if you are conducting research or would like to purchase photos. 
Sarah Matteson
Museum ​Educator​
Sarah Matteson is eagerly returning to museum work after a few years away from the field. After earning degrees in history and political science from UCLA, she started her career as an educator in her hometown at the San Diego History Center. While there, she reveled in researching and giving tours and talks, developing exhibits, and sharing the story of the region with visitors--young and old, resident and tourist. She applied many of these same skills in her staff role for Girl Scouts San Diego's training team (though there were considerably more campfires involved there!). She enjoys reading, is currently experimenting in high-altitude gardening, and is tackling the local hikes with her partner and pup.
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Alison Watkins
Executive Assistant

Alison Watkins (née Honig) was born and raised in Los Alamos. After spending 17 years in Texas, where she attended college and met her husband, she moved back with her family in 2011. Alison holds a B.A. in history from Texas Tech University as well as a paralegal certificate. She previously worked at the Vietnam Center and Archive at Texas Tech and at a Fort Worth law firm. Alison has three active boys and spends most of her free time at their events and activities, but she also enjoys taking adult ballet classes.

Would you like to join our team?

Board of Directors

Board President   Cheri Trottier
Vice President  Christine Hipp
Secretary  Wendy Hoffman
Treasurer  Ron Wilkins
Directors
     Paul Bombardt
     Shay Burns Kendricks
     Mary Pat Kraemer
​     Leslie Linke
     Annette Sehorn
     Sharon Snyder
​     Mike Wheeler
     Kati Steinberg
     Patrick Sullivan
     Drew Fuller

Historical Society Offices

The offices of the Los Alamos Historical Society are located in historic Fuller Lodge in the center of Los Alamos, New Mexico. Designed in 1928 by John Gaw Meem for the Los Alamos Ranch School, and later used by the Manhattan Project, Fuller Lodge is now a public building on the National Register of Historic Places and hosts many community events.